Spices, the spice blend and a ceramic pumpkin

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Would you believe me if I told you that most of the “pumpkin” flavor you associate with pumpkin spice anything comes from the spice, not the pumpkin? It’s true. Pumpkin on its own has a very mild light and dare I say plan flavor to it. It begs for some warming spices to meet their true potential as the flavors we all know and love.

I’m sharing my go-to pumpkin spice blend with a surprise ingredient, Chinese Five Spice, that will change your entire perspective on pumpkin spice. It’s super quick and easy! You’ll never go back to those bland pumpkin spice versions ever again!

This recipe intentionally yields a small-ish amount (about 5 tablespoons). Just in case you only need enough to bake, say, a pie or add it to your coffee drink. You can easily multiply this recipe to yield a full spice jar if you’re planning really use this blend all season.

What is Chinese Five Spice?

Chinese Five-spice (or just five-spice) has a consistent flavor profile (you’ll know it as warming, deep, and distinctly spicy, but not fiery). That’s where the consistency stops. The actual spice blend itself isn’t always made up of the same five spices. In fact, there aren’t always five of them. Quite frankly, it depends on the brand and where you buy the spice from. Most blends from China include star anise, cinnamon or its close relative cassia, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds. The mix can also contain ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, galangal, Mandarin orange peel, white or black pepper, and licorice. Most from America, I have found, generally have 5 and always have star anise.

Ultimately, whether the blend is actually 5individual spices or not, the true focus of this spice is on the achievement of a harmonious balance. This balance is created by the five traditional Chinese elements:

wood
fire
earth
metal
water

These elements are represented by the five flavor profiles (sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and savory) created from the spices.

Traditionally, five-spice is used to complement fatty meats, like duck, goose, or pork. It’s also used in marinades, stews, and braises. I personally love it in sweets! It adds a depth in flavor very similar to those in many fall desserts. It gives things like pumpkin or squash an amazing oomph.

Storage and Freshness

This Pumpkin spice will keep well in an airtight container for up to 1 year.

Fresh spices are generally more potent. So if they are older you might need to add an extra 1/2 teaspoon.
If you’re concerned about the freshness of your spices, I suggest buying them all at the same time and making your spice blend immediately.

Pumpkin Spice Uses

You can use this homemade pumpkin spice blend in any recipe that calls for pumpkin spice. Really, any recipe that already calls for (or could benefit from) cinnamon, clove, or allspice is perfect for pumpkin spice. To add some “pumpkin spice” to any recipe, simply add a teaspoon or two of this blend. You can add more if you find it’s not strong enough, but start small.

If your recipe calls for typical fall spices, you can replace all those spices with pumpkin spice. Simply take the sum of all the spice measurements and replace it with that amount of the pumpkin spice blend.

For example: if the recipe asks for 1 teaspoon of cinnamon + ½ teaspoon of nutmeg + ½ teaspoon of ginger. Then you would just use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice.

This will add such dimension to your dish.

Try it in

Pumpkin Spice and Pumpkin Spice Scotcheroos — Pumpkin Spice Scotcheroos – Recipe Coming

ENJOY and Share!

Let me know what you thought! Your star ratings with your comments are tremendously helpful! I love seeing friends and family come together over food. If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram or Facebook! Use @alwaysjennsmith & #alwaysjennsmith. Or share it on this post’s Pinterest Pin!

Looking for more fun homemade spice blends? Try any of these:

Pumpkin Spice Blend

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Print Recipe

This pumpkin spice blend recipe is easy to make. Combine ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and my secret ingredient – Chinese five spices. Stir them together and make your favorite pumpkin recipe! The recipe yields approximately 2 tablespoons. You can easily double or triple the recipe.

Total Time: 6 minutes
Yield: 3 Tablespoons 1x

Ingredients

Scale

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice

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Instructions

In a small bowl, put in all of the spices. Whisk all of the ingredients together. *Ground ginger can clump, so whisking or mixing with a fork usually helps to rid any clumps better than a spoon.
Pour the spice mixture into your desired jar that seals well. A small funnel makes this step a little easier
Store at room temperature in a dry place, like a cupboard, drawer, or pantry.
This Pumpkin spice will keep well in an airtight container for up to 1 year (See notes for more on this)