How to make a cheap, large-batch homemade pumpkin spice blend that tastes exactly like the bulk bins at the store!
“Skip the grocery store markup with this easy, balanced homemade pumpkin spice blend that tastes just like the bulk bins!” – Mona, Far From The Farm Blog.
Ran out of pumpkin pie spice again? This Copycat WinCo Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe is my easy homemade answer, delivering that warm, cinnamon-heavy flavor, fragrant ginger, and just enough clove that I love from the bulk bins at our local WinCo Foods.
Making a big batch of homemade pumpkin pie spice right at home means you can skip the expensive, tiny grocery store jars and use simple pantry staples instead!
Hi! If you’ve been following me for long you’ll already know this, but for those who are new, welcome to Far From The Farm. I’m Mona, the Brit behind the recipes, learning life and food in the States while sharing our debt-free journey and what’s on the menu in our home today!
Pumpkin pie spice is completely normal here in America. Back home in Britain, though, it wasn’t something I remember keeping in the spice cupboard at all. And goodness, it smells like American autumn in a jar!
There is cinnamon, warmth, spice, and that unmistakable fragrance that immediately makes me think of fall baking. It isn’t actually about loving pumpkin, either. This homemade spice blend works beautifully anywhere you want that cozy, seasonal warmth.
Coffee is one of my favorite places to use it. A little pumpkin pie spice stirred into homemade ground coffee blends can give an ordinary pot of coffee that lovely seasonal flavor without buying expensive flavored blends at the store. It is also brilliant in oatmeal, French toast, pancakes, muffins, cookies, and homemade breads.
This particular combination is the balance I prefer because it isn’t completely overwhelmed by cloves. Some homemade pumpkin spice recipes can taste very sharp because the cloves dominate everything else. Here, the cinnamon remains the star, ginger gives it plenty of warmth, and the nutmeg, allspice, and cloves round everything out perfectly.
If you’re outside America and wondering what pumpkin pie spice is supposed to taste like, this is the exact style of blend I’d recommend starting with: warm, fragrant, cinnamon-forward, gently spicy, and very autumnal.
Plus, because we’re making a full cup, you won’t need to measure five separate spice jars every time a fall recipe calls for it. Just open your container, measure what you need, and carry on. That convenience is surprisingly useful once fall baking starts properly!
It is also another tiny way we’re stretching our grocery budget. As a military family working through Baby Step 2 of our debt-free journey, we’re making more things at home. We try to get as much value as possible from what is already sitting in the pantry.
Buying another specialty store-bought seasoning blend doesn’t make much sense when individual ground spices are already in the cupboard. Making your own also means you’re in total control of the flavor balance.
And just a reminder that if you’re struggling and you need help with managing your budget or starting your own debt free journey then here’s some FREE resources below you may find helpful!
living frugally and fully
free tips and resources to make the most of what you have
As always, these photos are from my real kitchen here in our sweet military base home. No AI recipe images or staged lighting or spotless marble counters. Just real life and real food made in a small space. Proof that you can feed your family well without needing a dream kitchen or fancy tools!
So grab those spice jars and head into the kitchen to make this easy Copycat WinCo Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe!
Recipe Disclaimer
All Far From The Farm recipes are shared as a guide based on what works in my home kitchen. Results may vary depending on your ingredients, equipment, and cooking setup, so always use your own judgement. Please check all ingredients for allergies, intolerances, or dietary needs before making any recipe. Far From The Farm is not responsible for any reactions or outcomes from the use of these recipes. Nutritional information is an estimate only.
Mona – Far From The Farm
Pumpkin Pie Spice Flavor Profile Breakdown
- Cinnamon is deliberately the dominant flavor to give you that familiar, sweet warmth.
- Ground ginger provides cozy heat without making the mixture taste aggressively spicy or sharp.
- Cloves are used in a relatively restrained amount to prevent the blend from becoming bitter or overpowering your bakes.
- Spice Freshness and Potency: Older pantry spices won’t necessarily make the mixture unsafe to consume, but they will produce a much flatter, weaker finished flavor. For the best aroma, use spices that have been opened recently.
Before You Measure
Always give your storage jar a quick shake or stir before measuring out what you need. Settling naturally occurs over time, and a quick shake ensures an even distribution of flavors in every spoonful.
How to Substitute
Use this homemade blend as an exact 1:1 substitute in any recipe that calls for store-bought pumpkin pie spice or pumpkin spice seasoning
Sneak Peak!
Sometimes you need to see the end product before you commit to making it, right?! So here’s a quick glimpse of how it turned out for me today!
Equipment
- 1/2 cup measuring cup
- Tablespoon measuring spoon
- Medium mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Airtight spice jar or container
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Ingredients
Makes approximately 1 cup, or 16 tbsp
- 1/2 cup ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp ground allspice
- 1 tbsp ground cloves
How to Make Copycat WinCo Pumpkin Pie Spice
Step One: Measure the Spices
Measure the cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground allspice and ground cloves into a medium mixing bowl.
There is no special order required. Just measure carefully so the finished blend keeps the same balanced flavor every time.
Step Two: Mix Until Evenly Combined
Stir the spices thoroughly until the mixture becomes one uniform color.
Use the back of your spoon to press apart any compacted pieces of spice as you stir. Keep mixing until there are no obvious lumps or streaks of individual spices remaining.
That is particularly useful with ground ginger and cloves, which can sometimes compact in their containers.
Step Three: Transfer and Store
Transfer your finished pumpkin pie spice into a clean, dry airtight container.
Store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 3 months for the best flavor, then use it anywhere you would normally use store-bought pumpkin pie spice.
Give the jar a quick shake before using if it has been sitting for a while.
Enjoy!
Notes
- Yield and Scaling: This big-batch recipe yields approximately 1 cup (or 16 tablespoons) of homemade pumpkin pie spice. It is easily scaled down if you need a smaller amount, but having a full jar ready completely streamlines your autumn baking.
- WinCo Copycat Disclaimer: This is my homemade, copycat-style blend interpretation, inspired by the warm flavor profile of the bulk WinCo pumpkin pie spice. It is not an official WinCo Foods formula or corporate recipe.
- Ground vs. Whole Spices: Always use standard ground spices for this recipe, not whole spices. Pre-ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves ensure a perfectly uniform blend that incorporates smoothly into batters and liquids.
- Storage Best Practices: Make sure your spice jar or airtight container is completely clean and dry before filling it. Moisture is the enemy of dry seasonings and can cause your spice mixture to spoil or clump..
Troubleshooting – How to Fix Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mishaps?!
- The Kitchen Issue: After stirring, you can still see distinct patches or lines of white-ish ginger or dark brown cloves rather than one uniform, warm-brown color.
- Why It Happens: Ground ginger and cloves have a high oil content and compress easily during shipping, forming tiny, dense nuggets that resist standard stirring.
- The Real-Kitchen Fix: Do not just keep stirring with a spoon. Take a small wire whisk or the back of a metal spoon and vigorously press the lumps against the side of the bowl. For the absolute smoothest results, press the entire spice blend through a fine-mesh sifter or strainer before funneling it into your jar.
- The Kitchen Issue: The ground spices are clinging wildly to your plastic mixing bowl, measuring spoons, or the funnel you are using to pour it into the jar, causing a messy spill.
- Why It Happens: Plastic utensils and dry air generate static electricity, which causes micro-ground spices (especially cinnamon) to fly around and stick to surfaces.
- The Real-Kitchen Fix: Switch to glass, ceramic, or stainless steel mixing bowls and metal funnels. If you only have plastic, wipe the outside of the tools with a barely damp cloth before measuring to ground the static electricity.
- The Kitchen Issue: The moment you start mixing the ingredients together in the bowl, they begin to form sticky, hard little beads instead of staying a loose, fluffy powder.
- Why It Happens: Ambient moisture is the enemy. This happens if you used a measuring spoon that was slightly damp from being washed, or if you are mixing right next to a boiling kettle, a steaming dishwasher, or an active coffee machine.
- The Real-Kitchen Fix: If it is already clumping, toast the mixture gently. Spread the spice blend onto a clean, completely dry baking sheet and pop it into a turned-off oven that was recently warmed (around 150°F) for just 5 minutes to drive out the surface moisture. Let it cool completely before jarring.
- The Kitchen Issue: You followed the recipe perfectly, but when you take a sniff of your finished full cup, it doesn’t give you that punchy, vibrant “American autumn” aroma you expected.
- Why It Happens: One or more of your base spice jars was stale. Even if the expiration date hasn’t passed, spices lose their volatile oils rapidly once the safety seal is broken.
- The Real-Kitchen Fix: You can revive flat spices with a quick shelf-life hack. Pour the blend into a completely dry skillet over dead-low heat for exactly 30 to 45 seconds, shaking constantly. The gentle heat coaxes the remaining trapped oils to the surface, instantly blooming the fragrance. Let it cool completely before putting it in the jar, or the trapped heat will create condensation and ruin the batch.
- The Kitchen Issue: Your hand slipped while measuring the strong spices (cloves or allspice), and now the raw blend tastes incredibly harsh, medicinal, or leaves a numbing sensation on your tongue.
- Why It Happens: Cloves and allspice contain eugenol, an incredibly powerful aromatic compound that easily drowns out the sweet warmth of cinnamon.
- The Real-Kitchen Fix: Do not throw the batch away! You can easily rescue a doubled-clove mistake by transforming it into an even bigger bulk batch. Stir in an additional 1/2 cup of ground cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of ground ginger to instantly restore the intended WinCo-style balance.
- The Kitchen Issue: The blend has a sharp, throat-clearing burn that tastes more like a ginger snap or gingerbread than a traditional, smooth pumpkin pie spice.
- Why It Happens: Ground ginger provides sharp heat. If your specific brand of ginger is freshly opened or highly potent, it can overwhelm the blend.
- The Real-Kitchen Fix: To dial back the aggressive bite of ginger, add 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of ground nutmeg. The sweetness of the cinnamon combined with the nutty, woody depth of the nutmeg will instantly round out the sharp edges of the ginger.
Storage
- Store homemade pumpkin pie spice in a clean, dry airtight jar or spice container.
- Keep it in a cool, dark cupboard away from direct sunlight and moisture.
- For the strongest flavor, I recommend using this blend within 3 months.
- The spices may remain usable longer, but freshly mixed spices give much better aroma and flavor.
- Always use a completely dry measuring spoon.
Serving and Usage Ideas For Pumpkin Pie Spice
This Copycat WinCo Pumpkin Pie Spice isn’t limited to pumpkin pie. Try it in:
- Pumpkin pie
- Pumpkin bread
- Pumpkin muffins
- Pumpkin cookies
- Homemade coffee blends
- Coffee grounds before brewing
- Lattes
- Hot chocolate
- Oatmeal
- Overnight oats
- French toast
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- Cinnamon rolls
- Apple muffins
- Banana bread
- Sweet potato dishes
- Roasted squash
- Homemade granola
- Bread machine sweet breads
- Fall cookies
- Cheesecake
- Whipped cream
- Homemade coffee creamer
A tiny sprinkle over whipped cream also gives fall drinks a lovely finished look!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Makes a generous 1 cup big batch
- Ready in minutes
- Uses five ordinary ground spices
- No specialty equipment
- Cinnamon-forward rather than overly clove-heavy
- Easy substitute for store-bought pumpkin pie spice
- Perfect for fall baking
- Brilliant in homemade coffee blends
- Useful well beyond pumpkin recipes
- Easy to keep ready in the pantry
- Budget friendly
- Great for using spices already in your cupboard
- Simple enough for complete beginners
- Easy homemade alternative when the store-bought jar suddenly runs out
- Naturally customizable after you’ve tried the original balance
Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Pie Spice
While both blends share warm, comforting autumn flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg, they are not the same thing.
- Pumpkin pie spice features a much deeper, warmer, and sharper flavor profile because it heavily relies on ginger, cloves, and allspice. This robust warmth is designed to cut through heavy, dense ingredients like pumpkin purée and winter squashes.
- Apple pie spice is generally much softer, sweeter, and more cinnamon-forward. Many commercial and homemade versions also include cardamom, which gives apple desserts a lighter, brighter, and slightly citrusy aromatic lift.
No, they are distinct seasoning blends with different ingredient ratios. Pumpkin pie spice is robust, pungent, and clove-heavy, whereas apple pie spice is sweet, delicate, and often contains cardamom instead of cloves or allspice.
Yes, you can substitute pumpkin pie spice for apple pie spice at a 1:1 ratio, but it will alter the final flavor profile of your dish.
- When it is okay: In everyday bakes like pumpkin bread, muffins, morning oatmeal, cookies, or pancakes, a 1:1 swap works beautifully and adds a lovely seasonal warmth.
- When it is NOT recommended: For delicate desserts like a classic, traditional apple pie, using pumpkin pie spice instead of apple pie spice is not recommended. The aggressive cloves and ginger can easily overwhelm the natural, crisp flavor of the apples.
Traditional pumpkin pie spice is a blend of five core warm ground spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. This big-batch copycat recipe uses a carefully balanced ratio of all five:
- 1/2 cup ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon ground cloves
No. Despite what the name implies, pumpkin pie spice contains absolutely no pumpkin. It is purely a collection of dry, warm baking spices that are traditionally used to flavor American pumpkin pies and other fall treats.
Dry ground spices rarely spoil or go bad in a way that makes them unsafe to eat, provided they are kept completely dry. However, they do degrade significantly in quality. Over time, the volatile essential oils that give the spices their aroma will evaporate. For the brightest, most vibrant flavor, it is best to use this homemade blend within 3 months of mixing.
There is no single universal formula or official industry standard for pumpkin pie spice. Every grocery store brand and manufacturer uses a completely different ratio of ingredients. In fact, many cheaper commercial brands entirely omit expensive spices like allspice or cloves to save on production costs. This specific Far From The Farm recipe is custom-engineered to replicate the exact sweet, cinnamon-forward flavor profile found in the WinCo Foods bulk bins.
Copycat WinCo Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe (Big Batch!)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Measure the ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and ground cloves into a medium mixing bowl.
- Stir the spices thoroughly until the mixture becomes one uniform color.Use the back of your spoon to press apart any compacted pieces of spice as you stir. Continue mixing until there are no obvious lumps or streaks of individual spices remaining.
- Transfer the finished pumpkin pie spice into a clean, dry airtight container.Store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 3 months for the best flavor. Give the jar a quick shake before using if the spices have settled.
- Use as a 1:1 substitute for store-bought pumpkin pie spice or pumpkin spice seasoning.
Video
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes approximately 1 cup, or 16 tbsp, of homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- Scaling: The recipe can be scaled down if you need a smaller quantity.
- Ground spices: Use ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves rather than whole spices so the finished blend mixes evenly into batters and liquids.
- Freshness: Fresher spices will produce a stronger aroma and flavor. Older ground spices may produce a flatter, weaker blend.
- Storage container: Make sure your spice jar or airtight container is completely clean and dry before adding the finished mixture.
- Before using: Shake or stir the mixture before measuring because the spices can naturally settle during storage.
- Substitution: Use this blend 1:1 anywhere a recipe calls for store-bought pumpkin pie spice or pumpkin spice seasoning.
- Flavor profile: This is a cinnamon-forward blend with warmth from ginger and smaller amounts of nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
- Copycat disclaimer: This is Mona’s homemade copycat-style interpretation inspired by the warm flavor profile of bulk WinCo pumpkin pie spice. It is not an official WinCo Foods formula or corporate recipe.
Storage
- Store in a clean, dry airtight spice jar or container in a cool, dark cupboard away from direct sunlight and moisture.
- For the strongest flavor, use within 3 months.
- Always use a completely dry measuring spoon when removing spice from the container.
Related Recipes
- All our Fall Recipes!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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The Takeaway
Pumpkin pie spice is one of those brilliant American pantry staples I’ve completely fallen in love with since moving across the pond. It literally smells like a cozy autumn afternoon before you’ve even turned on the oven!
But if you have cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves already hanging out in your cupboard, there is absolutely no reason to panic when your grocery store jar suddenly runs empty.
Five minutes. One bowl. One full cup of fragrant, homemade fall magic.
You’re officially ready to tackle lattes, muffins, morning oatmeal, and every single pumpkin recipe your heart desires. Best of all? You’re completely in control of the flavor flavor. No overpowering clove nightmares here, just a warm, cinnamon-forward blend that is exactly what you want waiting in your pantry when autumn arrives. Happy baking!
What to Try Next?!
Share & Rate This Recipe!
If this homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice earns a permanent place in your spice cupboard, tap the stars on the recipe card and leave a quick comment below! I’d especially love to know what you used it in first. Coffee, pumpkin pie, cookies, oatmeal or something completely different?!
Last update on 2026-09-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
