Pumpkin pie spice, also known as pumpkin spice, is an American spice mix commonly used as a flavoring for pumpkin pie, but does not include pumpkin as an ingredient.

Pumpkin pie spice is similar to the British and Commonwealth mixed spice. It is generally a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice.^[1] It can also be used as a seasoning in general cooking.

As of 2016, pumpkin spice consumables produce $500 million in annual sales.^[2] The spice is often referred to in the context of a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, with the company selling more than 200 million lattes between its launch and 2013, generating revenue of at least $80 million a year.

History

A "Pompkin" recipe calling for a similar spice mix (mace, nutmeg, and ginger) can be found as far back as 1796 in the first known published American cookbook, American Cookery, written by Amelia Simmons:^[3]

Pompkin

No. 1. One quart stewed and strained, 3 pints cream, 9 beaten eggs, sugar, mace, nutmeg and ginger, laid into paste No. 7 or 3, and with a dough spur, cross and chequer it, and baked in dishes three quarters of an hour.

No. 2. One quart of milk, 1 pint pompkin, 4 eggs, molasses, allspice and ginger in a crust, bake 1 hour.

Pumpkin pie spice has been mentioned in cookbooks dating to the 1890s.^{[4][5][6][failed verification]} Blended pumpkin pie spice was introduced commercially by McCormick & Company in 1934.^[7] and is now commercialized by many companies.