autumnfall dessert

How to make pumpkin pie spice with four simple pantry spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves) in just two minutes, plus substitutes and recommended uses! Making homemade pumpkin spice is frugal, fun, and easily tweakable - perfect for adding in lattes, cakes, bakes, and more!

Easy Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice (Substitutions and Uses)

0.3 oz ground cinnamon powder (4 tsp powder)

0.14 oz ginger (2 tsp powder)

0.1 oz ground nutmeg powder (1/2 tsp powder)

Measure out the amounts of each spice and add to a bowl. I recommend sifting all the spices into the bowl – this can help with the spices that tend to clump (like ginger).

Use a spoon/whisk to combine all the spices.

Decant the prepared pumpkin pie spice into a spice jar or spice tin.

Using ground/powdered spices

Top tip (optional step): for even more aromatic pumpkin pie spice, I recommend you &quot;bloom&quot; the spices first. To do so, add the whole cinnamon and cloves to a large skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring often until they smell fragrant. This will enhance the flavors in the spices and lift your homemade pumpkin pie spice to new impressive levels!

Powder the spices. You can use a grater to grate the spices. Alternatively, you can use a grain/spice/coffee grinder and grind them all together.  (Check the FAQ for conversion amounts).

Decant the prepared pumpkin pie spice into a spice jar or spice tin and store away.

Using whole spices

The shelf life of your pumpkin pie spice blend will largely depend on how fresh all your spices are, to begin with. When using fresh spices, the shelf life will extend for several years. However, when making the spice blend from already opened/not new spices, I aim to use them within 12 months. While they&#39;re OK to use after that, the spice will lose potency over time.To make the most of the pumpkin spice shelf life, place it in a cool, dark location in an airtight jar (avoid any liquid entering the pot).

How to Store

Sweet pumpkin preserves 2-ways - candied pumpkin in syrup and pumpkin jam! All you need is a handful of ingredients to prepare either of these sweet pumpkin recipes – perfect for water bath canning to keep in your pantry for up to a year.

Pumpkin Preserves (Candied Pumpkin + Pumpkin Jam)

pumpkin

2.2 lb white sugar

water (to cook & candy the pumpkin)

lemon juice (2-3 lemons; could mix with orange juice)

lime corn

Wash and chop the pumpkin into small bite-sized pieces (around ¾-1-inch cubes). Next, peel or chop the skin away and remove all the pulp and stringy flesh.Then, weigh the pumpkin to be sure of the exact weight (as you’ll need the same amount of sugar to pumpkin weight).

Step 1: Prepare the Pumpkin

If you plan to make pureed pumpkin jam, you can skip to Step 3.

Combine the water (you&#39;ll need between 9-12 cups depending on the container you&#39;re using) and pickling lime (or starch) in a container large enough to fit all the pumpkin pieces. Allow it to dissolve in the water for 10-15 minutes.

Add the pumpkin and allow it to soak for about six hours (though up to 12-24 works too to help the pumpkin retain its shape).If you want to use pickle crisp, I recommend using 1 teaspoon per 1/2 gallon of water. Wait until it dissolves, add the pumpkin, and leave it to soak for 2 hours – no rinse necessary.

After soaking, thoroughly drain the liquid and then rinse the pumpkin THOROUGHLY (if using pickling lime; there&#39;s no need when using pickle crisp or starch). I do this multiple times until I&#39;m sure the pieces are completely free of any pickling lime residue. The best way is to first allow them to soak in clean water for an hour. Then continue to rinse and soak the pumpkin in clean water a further two times.

Step 2: Soak and Rinse the Pumpkin

Add the pumpkin, sugar, and water in a large, thick-based pan and bring to a boil over medium – medium-high heat. As foam/scum forms at the top of the pan, simply scoop it out with a spoon.

Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for between 3-4 hours as the mixture thickens and candies the pumpkin pieces. It’s ready when the syrupy sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Finally, add the lemon juice to the candied pumpkin mixture and remove it from the heat. Allow it to cool before transferring to a sterilized container/s.If you’re making pumpkin jam, you can get away with simmering for an hour and can use an immersion blender or regular blender to form a smooth puree before transferring it to the container.

Step 3: Simmer the Pumpkin in Syrup

If you want to make a super quick and simple pumpkin jam (similar to pumpkin butter), then you can cut out several steps (and ingredients).For a small batch, I recommend using 15 oz (400 g) of pumpkin puree (that way, you can use homemade or canned pumpkin), an equal amount of sugar (2 cups/400g), 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice (though orange would also work), and 1-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or just a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg). Feel free to adjust the citrus and spices to personal taste!

First, add the pumpkin, citrus, and spices to a medium or large saucepan and cook over medium-high, stirring often, for a couple of minutes. Then, add the sugar, and mix it in well. Continue to cook until it begins to boil, then slightly reduce the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture thickens (10-15 minutes) into a moldable consistency. Finally, taste the pumpkin jam and adjust the spices or citrus to taste. Then remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly, and transfer to a sterile glass jar.If you use fresh pumpkin puree, this is usually &quot;wetter&quot; than canned, so it will take longer to thicken and reduce. Note that this mixture also &quot;spits&quot; quite a lot while cooking, so wear an apron/oven mitt if preferred.You can store this cheat pumpkin pie jam in the fridge for up to three months. You may also be able to water bath can it, though it&#39;s best to refer to professional guidelines for more advice.

Quick &quot;Cheat&quot; Pumpkin Jam

Store: you can store the candied pumpkin and pumpkin jam in sterilized glass jars in the fridge for up to three months.Note that it&#39;s possible to water bath can (full method instructions in link) this recipe - processing it for 10 minutes. If you do so, the pumpkin preserves will last for 12 months (at least!).Freeze: I haven&#39;t tried to freeze either of these pumpkin preserves, though I imagine the pumpkin jam would freeze well for several months. It may impact the texture of the candied pumpkin, though.

How to Store Pumpkin Preserves.

These baked apples are cored and stuffed with a simple, hearty cinnamon, oat, maple syrup &quot;apple crisp&quot; filling. Then baked or air-fried until tender, warm, and perfect for serving with yogurt, ice cream, or caramel sauce as part of a dinner party or chilly Fall/Winter evening.

Stuffed Baked Apples with Cinnamon, Oats, and Walnuts (Oven or Air Fryer)

23 oz apples

3.4 oz oats (1 cup - rolled oats)

1.9 oz walnuts

1.2 oz coconut oil (1/4 cup OR butter)

oz sugar

tsp cinnamon powder

ginger powder

nutmeg powder

tsp salt

vanilla powder (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC.

Clean the apples and cut off the top 1-inch of the apple. Then, using an apple corer, spoon, small ice-cream scoop, or melon baller, remove the core and pulp from the middle of the apple (refer to images for how much to remove – I like to leave at least ½ inch of flesh on all sides).Alternatively, you can slice the apples in half, remove the core, and then simply pile the cinnamon oat ‘streusel’ topping over the apple halves (no need to scoop out the middle and mince the flesh).

Discard the seeds, then place all the remaining pulp into a medium bowl after mincing it with a knife.

Step 1: Prepare the Apples

Roughly chop the walnuts and add them to the bowl with the minced apple along with the oats, spices, oil (or butter), and sweetener of your choice. Mix well until thoroughly combined.

Step 2: Mix the Oat Cinnamon Filling

Divide the mixture between the cored apples and then place the tops back on the apples (this will keep the top moist- alternatively, you can top each apple with a tiny pat of butter – ¼ tbsp).If you have any leftover oat mixture, you can use it to make simple overnight oats or save it in the fridge to top yogurt bowls, etc.

Oven-Baked ApplesTransfer the apples to a baking tray in the center of the oven. Then bake for between 20-25 minutes, or until the apples are tender.At 25 minutes, my stuffed apples still have a little &quot;bite,&quot; the way I prefer. However, this will vary depending on the size and type of apples used. Many take closer to forty minutes. If you like them to be softer, simply bake for longer (up to 50 minutes).Air fryer Baked ApplesPlace the apples (either whole stuffed apples or halved &quot;topped&quot; apples) in your air fryer basket (no need to keep lots of space between as their closeness will help them &quot;steam&quot; and cook – optionally, you could also pour 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of your air fryer basket).Cook in the air fryer at 350ºF/175ºC for 15 minutes or until tender (can take up to 20 minutes for perfectly tender air fryer baked apples).

Step 3: Stuff and Cook the Apples

Make ahead: you can prepare the &quot;stuffing&quot; (minus the apple) several days in advance. You could also core the apples and stuff them, then cover with plastic wrap until you&#39;re ready to bake. However, if you&#39;re doing the latter, you&#39;ll need to rub some lemon juice over the cored apple interior and mixed into the minced apple - to stop them browning.Store: Allow the baked apples to cool and then transfer the leftovers to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.Freeze: frozen and thawed apples will become mushier in texture, and the nuts will become softer, too. However, if you don&#39;t mind this, you can store the healthy baked apples in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw the apples in the fridge overnight, then reheat.Reheat: place the stuffed baked apples back in the oven and bake at 350ºF/175ºC for 15-20 minutes, or in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes until warmed through. You could also heat it in the microwave (between1-2 minutes), though it will become mushier this way.

How Make Ahead and Store?

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