Pumpkin Spice Mix Recipe

I must have spent years not having a pumpkin spice mix in my house and just adding different spices to accommodate a recipe. I like cloves in small amounts, but the local stores pumpkin pie spice did not have that ingredient in their mix.

So, here is a mix I have put together and tried different ways and like.

4 T. dry ground cinnamon
1 T. dry ground ginger
1 T. dry ground nutmeg
1/2 T. dry ground cloves
1/2 T. dry ground allspice (optional)

Mix all in a small bowl and store in a glass jar with lid.

Great for pies, squash, spice breads, hot drinks and smoothies. The allspice is optional because I can live without that flavor if needed. The first 4 ingredients are more important spices and if your pocket book and cupboard is even bare for that many, just use cinnamon and cloves. Or Just use cinnamon by itself.

Notice that I put the recipe on the spice mix container. I need to do that to all my spice mix containers. It is a quick way to make a new batch in a hurry without searching for the recipe.

It is not lovely, but the purpose is efficient. Perhaps, I will erase it with some nail polish remover and rewrite it better at some point, but for now I am going with it.

Dry ground cinnamon can stay fresh for about 5 years in a dark, dry, cool place, in a glass jar with lid. Buying whole dry herbs and grinding small batches at a time in a coffee grinder extends the freshness of the herbs/spices. If older they will still work, but be less flavorful. I have read that one must change out ground spices every 6 months. I have had ground thyme and separately curry in a jar for  about 4 years. They are still good and flavorful, yet less intense in smell and taste. Some spices are just better fresh and others seem to not matter. On the other hand there are spices that I am glad mellow over time. If something has been in your cupboard for 5 or more years, it would be a good idea to toss it. I am trying to remind myself by writing this.