Don’t Put That Pumpkin Pie Spice Away!

Bellies are full and belts are pushed back a notch now that Thanksgiving is over. Chances are you got your hands on at least a slice of Thanksgiving’s favorite dessert, pumpkin pie. While pumpkin lends its sweetness and creamy texture to the pie, the secret to pumpkin pie’s warm aroma and flavors are a result of a wonderful concoction: pumpkin pie spice.

It is the jar of spices that sadly sits in the back of your cupboard all year long, waiting for the season of pumpkin pie. It doesn’t understand why it can’t come out more often; after all, it is just a mix of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.  These are spices used in common cooking and baking, but for some reason when they are combined, they are ignored. Shed some light into these spices’ lives and begin exploring the alternative uses of pumpkin pie spice.

Photo by Flickr user WordRidden

Spiced Espresso:

While you brew a shot of espresso, whisk together 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 cup milk and a dash of vanilla extract. Whisk the mixture constantly over medium heat until it is frothy and hot but not boiling. Pour the mixture over the espresso and enjoy!

Spiced Cranberry Cookies:

Choose your favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies, but put a twist on the classic favorite. Add 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice to the dry ingredients. Instead of chocolate chips, add the same amount of cranberries. Don’t want to give up the chocolate? Just make the cranberries an addition to the recipe! If you still have some pumpkin puree lying around, you could even add 2 tablespoons of it to the recipe. Beat the puree into the butter and sugar so it is evenly distributed.

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Waffles and Pancakes:

Make your morning even more special by adding pumpkin pie spice to your waffle and/or pancake mix. For every cup of dry mix you use, add 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Serve the pancakes and waffles with sliced apples or pears to complement the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin:

Pork tenderloin is a very easy yet special dinner to make. Create your own spice rub by combining 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper for a 1-1 ½ pound tenderloin. Rub oil and the spices onto the pork. Heat oil in an oven-safe skillet and then brown the pork in the pan for 3-4 minutes on each side. Then transfer the pan to a preheated 400-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes, or until done. Top the pork with homemade or jarred applesauce.

The possibilities don’t end here! Keep exploring the wonderful uses of pumpkin pie spice!

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