6 Ways to Use Pumpkin Spice (Beyond Pie or Coffee)

If you’ve been in a store any time in the last month or so, then you know that it is already autumn, at least according to capitalism. That is to say, late summer hit and with it came the annual tsunami of pumpkin spice-flavored items. But pumpkin spice isn’t just a flavoring manufacturers put in random foods to trick you into thinking it’s fall already, it is also a mix of spices—cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and occasionally allspice—that happens to go wonderfully with a variety of different foods besides pies and lattes (though we recognize those are the classics). If you were wondering how to use pumpkin pie spice, here is a list of six ways to use pumpkin spice we think you ought to try. Why? Just because you pump-can! Also, they are great.

Add to Pancake Mix (Birch Benders Organic Buttermilk Pancake Mix)

Pumpkin spice pancakes are the absolute best. They are a cross between pancakes, spice cake, and a crisp fall Sunday morning with the fam. Just whip up a batch of this Birch Benders pancake mix that, as our tasters noted, has a great fluffy texture and a buttermilk flavor that is “absolutely delicious.” In fact, our reviewer went on to say that the “tangy taste of buttermilk is tamed by additional sweet, sugary notes that create a perfectly balanced batter.” Just add a dash of pumpkin pie spice to the batter and you have tangy, sweet, fluffy, circular, pan-fried, cozy comfort.

Dust Your Oatmeal with It ()

You’ve heard of brown sugar and cinnamon oatmeal, but have you heard of brown sugar and pumpkin spice? It’s essentially the same thing but with more complex flavors that will make your oatmeal taste even more cookie-like (always the goal for oatmeal). Plus, this Better Oats Organic oatmeal isn’t just oats; it has a bunch of different grains that give it a tangy, nutty flavor that complements the spices perfectly.

Sprinkle on a PB & Nutella Sandwich (JIF Creamy Peanut Butter)

Peanut butter is delicious with cinnamon. If you haven’t tested out this combo, you have to go and give it a try. Chocolate and cinnamon are also a great combo (hello, Mexican hot chocolate). But mix pumpkin pie spice, Nutella, and peanut butter, and you get the taste of nutty chocolate mixed with the creamy texture of the peanut butter, which managing editor Gwynedd Stuart described by saying “sweetness rears its head, along with just the right amount of saltiness.” In other words, PB&N is like a melted Reese’s. And then the pumpkin pie spice makes the whole gooey affair taste like a Nutella-topped pumpkin pie or a Thanksgiving peanut butter cup—both good options.

Add It to Your Banana Bread

I actually always make banana bread using a pumpkin muffin recipe, I just replace the pumpkin with bananas. Why? Because the combo of pumpkin spice with banana is, as yet, unmatched in this universe. Throw in some chocolate chips and *mwah* (chef’s kiss). Heck, use the new Pillsbury cut-and-squeeze banana bread batter and all you have to do is add the Pumpkin Spice (maybe a few choccy chips) and bake. You will love this. Trust me.

Coat Some Kettle Corn with It ()

Kettle corn is already sticky. Throw some pumpkin pie spice straight in the bag, shake it up, e voila: pumpkin spice kettle corn. With these salty, sweet, warm fall flavors, you really cannot go wrong. Also, kettle corn has a fall vibe to me so it would fit any occasion where you would typically use Pumpkin Pie Spice. Plus, this kettle corn is light and fluffy with no burnt kernels in the bunch. It’s a win-win!

Add It to Your Applesauce (365 Organic Unsweetened Applesauce)

Are you an adult looking for a healthy snack, but you also want that snack to taste like a real-live dessert? Even though this particular applesauce on its own is delightfully coarse and tangy (almost like homemade applesauce), enter pumpkin pie spice on applesauce. It makes applesauce infinitely more dessert-like and interesting to eat, and makes it taste almost exactly like apple pie filling, and there is something so beautiful about one classic pie ingredient helping another food taste like a different classic pie.