The Spice Swap That Takes Your Pumpkin Treats From Good To Great

It's that time of year. Just about anywhere you look, pumpkin spice is everywhere. While making all-things pumpkin at home is an autumnal tradition, it can sometimes feel a bit monotonous. It is probably because just about any homemade pumpkin dessert's flavor profile is based around the ubiquitous "pumpkin pie spice." Thankfully, there's a simple way to elevate your homemade treats into something far more layered and nuanced, and that's by swapping those typical spices with chai masala.

Chai masala is a tantalizing blend of delightful aromatics, typically used in masala chai, an Indian tea drink with black tea, sugar, and milk. In the West, that drink has been popularized (and rebranded) as a chai latte. Though there is not an "official" recipe for chai masala per se, it is typically based around cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, and cloves, though some spice blends can include star anise, fennel, nutmeg, and allspice, among others. Pumpkin pie spice on the other hand — a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and sometimes clove — is a ubiquitous finding in the grocery store spice aisle but actually comes from the McCormick spice company, which made the blend as famous as it is today. Pumpkin pie spice's flavor is predominantly cinnamon-y, compared to chai masala, where cardamom, black pepper, and cloves are more pronounced. Because of this, the blend has a spicy kick, with slightly savory notes that add extra complexity to your favorite pumpkin desserts, while still maintaining that classic warm and comforting feeling.

Making this spicy swap could not be any easier. Simply replace pumpkin pie spice with chai masala in equal amounts. So if a recipe calls for a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, add in a tablespoon of chai masala instead. The proportions align seamlessly, requiring no extra math or guesswork. If you would like the aromatic flavor of your pumpkin treats to be a little lighter, add slightly less chai masala than the recipe calls for, and vice versa.

As for recipes where this substitute shines, of course, the classic pumpkin pie is a guaranteed hit. That same sentiment applies to pumpkin bread, muffins, cheesecake, and cookies. Even outside of pumpkin desserts, any cozy, autumn dessert can be made even better with chai masala. We have previously covered how to use the spice blend to bake the ultimate fall crème brǔlée or how it can elevate the fall flavors of homemade cinnamon rolls, but really, the world is your oyster when it comes to this technique. If you cannot find a pre-packed chai masala spice blend at your local grocery store or Asian market, you can easily make it at home. Simply combine ground cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, and cloves, adjusting the ratio to taste. If you would like, you can also add in some ground star anise, nutmeg, or fennel for a far more complex flavor profile.