pumpkin spice

noun

variants or less commonly pumpkin pie spice

: a mixture of usually cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and often allspice that is commonly used in pumpkin pie

Pumpkin spice is everywhere, and at this point you simply give in to the pounds you'll potentially gain from all the glorious spreads during the holidays.

—Chris Scott

By mixing in a few simple ingredients with pumpkin—think vanilla yogurt, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and a sprinkling of graham cracker—you create a velvety pumpkin pie experience in a matter of seconds.

—Erika Chayes Wida

—often used before another noun

It's that time of year again—holiday decorations festoon the lampposts and store windows, the smell of pumpkin spice lattes pervades the air, and the chill of winter has settled in …

—Lee Hutchinson

With sweet potato pie, the same pumpkin pie spice blend … is used along with the pre-baked crust.

—WSOCTV.com

Examples of pumpkin spice in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The bagels are superb and so is their cold brew and pumpkin spice hot chocolate! —Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 24 Jan. 2024

Hot honey has now joined the ranks of pumpkin spice, ranch and chile crisp as flavors that made the leap from cult classic to mainstream darling. —Julia Moskin, New York Times, 8 May 2024

Just outside the doors of a nondescript grocery, a goblin market trades in mythical weapons and pumpkin spice lattes. —Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024

Scherer pulls off Milk Chocolate-Dipped Bacon Ice Cream Sandwiches, pumpkin spice pig’s foot, and peanut butter and jelly fried chicken sandwiches. —Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above