Many people look for ways to make pumpkin pie without using nutmeg. Some might not have nutmeg at the moment, others may just not like it.
If you’re one of these people and are wondering what to do, you’ll find that you have two options.
One of them is to substitute it with a similar spice. The other one is to make the pie using a nutmeg-free recipe.
In this post, we’ll walk you through how to use both ways to get your perfect pumpkin pie.
How Important Is Nutmeg in Pumpkin Pie?
Nutmeg is a special spice that adds a unique spicy, warm, woody, and nutty flavor to the pie. This combination of flavors boosts the pie’s deliciousness as it complements its sweet taste.
That said, there are mixed views about this spice. Some people prefer it in pies, while others don’t like it.
Can You Make Pumpkin Pie Without Nutmeg?
Yes, you can easily make pumpkin pie without nutmeg. This is because multiple other spices can substitute nutmeg in almost any recipe.
Plus, some pumpkin recipes don’t contain nutmeg as a main component. In fact, among all pumpkin pie spices, cinnamon has the most dominant taste in the pie.
So, you can almost replace any spice rather than cinnamon, and the overall flavor won’t change that much. This includes nutmeg.
What Are the Substitutes for Nutmeg in a Pumpkin Pie?
Here are a few spices you can replace nutmeg with when making your pumpkin pie:
1 – Mace
The first one on our list of substitutes is mace. Replace nutmeg with this spice to roughly get the same flavor.
You’ll be amazed by how this spice tastes like nutmeg. You might not even notice the difference if you don’t use nutmeg often.
The reason for this similar taste is that mace and nutmeg grow next to each other on one plant. Actually, mace is the outer membrane of nutmeg.
2 – Allspice
You can replace nutmeg with the same amount of allspice. This spice tastes like a combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg flavors.
That way, by replacing nutmeg with this spice, you’ll get a flavor close to that of nutmeg.
3 – Cloves
You can substitute the nutmeg in your recipe with cloves. This spice has a unique flavor that combines peppery, sweet, and spicy flavors at the same time.
It works perfectly well with sweet dishes. That said, to replace nutmeg with cloves, use only half the amount required.
This is because cloves’ flavor is stronger and more dominant. In addition, if the original recipe contains cloves, don’t use them to substitute nutmeg.
In this case, using cloves can cause a strong taste that can ruin the pie.
4 – Pumpkin Pie Spice
It might be surprising, but using a similar amount of pumpkin pie spice instead of nutmeg gives you a close effect to using nutmeg.
This is for two reasons. The first is that pumpkin pie spice contains a small amount of nutmeg.
The second reason is that this spice mix includes cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. All these herbs work well as substitutes for nutmeg.
5 – Apple Pie Spice
Apple pie spice is another mix that can replace nutmeg. This spice mix is slightly similar to pumpkin pie spice.
However, this mix includes an additional small amount of cardamom. Substituting half the amount required of nutmeg with apple pie spice will do an excellent job in your recipe.
6 – Cinnamon
Cinnamon is one of the main spices used for pumpkin pie recipes. So, you can use it as a decent substitute for nutmeg if you don’t have any of the options above.
However, its taste is much stronger than nutmeg. That way, use only half the required amount to avoid the excessive, intense cinnamon flavor.
A Nutmeg-Free Recipe
If you want to avoid substituting nutmeg with another spice, you can use a recipe that doesn’t originally contain nutmeg.
We recommend using the following nutmeg-free recipe. For the ingredients, you’ll need:
- Dough to prepare a 9-inch single-crust pie
- ¾ cup whipping cream
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 can pumpkin purée
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp salt
Prepare the Crust
- Roll out the dough until it’s slightly larger than the pie dish.
- Press the dough into all the internal dimensions of the dish.
- Cut the extra dough around the edges. Just keep it around 1/2 an inch.
- Make small borders on the container’s rim by tucking dough edges under it.
- Place in the refrigerator until you finish making the filling.
Make the Filling
- Whisk the granulated sugar with the brown one and the eggs until they’re smooth.
- Add cream, pumpkin purée, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, cloves, and salt.
- Blend until the mixture is well combined.
Bake
- Turn on the oven to 425°F to preheat.
- Get the crust out of the refrigerator and fill it with the filling.
- Place the pie over a baking sheet and get it in the oven.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- After that time, lower the oven temperature to 375°F. Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes.
- Rotate the pie a few times while baking.
- Once you’ve reached the recommended time, Grab a toothpick and insert it into the pie edges. If the toothpick comes out clean, the pie is fully baked.
- Get the pie out of the oven and let it rest for around 2 hours.
- Cut into eight pieces and top with whipped cream.
Final Thoughts
So, how do you make pumpkin pie without nutmeg? Simply, replace it with another substitute.
This includes mace, pumpkin pie spice, or even apple pie spice. Cinnamon, cloves, and allspice can also be great alternatives.
Another solution is to make the pie using a nutmeg-free recipe.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.