Pumpkin Pie Spice

• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons Ground Ginger

• 1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon Ground Allspice or Cloves

Mix together in a jar. Makes 1/4 cup of pumpkin pie spice.

Pumpkin Spice Flavor Booster

8 oz half-pint jar

3/4 cup dry sugar of choice 

6 tbsp pumpkin powder

1 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or 2 tbsp vanilla sugar)

2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

½ teaspoon Ground Ginger

¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

¼ teaspoon Ground Allspice or Cloves

(Optional instead of individual spices) 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Layer 1 (Bottom): coconut sugar, maple sugar, or brown sugar (firmly packed)

2. Layer 2: pumpkin puree powder

3. Layer 3: vanilla powder

4. Layer 4 (Top): pumpkin pie spice

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Additive 🎃

• By the Cup: Shake the jar to mix. Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons directly into hot coffee along with your favorite splash of fresh milk.

• Make a Pumpkin Syrup: Whisk the entire jar with ½ cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a bottle and use like a coffee syrup! Keep refrigerated, shake well before use and enjoy within 1 to 2 weeks. 

• Big Batch of Pumpkin Creamer: Pour 1 cup of your favorite fresh milk, half-and-half, or oat milk into a jar or container. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of this dry pumpkin spice mix. Shake vigorously or froth until fully dissolved. Keep your fresh creamer refrigerated and enjoy it within 5 to 7 days!

Vanilla Sugar

If you don't have a spice grinder powerful enough to break down whole pods, you can make a blended vanilla sugar powder (similar to the Starbucks vanilla bean powder style):

Fresh Vanilla Pods

1. Scrape the sticky seeds (the caviar) out of 2 fresh vanilla beans.

2. Combine the seeds with 1 cup of powdered sugar (or a dry powdered sweetener of your choice) in a standard blender.

3. Pulse until completely combined. This gives you an off-white powder speckled with fine vanilla flecks. 

To use: substitute for vanilla extract 1:1 in recipes.

Vanilla Powder

Vanilla pods (new or spent)

1. Prep the beans: Slice your whole vanilla beans lengthwise. There is no need to scrape out the seeds; you will use the entire pod.

2. Dry them out: Arrange the sliced beans in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 150°F to 170°F (65°C to 77°C) for 1 to 2 hours. They are ready when they are completely hard, brittle, and snap easily in half.

3. Cool completely: Let the beans cool to room temperature. They will get noticeably crunchier and more brittle as they sit.

4. Pulverize: Chop the dried beans into 1-inch pieces. Place them into a clean coffee or spice grinder and blend on high until they form a fine, dark-brown powder.

5. Sift: Pour the powder through a fine-mesh strainer to catch any remaining woody pieces. Re-grind those leftover bits if needed.

To use in recipes:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = ½ teaspoon pure vanilla powder

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract = ½ tablespoon pure vanilla powder

Chip Bar (in progress)

Next time: do extra honey in place of sugar, add more of peanut butter or honey for stronger binder to help bars stick together a little better. 

2 1/2 cups rolled oats 

1/2 cup flour (or blended oats) or whey

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup honey 

1/4 cup maple syrup 

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

(I added a small amount of chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, mix together flour and wet ingredients into a paste. Add in remaining dry ingredients and oats. Press mixture firmly down into a 9x9 baking dish lined with parchment. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and firm. Immediately remove from oven and press down firmly again. Let cool completely before cutting. They will firm up more as they cool. 

Original recipe can be stored at room temp for up to a month in an air-tight container. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.