The Nuns Who Started the Pumpkin Spice Craze

Graphic by Sahana Lynch

By Ashley Sanchez

It is officially fall and the season of the witch. For many, this means going to their local cafe and ordering the classic: a pumpkin spice latte. This famous spice concoction, which has become a staple of the season, was originally created by a nun.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a Catholic nun, invented the spice blend we now call pumpkin spice. She was a Benedictine nun from medieval Germany; she was also a mystic theologian, musician, scientist, and herbalist, among many other roles. She referred to this combination of spices as her “spices of joy.” When you take the first sip of a pumpkin spice latte, you immediately feel the warmth and joy. 

Saint Hildegard would combine nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon; this combination is what makes pumpkin spice. In her classic work on health and healing, Physica, she said, “It will calm all bitterness of the heart and mind, open your heart and impaired senses, and make your soul joyful. It purifies your senses and diminishes all harmful humors in you. It gives good liquid to your blood and makes you strong.” This spice combination, now a seasonal staple, feels witchy and spiritual, perfect for protection.  

In her book Physica, she also broke down the benefits of each spice: Nutmeg adds a warm, sweet flavor and can open a person’s heart; cinnamon brings aromatic warmth and may help with nasal congestion; cloves add a sweet-spicy note and aid with the digestive system. 

Spiritually, nutmeg is associated with luck, intuition, and manifestation. It’s very protective, creating a safe space for creativity. Cinnamon attracts abundance and can be used for protection; that’s why a lot of witches blow powdered cinnamon in their front door on the first of the month to invite abundance and prosperity into their home. Lastly, cloves are used for protection, warding off negative energy, and accelerating manifestations. 

For the rest of October, if you want to feel spiritually protected, abundant, successful, and creative, try whispering your manifestations into your pumpkin spice latte and being whimsical.