INDIANA— As pumpkin spice season takes over, a new look into Indiana’s culinary history shows that the popular flavor combination is far from new to the Hoosier State. The first cookbook published in Indiana, dating back to 1851, features a recipe that proves pumpkin spice has been a local favorite for over 170 years.
The cookbook, titled “Mrs. Collins’ Table Receipts: Adapted to Western Housewifery,” was written by New Albany homemaker Angelina Maria Lorraine Collins. It was a seminal work that introduced a blend of traditional American cooking with imported spices, such as cinnamon and ginger. The book, now digitized by the Indiana State Library, includes a recipe for a baked dish called “Pumpkin, Yankee fashion,” which closely resembles modern-day pumpkin spice treats.
The recipe highlights how the classic combination of pumpkin and spices was incorporated into the Midwestern diet as new seasonings became available. While the phrase “pumpkin spice” may be a modern marketing phenomenon, its historical roots run deep in Indiana’s kitchens, long before it became a seasonal staple in advertisements.
