How is canned solid pack pumpkin different from canned prepared pumpkin? Can I add pumpkin pie spice to solid pack pumpkin to make it taste similar in a recipe? Thanks. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Canned Pumpkin and solid-pack pumpkin are both typically not "pumpkin-pie" fillings. Take a look at the ingredients on the can itself - if it lists any spices at all, it is pumpkin-pie filling (usually the can will state so).

If you are making a pumpkin pie, you can use plain pumpkin puree and add your spices to it. You can either purchase "pumpkin-pie spice" or you can add the following:

For each cup of pumpkin puree add 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Other spices that could be added (to your taste) would be cardamom and allspice.

Yes you may add pumpkin Pie spice to canned pumpkin (unspiced) and make a pumpkin pie out of it.

I believe it is either 1 tsp or 1 1/2 tsp of your pumpkin pie spice. We went with PP spice last year, premixed since it is cheaper than buying ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, Cinnamon we get in the economy family sized - I use cinnamon in a lot of things and it is cheap - Anyways I think I recall it was 1 tsp or 1 1/2 tsp - because I upped the ante to 2 tsp per pie and I have a note on my Baking clip board which says "5 pies per bottle of PP spice".

I use fresh pumpkin, I grow my own pumpkins so I am really uncertain what exactly the difference is between "prepared" and "solid Packed"

It may be a hint as to how watery they are. Note I have to "drain" my pumpkin for pumpkin pies, while pumpkin breads I do not drain. This works rather well by freezing pumpkin, when it defrosts the watery part has separated and can be poured off for pies, or thrown in the bowl for breads and muffins.

Solid pack may be drained for less water content - if so then it would be better for pumpkin pie.