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In the fall season, there is almost nothing better than the scent of the warm pumpkin spices. I wanted to bring that same feeling to my bars of soap. I wanted to create a bar of soap that used some of the pumpkin puree straight from my garden so I could feel so cozy when I used it as a body wash or hand soap. (This tallow soap recipe is multipurpose!)
If you are looking for a pumpkin spice tallow soap recipe, this is the place to be! This tallow soap is beginner friendly (plus I walk you through all the steps!) so you can feel confident, even if it is your first time.Ā
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This post is all about a pumpkin spice tallow soap recipe.
Table of Contents
Why you need to try this tallow soap recipe
Tallow soap bars are gaining popularity and that is for good reason!
Seasonal Self-Care Ritual
Pumpkin spice evokes warmth, comfort, and nostalgiaāmaking it perfect for autumn self-care.
Soap-making as a mindful, grounding activity during the transition into colder months.
Skin-Nourishing Ingredients
Tallow is deeply moisturizing, rich in fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), and compatible with human skin.
Herbal infusions (like calendula, chamomile) enhance skin-soothing properties.
Pumpkin spice blend offers mild exfoliation and aromatic benefits.
Clean, Customizable Skincare
Control your ingredientsāno synthetic fragrances or preservatives.
Adjust essential oils, herbs, and additives to suit sensitive skin or preferences.
Sustainability & Waste Reduction
Tallow is a traditional fat that makes use of the whole animal, reducing waste.
Homemade soap reduces plastic packaging and reliance on commercial skincare products.
Gift-Worthy & Seasonal
Perfect for fall-themed gifts, farmerās markets, or holiday stocking stuffers.
The scent and look are festive, but the ingredients are practical year-round.
New to working with tallow?
A special note about lye
It can be so intimidating to start working with lye (if you have seen “Fight Club” you know what i’m talking about!) The lye solution can be the biggest hold back to making your own cold process soap that you end up not even making it! I want to break those barriers for you so we need to start with some basic lye safety tips.
- Always wear eye protection. This can be as simple as sunglasses or as rigid as safety glasses. This is mandatory to ensure you do not go blind if the lye splashes into your face (it shouldn’t if you follow the next safety advice.)
- Always cover your bare skin. This means using gloves, wearing long sleeve shirts, long pants, socks and shoes.
- Work in a well ventilated area. Lye can be very irritating if you inhale it so ensure you are outside when mixing it.
- Measure it in a container with a tight fitting lid so you can safely transport it outside.
- Always make sure you are alone. Ensure there are no kids or pets around so there are no accidents.
To see these safety tips in action, check out the video below.Ā
How to get the pumpkin spice scent naturally
Infusing tallow is the best method to get the warm Autumn scents naturally so that it actually lasts. Sometimes with soap, essential oils can dissipate over time and lead to a neutral smelling product. By infusing the oil, you can keep the scent much longer.
Now for the how of infusing. I did write an entire blog post about how to infuse tallow with 3 different methods so check that post out as well, but for today we are going to measure out all of the oils (tallow, coconut and olive) in a heat safe bowl.
Infuse your rendered tallow with pumpkin spice (allspice berries, cloves, nutmeg, ginger):
Add 2ā3 tsp whole/dried spices that you have cracked open. Be very careful with this step! I like to use the side of a large knife to crack the spices open (much like you would with garlic.)
Gently heat on low (double boiler or crockpot) for 2ā3 hours. Ensure no water gets into your oils or the lye levels may have unsafe levels.Ā
Strain through cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer before using.Ā
Materials needed
When it comes to soap making, there are a few materials that you absolutely need.Ā
A scale: Soap making is very precise and requires exact weights to ensure a safe product.
Immersion blender: I like this one because it comes with a food processor attachment which comes in so handy!Ā
Heat safe bowls: To infuse your tallow and make your lye solution (both get very hot!)
Spatulas: to ensure your soap is fully combined and there are no bits of lye around to burn you.
Gloves: To cover your hands when working with lye
Safety glasses: Always protect your eyes!
And a few optional materials that are nice to have:Ā
pH testing strips: To ensure your soap is safe to use.
Fine mesh strainers: If you choose to infuse your oils with whole spices.Ā
Ingredients
š Fats & Oils (by weight):
Tallow (infused- see above for info) ā 255g (60%)
Coconut Oil (76Ā°) ā 85g (20%)
Olive Oil ā 85g (20%)
š§Ŗ Lye Solution:
Distilled Water ā 117g
Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) ā 60g (5% superfat)
š Additives:
Pumpkin PurĆ©e (unsweetened, cooked) ā 1 tbsp (about 15g)
Add at trace, not to lye water!
Pumpkin adds natural sugar, which boosts lather but may accelerate trace.
Real pumpkin can spoil if you use too much ā keep it under 5%
Cinnamon leaf essential oil: No more that 0.4 % the total weight (2.5 grams)
Optional Colorants: Annetto powder- I added about 1 tsp to half of the batter for a fun swirl pattern
How to make this tallow soap
- To begin, weigh all of your oils in a heat safe bowl. I like to zero out the scale in between each oil to make sure everything is accurate.
- Add the whole spices (1 tsp each- nutmeg, allspice, clove and ginger.) Allow it to melt gently for 2-3 hours.
- While the oils are melting, measure the lye very carefully. I like to measure into a snap top storage container so I can stay safe.
- Pour the lye into the water (never the other way around!) about 1/3 at a time. Stir it very gently until everything is dissolved.
- Allow both the oils and the lye solution to cool to approximately 110 F (try to keep them within 10 degrees of each other.)
- Strain the spices from the tallow and then gently pour the lye into the oils wearing your full safety gear and use an immersion blender to mix everything together. It should start to form a thin pudding-like consistency.
- Add the pureed pumpkin and mix it again. Add the cinnamon leaf essential oils if you are using and mix again.
- Pour the batter into the molds. I chose to add annetto powder to half of the batter for a fun swirl pattern. If you choose to do the same, pour the white soap base into the mold first, add the annetto powder to the rest of the batter and use the immersion blender to combine. Pour the soap batter onto the white and then use a chopstick to gently swirl it around.
- Allow it to sit undisturbed in the mold for 24 hours and then cure. See below for more info on curing!
A note about cinnamon
Cinnamon bark (sticks or ground) can be too harsh for your skin and cause irritation. Although it smells amazing and can offer some fun colouring, it is not recommended to use it in your skin care products.Ā
If you want the scent of cinnamon (who doesn’t in their pumpkin spice products!) stick to cinnamon LEAF essential oils and use NO MORE than 0.4% the total weight of the soap base. For this recipe it would be 2.5 grams. I don’t think you need that much to get a glorious scent (especially if you infuse the tallow with the other spices.)
Always make sure you weigh your essential oils.Ā
Curing the soap
Allow the soap to sit in the mold for 24 hours before you unmold them. They may feel ready at this point but they will not be ready to use for another 4-6 weeks.
Allow the soap to sit in a well ventilated, cool, dry place for the full 4 weeks and then they should be good to go!
If you are ever unsure about the safety of your bar, you can use a pH testing strip to make sure your soap has a pH of 8-10. These strips have come in handy more than once!Ā