Pumpkin Spice Soy Candle
I love the warm orange glow and the spicy, yet comforting, scent these pumpkin spice candles give off when burning. Pumpkin spice is the scent of fall, and that signature fragrance inspired these homemade candles. We made these pumpkin spice candles with soy wax, which is non-toxic. It burns longer and cleaner than candles made from paraffin wax. To scent the candles we used a “pumpkin pie” blend of essential oils. It’s so satisfying to see a homemade candle come together, and to burn a candle that you made yourself. These DIY candles also make really special gifts. Simply tie a ribbon around the jar or print off a label, and voila!
Check out our Pumpkin Spice Candle video tutorial:
*Note: Scroll down for the step-by-step photo tutorial.
DIY Mason Jar Candles Pressed Flower Lanterns How to Make Wax Melts Mason Jar Leaf Lanterns
Here’s what you’ll need:
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a small commission, which helps us run this website.
Melting pot Mason jar (rounded pumpkin shape) Candle wick (6 inches) Wick sticker Wick holder (or a clothespin!) Thermometer Soy wax Orange candle dye Pumpkin spice essential oil
Can I use pumpkin pie spice to scent my candle?
No, I wouldn’t recommend using pumpkin pie spice or any powdered spices in a candle. We made a test candle with actual pumpkin pie spice, and you couldn’t smell anything other than wax. All the spice fell to the bottom of the candle, instead of staying dispersed in the wax. Even when we sprinkled more spice on top of the candle after it hardened, it still didn’t have much of a smell.
What should I use to colour my soy candle?
To colour candle wax you need to use a wax dye or liquid dye specifically made for dying candle wax. You shouldn’t use crayons, food colouring, or mica powder to dye candles. These options either result in uneven colour, questionable fumes, or they clog up the wick, resulting in an uneven burn. Bramble Berry has a great article about how to colour candles.
Do I need to use a scale to weigh the wax?
You don’t need a scale if you’re making your pumpkin spice candle in an 8 ounce mason jar, because we’ve already figured out how much scent is needed. (We’ve included the amounts in the recipe below). If you’re making a different size of candle I do recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the wax and essential oil. For most candles you want a “fragrance load” of around 6%, so the weight of your wax will determine how much fragrance oil is added. Generally you can use 1 ounce of fragrance per pound of wax. To figure out specifically how much scent to add you can use the fragrance load calculator from Life-n-Reflection.
Why did my candle crack and how can I fix it?
Candles can crack on top because of stirring the wax too vigorously or because of how they cool. Room temperature and air flow will determine what the final candle looks like. Candle Science has a great soy wax troubleshooting guide that can help you figure out what might have gone wrong. Soy wax is especially susceptible to having rough looking tops, and thankfully this doesn’t affect how the candle burns. But you can easily fix this issue by using a heat gun on a low setting. Re-melt the top layer of wax and once the wax solidifies again it should have a nice smooth top!
Learn how to make pumpkin spice candles and say goodbye to expensive store bought candles! For rounded mason jars that have the perfect pumpkin shape check out thrift stores and the dollar store.
Here’s even more DIY candle craft ideas:
DIY Mason Jar Candles
Pressed Flower Lanterns
How to Make Wax Melts
Mason Jar Leaf Lanterns
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
