Learn all secrets of how to make DIY pumpkin spice candles with soy wax and essential oils! This homemade candle making tutorial includes a pumpkin spice essential oil recipe, tips to choose the best materials, and tricks to make soy candles with essential oils smell stronger. The candle making instructions come with free printable candle labels and gift tags to package and decorate your all-natural soy candles for gifting.
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DIY Pumpkin Spice Candles
Thiscomprehensive guide shares all of the details on how to make pumpkin spicecandles, a DIY pumpkin spice essential oil blend and 3 additional essential oilcandle blends, what wax, wick, and container to use, and how to make your homemadescented candle smell stronger. Plus, all the tips and tricks I’ve learnedmaking DIY soy candles.
I know many people who get so excited when autumn arrives to buy scented candles and make their house smell like fall (yes, I’m looking at you, Kate and Cyna). But good-quality scented candles can come with a hefty price tag. 25 bucks for fall candles? Yeah, I don’t think so.
And speaking of fall candles, be sure to check out my homemade sweater weather candle, too!
So, let’sget into how to make pumpkin spice scented candles with essential oils and soywax!
Supplies for DIY pumpkin spice candles
Below Ihave listed the exact materials and tools I used to make this pumpkin spice candlesDIY:
- soywax – I used EcoSoya Q230 wax to make thiscandle recipe, because it’s easy to use, has a high fragrance load of 18% andgives a great scent throw.
- candle wicks – These 6 in / 15 cm cotton-corewicks are low smoke and free of lead and other metals.
- glue dots – These heat-resistant glue dotswill keep the wick in place. Alternatively, use a hot glue gun to apply the wicks.
- wick centering device – Wick centering devices will keep thecandle wick in the centre of the candle holder.
- pumpkin pie spice and whole spices – I decoratedmy homemade pumpkin spice candles with a dusting of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon sticks, whole star anise, cloves,cardamom pods, and allspice berries.
Jars for DIY pumpkin spice mason jar candles
How to makesoy candles in mason jars? I recycled old jam jars for this spiced candle recipebecause cheap and cute. Here are the jars I recommend for this soy candle DIY:
- 8-oz Quilted Crystal mason jar
- 8 oz Golden Harvest mason jars
- 8-oz wide-mouth canning jars with gold lid
- 8 oz wide-mouth canning jars with silver lid
- 9-oz jars with straight sides and white lids
Tip: The amounts stated in the recipebelow are enough to make one 8-oz pumpkin spice scented candle in a containerwith a width of 3 in. To fill a 16-oz masonjar simply double the materials. Because the width of the 16-oz mason jarsis the same as for 8 oz mason jars, you can use the same wick.
Other soy candle making supplies
I alsofind the following supplies for candle making useful:
- wax melting pot – A wax melting pot is ideal for melting andpouring wax for candles and wax melts. A doubleboiler can be used as well to melt the wax on the stovetop, or a heat-resistantglass jug for melting in the microwave.
- laser thermometer – A laser thermometercomes in handy to take the temperature of the wax mess-free.
- heat gun – A heat gun allows you to fix smallimperfections easily.
Pumpkin spice essential oil
Obviously,we need pumpkin spice essential oil to fragrance our fall candles and you have afew options. The first option is to blend your own DIY pumpkin spice essentialoil blend. Pumpkin spice is one of the best fall scents and also a lovelywinter candle scent in my opinion.
To make 14g / 0.5 oz pumpkin spic essential oil, which is enough to fragrance 1 8-ozcandle, you need:
- 4g / 0.14 oz cinnamon bark
- 2.5g / 0.09 oz nutmeg
- 2.5g / 0.09 oz ginger
- 2.5g / 0.09 oz clove bud
- 1.5g / 0.05 oz allspice (optional, for thosewho want a really spicy pumpkin pie spice essential oil blend)
Anotheridea is to buy ready-made a pumpkin spice essential oil blend. Using a blend isgreat when you don’t want to buy 5 different essential oils. Cari from EverythingPretty recommends the pumpkin pie spice essential oil from Right Note(formerly Crafty Bubbles) in her post about pumpkinspice essential oil for fall bath and body recipes.
You canbuy this EO blend as part of the Right Note Fall/WinterVariety blends set. The scent is also included in their Holiday Favorites kit.
Pumpkin spice essential oil variations
Thebeauty of making your own essential oils for soy candles is that you can customizethe essential oil blend to your preferences. Here are some variations on thepumpkin spice essential oil mix so you can make the best pumpkin spice candles ever:
Pumpkin spice essential oil with cardamom
The additionof cardamom essential oil gives the DIY pumpkin spice candles a fresh, slightlycitrusy smell. Personally, I love this essential oil recipe the most. Forpumpkin spice essential oil with cardamom, use the following amounts:
- 4g / 0.14 oz cinnamon bark
- 2.5 g / 0.09 oz nutmeg
- 2.5g / 0.09 oz ginger
- 2.5g / 0.09 oz cardamom
Pumpkin spice latte essential oil
Adding vanillaoleoresin to the mix will give you a pumpkin spice latte essential oil blend. Thisfall essential oil blend is perfect for those who like a sweeter, less spicy scent.Here’s what you need to make pumpkin spice latte essential oil blend:
- 3g / 0.1 oz cinnamon bark
- 3g / 0.1 oz vanilla oleoresin
- 2.5g / 0.09 oz nutmeg
- 2.5g / 0.09 oz ginger
Pumpkin pie essential oil
Got roomfor one more autumn essential oil blend? Mixing vanilla and frankincense withcinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger will give you a delicious pumpkin pie essentialoil blend. Here’s what you need:
- 3g / 0.14 oz cinnamon bark
- 3g / 0.09 oz vanilla oleoresin
- 2.5g / 0.09 oz nutmeg
- 2.5g / 0.09 oz ginger
- 1.5g / 0.05 oz frankincense
How to make DIY pumpkin spice candles
Makinghomemade pumpkin spice essential oil candles is so easy! Let me walk youthrough how to make soy candles with essential oils:
Safety tips for making soy candles
- Meltedwax is very hot and can lead to burns. Please be very careful when handling hotwax, hot jars or a heat gun, and protect your hands with oven gloves.
- Waxstains are difficult to remove. Cover the work area with old newspaper and wearclothes that you don’t mind getting stained.
Prep work
- Gatheryour materials. The basic ingredients for pumpkin spice candles are soy waxpallets and essential oils, but we also need wicks and glue dots.
- Threadthe wicks through a wick holder and apply the wicks tabs firmly to the bottomof your jar or container using glue dots or hot glue.
- Placethe jars on a baking sheet/tray and keep in the oven set at the lowesttemperature until you are ready to pour the wax. Warming the containers helpsthe wax to distribute in the container evenly.
Melt the soy wax
- Addthe soy wax to a wax melting pot or double boiler placed inside a large potfilled 1/3 with water. Bring the water to a simmer. Be mindful of hot steamrising from the pot. Heat and stir until the wax has fully melted and no solidsremain. Alternatively, melt the wax in the microwave.
- Letthe wax cool to 155°F / 68°C. Then stir in the essential oils. Take a moment tocombine well.
Pour the candles
- Carefullyfill each container 0.4 in / 1 cm below the rim of the jar. Be careful that thewicks stay in the centre of the container. The optimal pouring temperature tofor EcoSoya Q230 is 145°F / 62°C.
Decorate the candles (optional)
- Usingspices in candles looks pretty! Sprinkle with a pinch of pumpkin spice and arrangewhole spices. You’ll know you can decorate the soy candle when the wax becomescloudy and sets around the edges.
Tip: Cinnamon sticks are quite long, soI broke them in half before placing them in the wax.
Cure the candles
- Letthe candles cool at room temperature (not the refrigerator!) for several hoursor better overnight. Allowing the wax to cool slowly will create thebest-looking candles and helps to avoid cracks.
- Oncethe candles are hard, remove the wick holder and trim the wicks to 1/4 in / 0.6cm.
Tip: If the wax didn’t stick to the sidesof the jar, reheat the sides of the jar with a heat gun.
Burn the candle safely
- Always burn candles on a heat-proof surface and never leave burning candles unattended. Take extra care if children or pets are around.
- The whole spices are for decorative purposes only and should be removed before burning the candle.
Troubleshooting – Tips for the best pumpkin spice candles
A friendonce told me that candle making is a science before it’s a hobby, which is certainlytrue for making pumpkin spice soy candles with essential oils. So please notethat if you change one the ingredients (e.g. use different wax, different wicksor a container with a wider/smaller base), your DIY essential oil candle recipecandle may turn out differently than mine.
- Issueslike sooth or an uneven burn pool arise when the wrong wick is chosen. Usually,a wick is crafted for a specific wax and container size. When buying wicks makesure it’s suitable for soy wax and the container/jar you want to use.
- Anotherproblem is adding too much essential oil to the soy wax. Think of wax like asponge. Just like a sponge can only hold a certain amount of water, soy wax canonly hold a limited amount of fragrance. If you add more the extra oil will seepthrough the wax, which is called sweating.
How to make highly scented soy candles
How tomake highly scented soy candles? or How to get better throw essential oil soy candles? are questionsI often hear when making soy candles with essential oils. You have to keep inmind that essential oils are plant-based extracts, which makes them perfect to fragranceyour home naturally. But unlike synthetically manufactured, more stable fragranceoils, essential oils are volatile, meaning they evaporate over time.
That said,I have a few tricks to make our candle smell stronger:
High-quality essential oils
Thestaying power of essential oils depends on their strength of scent and the qualityof the oil. Spice essential oils are strong-smelling, long-lasting EOs. And ifyou buy high-quality essential oils from reputable manufacturers, you will havewonderfully fragrant essential oil candles.
Choose the right type of soy wax
As I mentionedabove, soy wax gives off fragrance evenly and EcoSoyaQ230 can hold 18% fragrance. Working with this wax allows us to add more essentialoils than we could with other brands of soy wax.
Tip: While you could add over 1 ozessential oils for one 8-oz candle, I don’t recommend it. Too much of essentialoils can lead to headache or respiratory problems. The spicy essential oilslike cinnamon bark, ginger, or allspice already have a strong smell and 0.5 oz,as stated in the recipe, is enough to give you a strong pumpkin spicefragrance.
Tip: For a lightly fragranced candle, reducethe amount of essential oils to 7 g / 0.25 oz.
Add the essential oils at 155°F / 68°C
For thebest scent throw, add the essential oils at the right temperature, 155°F / 68°Cis perfect. If the wax is too hot, essential oils will evaporate and the candlewill use some of the fragrance.
Make small batches
Becauseessential oils evaporate over time, it’s best to produce DIY soy candles forpersonal use in small batches. However, if you make homemade soy candles forsale or want a bunch of DIY holiday candles as Christmas gift, you can makemore.
Gift giving and printable labels
Who doesn’tlove homemade scented candles? Pumpkin spice candles are very pretty and easy,making them a great housewarming or hostess gift, a Christmas present, or a sweetgift for your friend. I decorate the jars with naturaltwine and printable pumpkin spice candle labels.
The freeprintables come in two different sizes that can be used to label the jar or lidand as gift tags. You can download the labels at the end of the post.
If you make these fall candles, I’d love to see! Please tag @chcottage on Instagram or add a photo of your creation to this post on Pinterest, so I and others can see your soy candle creation!
Other candle recipes
For more candle making ideas at home, try these:
- citronella candles
- lavender candles
- eucalyptus candles
- peony candle
- lemon candle
- egg shell candles
- DIY wax melts
DIY Pumpkin Spice Candles – Fall Candles Recipe with Essentials Oils and Soy Wax
Yield: 1 8-oz candle
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Active Time: 30 minutes
Cooling Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours
Difficulty: easy
Learn how to make DIY pumpkin spices candles with soy wax and essential oils! This creative easy homemade fall scented candle recipe includes a pumpkin spice essential oil recipe, tips for the best materials and highly scented soy candles with essential oils. Poured in jars and decorated with free printable labels, this project is a great handmade gift idea for autumn holidays and Christmas.
Materials
- 8-oz mason jar
- 2 cups / 230 g / 8 oz soy wax (EcoSoya Q230)
- candle wick
- glue dot
- 4 g / 0.14 oz cinnamon bark essential oil
- 2.5 g / 0.09 oz nutmeg essential oil
- 2.5 g / 0.09 oz ginger essential oil
- 2.5 g / 0.09 oz clove bud essential oil
- 1.5 g / 0.05 oz allspice essential oil
- pumpkin pie spice for sprinkling
- whole spices (optional)
Instructions
- Thread the wicks through a wick holder and apply the wicks tabs firmly to the bottom of your jar or container using glue dots or hot glue.
- Place the jars on a baking sheet/tray and keep in the oven set at the lowest temperature until you are ready to pour the wax. Warming the containers helps the wax to distribute in the container evenly.
- Add the soy wax to a wax melting pot or double boiler placed inside a large pot filled 1/3 with water. Bring the water to a simmer. Be mindful of hot steam rising from the pot.
- Heat and stir until the wax has fully melted and no solids remain. Alternatively, melt the wax in the microwave.
- Let the wax cool to 155°F / 68°C. Then stir in the essential oils. Take a moment to combine well.
- Carefully fill each container 0.4 in / 1 cm below the rim of the jar. Be careful that the wicks stay in the centre of the container. The optimal pouring temperature to for EcoSoya Q230 is 145°F / 62°C.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of pumpkin spice and arrange whole spices. You’ll know you can decorate the soy candle when the wax becomes cloudy and sets around the edges.
- Let the candles cool at room temperature (not the refrigerator!) for several hours or better overnight. Allowing the wax to cool slowly will create the best-looking candles and helps to avoid cracks.
- Once the candles are hard, remove the wick holder and trim the wicks to 1/4 in / 0.6 cm.
Notes
Safety tips for making soy candles
Melted wax is very hot and can lead to burns. Please be very careful when handling hot wax, hot jars or a heat gun, and protect your hands with oven gloves.
Wax stains are difficult to remove. Cover the work area with old newspaper and wear clothes that you don’t mind getting stained.
Burn the candle safely
Always burn candles on a heat-proof surface and never leave burning candles unattended. Take extra care if children or pets are around.
The spices are for decorative purposes only and should be removed before burning the candle.
Recommended Products
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Printable Pumpkin Spice Candle Label
Tab or click the button below to download your free printable pumpkin spice candle label!
Download printable
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