3 Homemade Spice Blends

In a previous post I shared my three favorite recipes for savory spice blends. Today I’m sharing three more recipes for homemade spice blends, but this time they’re “sweet” or baking spice blends: Apple Pie Spice, Pumpkin Pie Spice and Chai Spice. With these three blends you can flavor all sorts of cakes, pies, breads, cookies – even your morning coffee! Use these recipes as a jumping off point and create your own custom blends, or make them as-is. These sweet spice blends are versatile and delicious and would even make lovely gifts for your friends who like to bake.

Why Make Your Own Homemade Spice Blends?

Can’t you just buy this stuff? Well, of course, you can! But why waste $$$ on a spice blend that is made up of things you likely already have on hand!? Get the most bang for your buck on your spice purchases by making your own DIY spice mixes. It’s not only easy, it’s fun! Plus, when you make your own spice blends, you control the quality and the ratios of the spices to your liking.

PS – want more tips for buying, storing and using herbs and spices? Check out my post on 5 Ways to Save Money on Herbs and Spices

I have been making my own homemade spice blends for ages. Since I’m pretty meticulous about keeping my herbs and spices fresh (and I’m cheap) I like to use the spices I have on hand to create different blends, rather than buy premade ones. I like being creative and playing with flavor combos. For example, typical store-bought Apple Pie Spice doesn’t have Cardamom in it. But I looooove Cardamom so my recipe has plenty of it. Don’t like it? You don’t have to add it! 😁 Are you a huge fan of Nutmeg? Me too! Add as much as you like to the Pumpkin Pie Spice blend.

As a bonus, with each spice blend recipe below I’ll also be sharing tips and tricks for how to use them. Enjoy!

Apple Pie Spice Blend

• 4 Tbsp. cinnamon (preferably Vietnamese)
• 1 ½ tsp. ground cardamom
• 1 ¼ tsp. nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• ½ tsp. allspice

Whisk all ingredients together and store in a small, airtight jar.

Ways to Use Apple Pie Spice Blend

Apple Pie is the most versatile blend of all. You can, of course, use it in your apple pies, crisps and cobblers. Here are a few other ideas to get you started:

• Whisk into hot or cold apple cider for a spiced option.
• Mix with sugar for fabulous cinnamon toast.
• This blend also works well with peaches in pies, crisps or cobblers.
• Use to spice up plain applesauce.
• Add to cooked oatmeal and top with diced apples. Way better than the instant stuff!
• Consider using this blend in any recipe that calls for cinnamon plus any other spice in this blend. Your dish will have that little extra bit of complexity that will really make people say “Yum!”
• This blend also works great in my Spiced Cranberry Orange Bread and Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

• 3 Tbsp. cinnamon (preferably Vietnamese)
• 2 tsp. nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 ½ tsp. allspice
• ½ tsp. cloves

Ways to Use Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

This is another super versatile blend. You can, of course, use it in pumpkin pie. Sorry, but I’m on Team Pumpkin Pie is Evil, so here’s how I use this blend:

• This blend can also be whisked into hot or cold apple cider for a spiced option.
• Ditto for fabulous cinnamon toast.
• Any pumpkin baking recipe – bread, muffins, cookies, etc. – just sub in an equal amount of this blend for the spices called for in your recipe.
• Use in my Better Than Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup. Super easy and makes every cup of coffee a Fall treat!
• Of course, it’s also great in my Pumpkin Spice Muffins!
• Also yummy in oatmeal that you then top with nuts and a drizzle of maple syrup.
• Love spiced coffee? Sprinkle this blend (or the Apple Pie Spice Blend) over coffee grounds and brew as normal. Heavenly!

Chai Spice Blend

In theory I love the idea of a Chai Latte or just a cup of Chai tea. However, there is always something in there that just tastes wonky to me. Kinda like how band-aids smell. Maybe it’s like how some people perceive cilantro as soapy 🤷🏻‍♀️. Anyway, I wanted in on that Chai fun so I created my own band-aid free blend. 🤣

• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon (preferably Vietnamese)
• 1 Tbsp. ground cardamom
• 1 Tbsp. ground ginger
• 1 ¼ tsp. ground coriander*
• 1 tsp. cloves

*If you don’t have ground coriander, do consider picking some up. It’s one of my favorite seasonings and I use it in soups, stews, meat marinades/rubs, rice pilafs, etc. The flavor is very gently earthy and smokey with a wonderful orange-citrusy note.

• Once again, yep, you guessed it – great in apple cider!
• Also good brewed with coffee or hot tea
• Use to make your own (hopefully waaaay less sugary) Chai Latte concentrate.
• This blend is also very nice in apple or pear pies and crisps
• As with the other blends, you can sub this into any recipe that calls for cinnamon or cardamom and any of the other spices.

I hope you will give these easy baking spice blends a try. And don’t forget to make a few extra batches, because homemade spice blends in pretty little jars make great gifts for your friends who love to bake.

Peace,

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