Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix
Use this easy recipe for homemade gingerbread spice mix, made from pantry staples, to whip up fragrant festive cookies, cakes or breakfasts or the perfect edible Christmas gift.
Suitable for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free diets.
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Love gingerbread flavor and all the holiday baking aroma, delicious desserts, coffee, waffles, breads and of course holiday cookies and cakes that you can whip up with this? Me too friends, me too.
This recipe is the perfect blend made with common ingredients you already own. Great news, you can use this fragrant gingerbread blend in place of any recipe that asks for store bought gingerbread spice, in a 1:1 ratio.
Like with my homemade pumpkin pie spice mix, this fantastic Christmas spice mix is an easy hostess gift that you can whip up in a few minutes. It is particularly fun to make with kids as they love all that measuring, shaking and sticking on the labels.
Yeap, sprinkle the joy of of the holidays with this mix that lets everyone whip up even more gingerbread recipes, aaaaaaaaall holiday long. Starting with these easy peasy gingerbread waffles.
Table of Contents
Recipe Highlights
- Easily made with 5 ingredients you already own.
- Very adaptable to your preference. Add more or less of the ingredients.
- You never need to worry about running out of this mix again.
Ingredient Notes
- Cinnamon – You can use store bought ground cinnamon. But if you want start with whole cinnamon, make and grind in spice grinder.
- Ginger – Ground ginger from the store works. For a fresh, flavor, grate fresh ginger root. Just peel the root, grate it finely, and dry it on a paper towel before adding it to your mix.
- Nutmeg – You can use store bought ground nutmeg. But if you want start with whole nutmeg berries that you can grate with a microplane tool.
- Allspice and Cloves – Again to make it easier start with grounds store bought, but you can grind whole berries or whole cloves in a spice grinder for fresher result
How To Make Gingerbread Spice
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
Step 1. Measure out the dry ingredients – ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground allspice, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a dry spatula or whisk.
Step 2. Store in a cool place in a sealed jar or container for up to 6 months. This yields 7 tablespoons.
Substitutions and Variations
- My favorite addition is ground cardamom or ground coriander. Feel free to add ¼ – ½ teaspoon.
- Ground star anise, cayenne pepper, or white pepper make great additions too.
- Add more or less spices according to your taste – if you like one spice a little more, then add a little bit more. Add in an extra quarter of a teaspoon at a time until you get the taste right.
Pro Tips
- For the freshest results, make the gingerbread spice blend and seal right away to avoid losing flavor.
- Make this spice blend with fresh spices. Replace jars of spices that are older than 6 months.
- For a milder mix reduce the amount of ginger.
- If you have the time, it is even better if you start with as many whole spices as you can and grind them down with a spice grinder as these will be fresher.
- Easily double or triple the recipe to make enough to give as gifts. Decant into mason jars or decorative jars with lids before giving them as gifts.
- A little sprinkled in this crockpot hot chocolate would go a long way.
Storage
- Make ahead, decant into an airtight container and store for up to 6 months in a cool dark place.
- I don’t recommend freezing this spice mix as the moisture may ruin it.
FAQS
This homemade gingerbread spice is made of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. This balanced combination of spices provides a distinctive flavor profile.
While both are made with the same ingredients, the difference between gingerbread spice and pumpkin pie spice is how much of each spice is used. Gingerbread spice contains a greater amount of ginger, while pumpkin pie spice has more cinnamon.
McCormick does not list gingerbread spice as a product available on its company website. But this homemade gingerbread spice mix is so incredibly quick and easy to make that you’ll never want to use a pre-made version anyway!
The flavors from the combination of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and molasses are responsible for giving gingerbread that distinctive taste and beautiful color.
What To Make With This Spice Mix
I have used this festive gingerbread spice in baked goods during the holiday season as well as in everything from pancakes, muffins, oatmeal, banana bread, hot chocolate, and of course, gingerbread cookies. It is great on roasted butternut squash, pumpkin, and as a curry powder base.
- Gingerbread waffles – make batter ahead and cook in the morning.
- Gingerbread granola – great Christmas breakfast for everyone.
- Gingerbread man cookies – a family favorite treat.
- Gingerbread cupcakes – guests love these little treats.
Need More Homemade Spice Mixes
- Homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe.
- Homemade Italian seasoning recipe.
- Homemade poultry seasoning recipe.
- Easy stone house seasoning.
- Homemade fajita seasoning recipe.
- Easy Jamaican curry powder recipe.
Handy Tip: Use Good Kitchen Tools!
For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.
Get The Gingerbread Spice Recipe
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Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons Ground Ginger
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Allspice
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cloves
- 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cardamom optional
Instructions
- Measure out the dry ingredients.
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a dry spatula or whisk.
- Store in a cool place in sealed jar or container for up to 6 months
- Add a note that it should be stored in a cool dry place that is out of direct sunlight.
Notes
- This yields about 7 tablespoons
- For the freshest results, make the pumpkin spice blend and seal straight away to avoid loosing flavor
- Make this spice blend with fresh spices. Replace jars of spices that are older than 6 months.
- If you have the time it is even better if your start with as many whole spices as you can and ground them down with a spice grinder as these will be fresher.
- Easily double or triple the recipe to make enough to give as gifts.
- Decant into mason jars or decorative jars with lids and ribbons before giving them as gifts.
This is GENIUS! Spices as gifts are so simple and useful.