Apple Pie Spice Blend

My Apple Pie Spice Blend is bursting with the robust flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, mace, cardamom, and allspice. It’s sure to become the secret ingredient that transforms your desserts into festive masterpieces. If you’re a fan of holiday baking and want to add a touch of warmth to your desserts, breads, and breakfasts, look no further than this recipe.

What Is Apple Pie Spice Blend?

Traditional apple pie spice blend consists of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. It’s pretty boring if you ask me. 

Apple pie spice blend is a quick way to add a warm flavor profile to recipes like apple pies, warm cereals, and breads. Recently, at least in my area, there’s been a shortage of this spice blend in grocery stores. Shortages, recalls, and low-quality ingredients are the main reason I’m a proponent of making your spice blends at home, likewise, this apple pie version is no exception. 

What Are The Ingredients In This Spice Blend?

Apple spice blend contains cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, mace, cloves, ginger, and cardamom. All the spices are in their ground form to make this the easiest recipe this season.

I recommend ensuring that any ground spice you use to make a spice blend comes from a new container since using brand-new containers of spices creates a spice blend that is bold in flavor and lasts longer in storage.

Additionally, I recommend using a fine-mesh sieve to sift the spice blend before bottling it. Likewise, you’ll need a glass jar or similar container to store the finished spice blend. 

Can I Swap Out Or Substitute Any Of The Spices?

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves are standard holiday baking spices, meaning you probably already have them in your spice cabinet or pantry. Allspice, cardamom, and mace are not as common in everyone’s kitchen– they should be, but that’s not my business.

While I highly encourage their use to make the best-tasting spice blend, they can be left out if needed.

You can replace the mace in this recipe with the same amount of nutmeg. Though they have slightly different flavors, mace and nutmeg come from the same tree. Mace is more aromatic than nutmeg, with a taste that’s a cross between cinnamon and pepper.

Mace is the lace covering (mace blades), which wraps around the nutmeg shell. Inside the kernel is the nutmeg seed. Nutmeg is sold whole, so you can grate it from the seed or use it ground. Mace is dried, then sold whole or ground to use similarly. 

You can also omit the cardamom and allspice in this recipe, replacing them with the same amount of spice you have on hand and prefer.

Add all of the spices to a medium bowl. 

How Do I Prevent Clumping In My Apple Pie Spice Blend?

Combine the spices in the mixing bowl with your hand or a small whisk. 

Sifting the apple pie spice blend through a fine mesh sieve removes clumps from the mixture that may find their way into your recipes. This step isn’t necessary, but it reduces frustration at a non-flowing spice blend. 

What’s The Best Way To Store It?

Once the apple pie spice blend is smooth and free-flowing, use a small funnel to pour it into an airtight container or glass jar.

The best way to store spice blends is in a cool, dark area of the kitchen, like a pantry shelf or a spice cabinet or drawer. Avoid storing spice blends near or around heat or moisture. Storing the spice blends over the stove or near the oven heats up the spices, releasing their oils and making them less potent. Storing spice blends where they are in contact with moisture, like in the fridge or near a stove that heats water, causing them to swell and possibly develop mold. 

Store your apple pie spice in the jar with a food-safe silica gel pack to prevent it from clumping. 

How Do I Use Apple Pie Spice In Recipes?

Use apple pie spice in any recipe that calls for it by adding it to the dry ingredients in the recipe.

Usually, 1-2 teaspoons is the recommended serving amount for this spice blend. 

Can I Use It As A Substitute For Other Spice Blends?

You can replace Pumpkin Spice Blend or Chai Spice Blend with this apple pie spice blend using the same amount as called for in the ingredients list. Add it to recipes that don’t call for it, especially if they contain apples, pears, persimmons, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes. 

Can I Substitute Apple Pie Spice For Individual Spices In Recipes?

Apple pie spice is a great replacement for individual spices, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. If you want to add warming flavor to your recipes, this is an easy way to do it. 

You can also replace the spices with the same amount of apple pie spice in most recipes, even those that are savory. 

What Recipes Can I Use It In?

This apple pie spice blend is a great addition to most fall and winter recipes, whether sweet or savory. It is also a great spice blend for year-round baking, cooking, or cocktail-making. 

If you’re looking for recipes to use this spice blend in, try these:

Dessert Recipes:

Apple Cinnamon Pie with Lattice Crust

Apple Streusel Cheesecake

Cinnamon Cheesecake with Spiced Pear Topping

Breakfast Recipes:

Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Butter Glaze

Ginger Pear Turnovers

Cranberry Ginger Scones

Bread Recipes:

Pear Cardamom Bread

Nectarine Almond Coffee Cake

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

How Do I Prepare It For Gifting?

‘Tis the season for gift-giving, and the most heartfelt gift is a jar of homemade Apple Pie Spice. 

Fill decorative jars with the apple pie spice blend and add a food-safe silica gel pack to prevent clumping. Don’t forget to include an ingredient label in case the recipient has allergies.

Elevate your recipes this holiday season with this flavorful, aromatic Apple Pie Spice Blend. With its warming blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, mace, cardamom, and allspice, this blend is your secret ingredient for turning ordinary dishes into memorable recipes. Add some magic to your holiday baking, then let me know what you think of it in the comments. Don’t forget to pin and share this recipe with your friends and family, too!

Apple Pie Spice Blend

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 16 votes

Apple Pie Spice Blend is bursting with the robust flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, mace, cardamom, and allspice.

It's sure to become the secret ingredient that transforms your desserts into festive masterpieces.

Servings: 24 teaspoons (1/2 cup or 60 grams)

Print Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 8 minutes mins

Equipment

• funnel
• glass storage jars
• food-safe silica gel packs optional

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/4 cup (24 grams) ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons (14 grams) ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon (6 grams) ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon (6 grams) ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground mace
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cardamom
• 1 1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) ground allspice

Instructions 

Mix the Spices Together

• Add all of the spices to a medium bowl. 

  Combine the spices in the mixing bowl with your hand or a small whisk. 

Sift the Spice Blend Into a Storage Container

• Sift the apple pie spice blend through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate bowl.

  Once the apple pie spice blend is smooth and free-flowing, use a small funnel to pour it into an airtight container or glass jar.

  Add a food-safe silica gel pack to the jar to prevent clumping, if desired.

Store and Use the Apple Pie Spice Blend

• Use apple pie spice in any recipe that calls for it by adding it to the dry ingredients in the recipe.

  One to two teaspoons (2 1/2-5 grams) is the recommended serving amount for this spice blend. 

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

• You can replace the mace in this recipe with the same amount of nutmeg.
• Replace the cardamom and allspice in this recipe with the same amount of a spice you have on hand and prefer.

Tips and Techniques:

• Use ground spices from a new container since it creates a spice blend that is bold in flavor and lasts longer in storage.
• Sifting the apple pie spice blend through a fine mesh sieve removes clumps from the mixture that may find their way into your recipes.
• You can replace Pumpkin Spice Blend or Chai Spice Blend with this apple pie spice blend using the same amount as called for in the ingredients list.
• Apple pie spice is a great replacement for individual spices, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. You can also replace the spices with the same amount of apple pie spice in most recipes, even those that are savory. 
• This apple pie spice blend is a great addition to most fall and winter recipes, whether sweet or savory. It is also a great spice blend for year-round baking, cooking, or cocktail-making. 

Storage Instructions:

• Store the apple pie spice blend in a cool, dark area of the kitchen, like a pantry shelf or a spice cabinet or drawer.
• Avoid storing it near or around heat or moisture, which heats up the spices and releases their oils, making them less potent; or causes them to swell with moisture and possibly develop mold. 
• Store your apple pie spice in the jar with a food-safe silica gel pack to prevent it from clumping. 

Apple Pie Spice Blend Gifts:

1. Fill decorative jars with the apple pie spice blend and add a food-safe silica gel pack to prevent clumping.
2. Include an ingredient label in case the recipient has allergies.
3. Add a decorative bow or pack in a festive bag. 

Nutrition

Calories: 20kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 0.3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gTrans Fat: 0.002gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 38mgFiber: 2gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg

Course Breads, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, dinner, Spice Blend

Cuisine African American, North American

Keyword apple, spice blend, spices

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