From the spicy aroma of gingerbread to warm cinnamon crinkles and pumpkin pie — there’s nothing like home baking. 

The best goodies are from scratch and grinding your own spices is a superpower! I encourage you to take the plunge and experiment. You won’t regret it, I promise. Begin by buying whole spices in bulk and then try the recipes I’ve provided. 

Remember: No fear and spice it up like a pro.  

The Sweet Warming Spices  

Aroma and Taste

Allspice: Fragrant with a peppery combination of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. 

Cardamom: The aroma is mellow, and the flavor warming and agreeable.   

Cinnamon: What we call cinnamon is actually cassia or Chinese cinnamon. True cinnamon has a lighter color with a sweet woody aroma and is both fragrant and warm. Both cassia and cinnamon are useful.   

Cloves: Cloves have an assertive aroma, hot and bitter. Tempered by cooking and other ingredients.  

Coriander: Sweet, spicy, woody aroma with a peppery balsamic note.

Fennel, Anise and Star Anise: Smell and taste similar with subtle differences. All are warm and fragrant with a slight note of camphor. Star anise has a more pungent licorice flavor.

Ginger: A warm aroma with a woody note and sweet rich undertones. Its flavor is hot and slightly biting.     

Nutmeg: Rich, fresh, highly aromatic, sweet and warm.

Peppercorns: Warm woody smell that is fresh, pungent and agreeably aromatic. 

Storing Spices

I’m a visual person, so I arrange my spices on a shelf near my work area, and use 4-ounce glass jars, grouped, in trays, by use. Beauty and efficiency are my aims.  

Grinding Spices

I use a small stainless steel spice grinder with two removable cups made by Secura. One cup is for dry spices and the other for wet pastes. This piece of equipment is a kitchen game-changer. 

Baking Cheat Sheet

These are the spice amounts I regularly use for bread, cake or cookies. They all harmonize, so mix and match according to what you’re baking. 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, or cassia

1 teaspoon of either fennel or anise seeds

2 whole star anise 

¼ teaspoon allspice whole berries

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns 

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

4 whole cloves

½ teaspoon whole green cardamom pods 

2 teaspoons powdered ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh paste

1 teaspoon coriander seed

Make Your Own Powdered Ginger

When you have extra fresh ginger chop and grind it in a small food processor. I leave the peels on for flavor and nutrition. Lay the ground ginger on a plate, at room temperature, and air dry for several days. Once dry, use a spice grinder to reduce it to a powder and store. Try drying other rhizomes, like turmeric and galangal, in the same way. 

Perfect Pumpkin Pie Spice

Here’s my secret formula, if you want your pumpkin pie to rock, with rave reviews, seconds please, and may I have the recipe? Grind the whole dry spices together into a powder and add the ginger paste separately. 

Enough For One Pie

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon whole peppercorns

¾ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

3 whole cloves 

½ teaspoon whole allspice berries

1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste 

Ultimate Gingerbread Spice  

3 teaspoons cinnamon 

4 whole cloves 

½ teaspoon allspice berries

1 teaspoon coriander seed 

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/4 teaspoon peppercorns

4 green cardamom pods

1 tablespoon ginger powder

Homemade Masala Chai Mix 

Makes 1 cup.  

Make your own chai spice mix for hot drinks or baking. 

Ingredients 

3 tablespoons fennel seed

4 tablespoons green cardamom pods, you will grind the whole pods

1 tablespoon cloves

2 tablespoons allspice berries

4 tablespoons dried ginger root, not powder

1 tablespoon black peppercorns 

1 whole nutmeg

4 tablespoons broken pieces of cinnamon sticks

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

Directions

Start with whole spices.

Measure and grind using spice or coffee grinder.  Keep in a sealed jar and use within 4 months.

How to make chai: In a teapot or French press, add 5 teaspoons of loose leaf black tea and 1 to 2 teaspoons masala chai powder. Pour in 1 quart of boiling water, and steep for 5 minutes. Strain the tea and add milk and sweetener to taste. 

(Sidonie Maroon is the culinary educator at The Food Co-op; abluedotkitchen.com. Follow Sidonie on The Food Co-op’s Facebook group Cooking with the Co-op. Find more recipes at www.foodcoop.coop/blog/fall-spices.)