In addition to your favorite apple desserts, you’re going to find so many ways to use this versatile and delicious spice blend.
The old nursery rhyme claimed that sugar and spice and everything nice were what little girls were made of, but it’s a much more apt description of this apple pie spice. This delicious blend of wonderfully fragrant spices is familiar, yet also new, exciting, and complex. It’s going to enhance all of your apple recipes, but wait until you see what it can do for all kinds of other dishes.
When I first started making apple pie, not only was cinnamon my go-to spice, it was the only spice I used. Slowly but surely, I began to add some other warm flavors, like nutmeg and allspice, but it never occurred to me to incorporate anything else. Now that I have this recipe for apple pie spice, though, I’ll never use anything else. This combination of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice, all mixed into light brown sugar, possesses a lovely fall-inspired warmth that is suffused with a kind of depth only these other spices can bring.
Apple pie spice is very simple to make. All you have to do is mix the ingredients together and then place the blend into a sealed container. If you’re already familiar with all of these spices, chances are you have them in your pantry. But if not, you are about to get introduced to some thrilling new flavors and expand your spice repertoire.
What Is Cardamom?
Nicknamed “The Queen of Spices,” cardamom is a member of the ginger family, with a complex flavor profile that enhances both sweet and savory dishes. Available in its natural form as a whole pod, as well as in shelled whole seeds, or in a ground powder, cardamom is a staple ingredient in Indian cuisine, including curries. It comes in green and black varieties, green being the most common. Describing cardamom’s taste is challenging, but most foodies agree it brings notes of pepper and pine, as well as floral and citrusy flavors—these latter two are the ones we experience most in apple pie spice. In that mix, cardamom also complements the flavors of the other spices, giving this blend a unique taste, as well as enhancing the natural sweetness of the apples.
FAQs & Tips
How Do I Store Leftovers?
As step 2 in the instructions says, store apple pie spice in a sealed container in a cool, dry space, and it will last up to 1 year. But when you see how many ways you can use it, it may not last that long!
What If I Don’t Have All These Spices?
You can also make a delicious apple pie spice with just cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
What’s The Best Kind Of Storage Container For Apple Pie Spice?
To maintain the spice blend’s flavor and freshness, you want to choose containers made of materials that won’t affect the ingredients. Glass or plastic are best, and make sure the containers are tightly sealed.
Serving Suggestions
What’s in a name? In the case of apple pie spice, it’s obvious. Use it when you’re making Apple Pie, Apple Crisp, or Apple Cobbler. Pretty much any apple dessert you can think of. I always use it when I make Baked Apple Slices and then spoon them over No-Churn Salted Cinnamon Ice Cream. Yum.
In addition to using apple pie spice in all things apple, including Apple Scones, Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies, and Apple Cupcakes, you can also use it in your favorite pumpkin recipes, like this Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe and Pumpkin Bundt Cake. But don’t stop there! Apple pie spice makes breakfast super delicious when added to Baked Oatmeal, mixed into Homemade Butter, spread on slices of toasted Honey Wheat Sunflower Bread, or dusted on top of Cinnamon Bun Pancakes. And for my friends who love the sweet and savory combo, try sprinkling apple pie spice on a Baked Sweet Potato or Sweet Potato Fries, using it as a garnish on Butternut Squash Soup, or tossing it into your homemade Salted Caramel Popcorn.
Apple Pie Spice
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir well until evenly mixed.
- Move the mixture into a sealed container and store it in a cool, dry area. It can last for as long as a year.
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