Learn how to make apple pie spice from scratch! 5 minutes and 5 ingredients are all you need to make this easy homemade apple pie spice recipe. The DIY spice mix is very aromatic and perfect to season sweet and savoury apple recipes, from apple pie and cookies to bread and salads.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.Learn more
☰ Table of Contents
Easy homemade apple pie spice recipe
Raiseyour hand if you’re obsessed with apple recipes like I am! I’ve never been oneto turn down a delicious slice of warm apple pie or apple crumble. The secretto really delicious apple recipes? A well-balanced spice mix! Today’s apple piespice recipe is inspired by the homemade spice blend my Grandma Joanna used to maketo season her delicious apple pies.
Come September,I like to sprinkle apple pie spice on literally everything but buying good-qualityspice mixes gets expensive real quick. My solution? Making my own homemade applepie spice for a fraction of the cost!
Homemadeapple pie spice is naturally vegan, gluten-free, salt-free, refined sugar-free,dairy-free and suitable for paleo and keto diets. So when you’re craving an appledessert, this DIY apple pie spice recipe is perfect to season your applerecipe.
What is apple pie spice made of?
What isin apple pie spice? What does apple pie spice contain? From the products andrecipes I have seen, it seems that the ingredients in apple pie spice can vary quitea bit. The McCormickapple pie spice, for example, has just 3 ingredients, while this organicapple pie spice is made with 6.
Here arethe apple pie spice ingredients for I used in this recipe:
What is allspice?
Whilethe name may suggest it’s a blend, allspice, also called pimento, is a single spicemade from the dried berries of the pimenta dioica plant. The flavour ofallspice is peppery and pungent and lends aroma to many desserts and beverages.
I knowthat not everyone likes the strong aroma of allspice, and you might bewondering: What is a substitute for allspice? If you don’t have allspice or don’tlike the taste, either make apple pie spice without allspice or use clovesinstead.
Apple pie spice with cardamom
You canmake apple pie spice with cardamom orwithout it. The apple pie spice mix recipe from my grandmother is made withcardamom, and so I included the spice, too. The refreshing-lemony aroma of cardamompairs perfectly with the fruity flavour of apples and adds another layer of complexityto this homemade spice mix. However, you can omit cardamom if you prefer applepie spice without cardamom.
Apple pie spice with cloves
Anothervariation of this homemade spice mix is apple pie spice with cloves. To make apple pie spice with cloves,simply add 1/2 tsp ground cloves to the blend and combine well.
Tips for blending apple pie spice
When whippingup your own spice mix just ask yourself: What spices go well with apples? Thereare so many ways you can make homemade spice blends, this recipe with cardamomis just my own personal favourite.
When mixing,start with half of the amounts stated in the apple pie spice recipe. Then tasteand see how you like the flavour. Continue adding more spices until you lovethe aroma.
Whole or ground spices?
Applepie spice can be made with both whole or ground spices. You probably alreadyhave most of the ingredients in your pantry, so work with what you have athand. But ensure that the spices are fresh because spices lose their aroma overtime.
Thesecret to the best apple pie spice recipe? Freshly ground whole spice willalways provide the best aroma. Here are a few tips for grinding whole spices:
- Cinnamon sticks, ginger root, and nutmeg can be best grated with a microplate garter.
- Anspice grinder or electric coffee grinder is your best optionfor cloves, allspice and cardamom. A mortarand pestle can also be used for cardamom.
Apple pie spice vs pumpkin pie spice – What is the difference between apple pie spice and pumpkin pie spice?
A fewweeks ago, I shared a recipe for homemadepumpkin pie spice, and now you might be asking: what is the differencebetween apple pie spice and pumpkin pie spice? While the ingredients are nearlyidentical, the ratios are different.
Applepie spice is very strong on the cinnamon and allspice is more prominent, too.Pumpkin pie spice is often made with cloves, which usually aren’t found inapple pie spice. I also found that the aroma of nutmeg and ginger are strongerin pumpkin pie spice.
Apple pie spice substitute – What can I substitute for apple pie spice?
On thesame note, what can I substitute for apple pie spice? Pumpkin pie spice is agreat apple pie spice substitute. Gingerbread spice is another alternative to applepie spice. Sometimes I also use pure cinnamon as apple pie spice replacement inrecipes.
And it goesthe other way around, too. If you’re looking for a pumpkin pie substitute, useapple pie spice as a pumpkin pie spice alternative in your fall baking andpumpkin recipes.
How to make apple pie spice
Thiseasy homemade apple pie spice recipe is ready in next to no time. Wanna try it?This homemade apple pie spice blend is super easy to make, too. Just a handfulof spice, a small bowl and a few minutes mixing are all you need. So here’s howto make apple pie spice mixture at home:
- Ifusing whole spice, ground them first.
- Thenadd all of the ingredients to a small bowl and stir together. Tip: Gingercan be clumpy sometimes. Sifting helps to remove lumps from the apple piespice.
- Transferthe spice mix into a clean, airtight jar or container.
How long can I store apple pie spice?
Store applepie spice in an airtight container and keep away from heat, sunlight andmoisture.
Theshelf life of homemade apple pie spice is six to nine months.
Apple pie spice uses
Wondering what do you use apple pie spice for? Here’s how to use apple pie spice. As the name suggests, apple pie spice is used for apple pie, but there are so many recipes you can prepare with apple pie spice. The spice blend is perfect for how to spice up apple pie filling, desserts, baked goods, cakes, muffins, cookies, soups, autumn salads, and roasted vegetables or to season sauce for meat dishes.
How much apple pie spice do I use?
Mostrecipes with apple pie spice will tell you exactly how much you should use.Apple pie spice can be used as a 1-to-1 replacement for pumpkin pie spice. Ifyou want to substitute cinnamon with apple pie spice in a recipe, start withhalf of the amount first. Allspice, ginger and nutmeg make apple pie spicespicier and stronger than just cinnamon, so it’s best to increase the amountyou use gradually.
Recipes using apple pie spice
Here area few delicious apple pie spice recipes:
- apple pie
- cider
- apple sauce cake
- energy bites
- apple hand pies
- crunchy apple crumble
- autumn salad with honey roasted apples
- applesauce doughnuts
- harvest fruit tarts
- harvest chutney
- keto apple pie
- Instant Pot apple bread
- apple dumplings
- croissant apple pie
- apple pie egg rolls
- cheesecake bars
- apple pie overnight oats
- caramel apple spice cheesecake dip
Gifting apple pie spice
Theholiday season is upon us, and spice blends are excellent homemade food gift ideas.I packaged the spice mix in pretty clip-topjars and attached my free printable label to make the jar gift-ready. Youcan download the printable after the recipe card at the end of this post.
4-oz quilted mason jars or 2-oz mason shot jars are pretty options for how to package spice blends, too. And to make your handmade gift even more special grab a free copy of our free printable fall gift tags.
Easy Homemade Apple Pie Spice Recipe
Yield: 4 oz / 115 g
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Learn how to make apple pie spice from scratch! 5 minutes and 5 ingredients are all you need to make this easy homemade apple pie spice recipe. The DIY spice mix is very aromatic and perfect to season sweet and savoury apple recipes, from apple pie and cookies to bread and salads.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom into a small mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
- Transfer the apple spice blend into a small airtight jar or container and closely tightly with a lid.
Notes
How to use apple pie spice
When seasoning recipes with apple spice blend, start with a small amount and check if you like the taste. You can always add more later on.
Storage and shelf life
Store apple pie spice mix in an airtight container and keep away from heat, sunlight and moisture. The shelf life is six to nine months.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Free printable labels
Tap or click the button below to download the free printable apple pie spice label!
Download printable
Over to you!
Do you like pumpkin spice season and what is your favourite pumpkin spice recipe? Leave me a comment, I’d really love to know!
Thanks so much for visiting Country Hill Cottage – we’re so happy you’re here! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in thecommentsection below!
If you enjoyed this post, pleaseshareit using the social media buttons you see next to the post.
For more crafts, beauty DIYs and recipe, follow us onPinterest,YouTube,Instagram,andFacebook.
Cyna xo
