Gingerbread Spice Mix

Gingerbread Spice Mix
  • Yield:makes 4 ounces
  • Active time:5 minutes
  • Total time:5 minutes

[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]

Gingerbread spices are endlessly customizable. This version balances warm, spicy flavors against cool, citrus-y ones, and has a cool finish of cardamom, anise, and black pepper. Unless you have a very good source for ground ginger, you're best grinding your own from whole dried versions. A microplane makes a quick job of them.

Use this spice mix in your favorite cookie or cake, or try it on something savory like roast chicken or sauerbraten.

This recipe makes 4 ounces (by volume) of spice mix, about half a cup, which is more than enough to get you through several rounds of baking or gift-giving. Store it in an airtight container away from light and heat. It will last at full potency for several months.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed
  • 9 blades mace
  • 15 cardamom pods
  • 6 star anise petals
  • 24 allspice berries
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 6 teaspoons freshly ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

  1. 1.

    Combine coriander, mace, cardamom, star anise, allspice, and peppercorns in a spice or coffee grinder. Process to a fine powder, in multiple batches if need be.

  2. 2.

    Transfer to a clean glass jar or plastic bag and add ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix all spices together thoroughly. Store in an airtight container away from light and heat.