Store-bought Apple Pie Spice is fine, but homemade is so much better! This easy spice blend takes just 5 minutes to whisk together, and you'll have plenty ready to go for all your cozy fall and winter baking. Warm cinnamon, fragrant cardamom, cozy ginger, and just the right amount of nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. It smells incredible, tastes even better, and makes everything from apple biscuits to oatmeal taste like autumn in a bowl. 🍎
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DIY Apple Pie Spice Is SO Much Better Than Store-Bought (and It Takes 5 Minutes) ✨
Most store-bought apple pie spice has been sitting on a shelf for who knows how long, and it shows. 😅 It can get stale and lose depth. I've been making my own spice blends for years; it takes about five minutes, and the difference is immediate - it's warmer, more fragrant, and you can adjust the ratios to your taste.
Ours leans heavily on cinnamon like most blends, but includes a really well-balanced array of nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger, and my secret ingredient - cardamom! Most apple pie spice blends skip it entirely, but if you've done any Nordic baking (or tried our Swedish cardamom buns), then you already know that cardamom makes everything better.
It adds this warm, almost floral note that makes apple desserts taste a little more special. You can leave it out for a more traditional blend, but trust me - once you try it with cardamom, you won't go back.
We use this blend in our apple cinnamon biscuits (where it absolutely shines), and it's perfect stirred into homemade apple butter. One batch makes a full cup, so you'll have plenty to get you through the season.
🫙 Apple Pie Spice Ingredients
You only need six ground spices to make this blend!
🫙About the cardamom: If you can't find it, check the international or baking aisle - it's sometimes shelved with Indian or Middle Eastern spices rather than the regular spice rack, or order it online. Pre-ground cardamom works fine here, but if you want to level up, grab whole green cardamom pods and grind the seeds yourself. The flavor is unreal. 🤤
How to Make Apple Pie Spice ✨
Don't blink - this one's fast. 😂
- Step 1: Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cardamom, and cloves to a small bowl.
- Step 2: Mix until the spices are evenly blended and no clumps remain.
That's it! Told you it was easy. 😉 You can use it right away, or store it in an airtight jar or container in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
How to Use Apple Pie Spice ✨
This blend is really versatile. Aside from the obvious apple pie, you can stir it into apple cinnamon oatmeal, sprinkle it into the streusel of our apple crisp cheesecake, or mix it right into homemade applesauce.
It's also great in pancake batter, apple cake, or apple cider cookies. Basically, if it's cozy and fall-adjacent, this spice blend probably belongs in it.
🍎 How much to use? Start with about 1-2 teaspoons per recipe - a little goes a long way!
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📖 Recipe
Apple Pie Spice Recipe (Better Than Store-Bought!)
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1½ teaspoons ground allspice
- 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cardamom optional, and use freshly ground if possible!
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Combine the spices. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cardamom, and cloves to a small bowl.6 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1½ teaspoons ground allspice, 1½ teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cardamom, ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- Whisk together. Whisk until the spices are evenly blended and no clumps remain.
- Store. Transfer to an airtight jar or container. Store in a cool, dark place.
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Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. For best flavor, use within 3-4 months.
- Fresh cardamom: I grind mine fresh from whole cardamom pods (about 8-12 pods, depending on whether you use ¾ or 1 teaspoon). You can absolutely use pre-ground cardamom, but freshly ground has so much more flavor!
- Uses: Use this blend anywhere you'd use store-bought apple pie spice - in our apple cinnamon biscuits, apple pies, apple crisps, oatmeal, pancakes, quick breads, or sprinkled on roasted apples or sweet potatoes.
- Scaling: This recipe makes about ½ cup, which is perfect for keeping on hand through fall and winter. Double it if you want a bigger batch to last even longer!
- Cardamom optional: If you want a more traditional apple pie spice, you can omit the cardamom and add an extra teaspoon of cinnamon.
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