How to Make Your Own Winter Spice Mixes

Nov 25, 2024

a white platter of winter spices before mixing

It should come as no surprise that we love to create homemade spice mixes, and the colder months are the perfect time to share our favorite winter spice blend recipes! We’ve already shared our homemade chai mix and mulling spices recipe on our Grow Create Sip Blog, but we have a few more that will get you through the busy holiday season, all the way to soup season in January, February, and beyond. Not only are homemade spice blends more affordable than store-bought versions, but they also give you better control over the ingredients, allow you to customize flavors, and help to avoid any artificial junk — perfect for mamas with families to feed!

Discover just how fun (and beneficial) crafting your own winter spice mixes can be! From poultry spice to pumpkin pie spice, this guide will teach you how to create homemade spice blends exactly to your taste. You'll also learn about the benefits of DIY spice mixes, tips on grinding your own spices, how to store your blends, and more!

The Legal Stuff

This blog is provided by St. Fiacre's Farm LLC for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, and you should always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider for any medical questions or concerns. Please note that we may earn a small commission on any purchases you make through our affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Why You Should Make Your Own Homemade Spice Mixes

There are several benefits to making homemade spice mixes. A few major ones include:

Save money: Making your own spice blends can be a lot more cost-effective than buying pre-made blends at the grocery store. When you buy spices in bulk (or grow them yourself!), you could potentially save a ton of money.
Control ingredients: It may seem obvious, but when you make spice mixes from scratch, you know exactly what goes into them. You choose the quality and freshness of your ingredients — and you can skip all of those artificial ingredients or additives you can find in the store-bought stuff. You can also fully customize the flavors!
Avoid allergens: It seems like everyone has an allergy these days (probably due to all of the weird stuff in our food, but who’s to say…), so making your own spice mixes can be a great way to avoid any common allergens like gluten, dairy, or nuts.
Support local farmers: If you don’t have the option of growing your own herbs and spices, sourcing them from local farmers is the next best thing. You’ll support your local economy and community, and enjoy fresher and more flavorful options.

Our Favorite Winter Spice Mixes

Whether you need something to add flavor to chicken, turkey, a big pot of chili, a pie, spiced cider, or a cup of tea, homemade spice mixes are one of the easiest ways to do it! Below you’ll find our favorite mixes, ranging from a turkey rub to pumpkin and apple pie spices.

Poultry Spice

Our poultry spice recipe is a versatile mix that can be used on chicken, turkey, and in other poultry dishes. It comes together with 1 part sage, 1 part thyme, 1 part rosemary, 1/2 part marjoram, 1/3 part black pepper, 1/15 part nutmeg, 1 part onion powder, and 2 parts garlic powder.

To use, simply sprinkle it over your poultry before cooking. You can also use it to flavor marinades, rubs, or stuffing.

Turkey Rub

Turkey rub is perfect for roasting or even grilling turkey — our mix will make your Thanksgiving main dish even more delicious than usual. It’s made with 1 part paprika, 2 parts garlic powder, 1 part onion powder, 1 part sage, 1 part thyme, 1 part rosemary, 1/3 part black pepper, 1 part salt, and an optional 1 part lapsang souchong black tea. The last two ingredients are optional, but we almost always include them when we make it!

Just like the poultry spice, you can rub our turkey blend all over the bird before cooking. It would also taste good on chicken or pork.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Don’t let the name fool you! Pumpkin pie spice, of course, works wonderfully in pumpkin pie, but feel free to use it in other fall and winter baking projects, too. We combine 2 parts cinnamon, 1/4 part nutmeg, 1 part ginger, 1/4 part cloves, and 1/4 allspice to make it.

Add this winter spice mix to pies, bread, or even cookie recipes. We also sometimes use it to flavor DIY creamer, tea, and hot cocoa as well.

Mulling Spices

While mulling spices are most well-known for adding flavor to mulled wine, it has so many other uses! We don’t drink wine, so we add them to cider and tea, as well as stovetop potpourri. It’s made with 2 parts cinnamon sticks, 1/2 part cloves, 1/2 part allspice berries, 1 nutmeg, 1/2 part dried orange peel, 1 part star anise, and 1/2 part cardamom pods. Star anise and cardamom pods are optional.

To use, add to your favorite beverage and simmer.

Chai Spices

We love chai, but we don’t love those pre-made chai mixes. You just never know what’s in them! It’s one of our favorite homemade spice blends to keep on hand at home because we use it often. It features a combination of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper, and sometimes fennel seeds and star anise, too. Find the exact measurement in the Herbal Studio Library.

You can easily add them to black tea to make chai at home. They can also be used to flavor baked goods and other desserts!

Apple Pie Spice

It wouldn’t be a list of homemade winter spice blends without another pie spice mix. Along with pumpkin, apple pie is the Farmer’s personal favorite. This mix contains 1 part cinnamon, 1/8 part nutmeg, 1/8 part allspice, and 1/4 part ginger.

Not only may this be added to apple pie but also bread, and sometimes cookies! It’s also nice as a tea when the spices are used in their whole form.

How to Grind Whole Spices & Herbs

You don’t need to run out to the store to buy a special spice grinder — they can be expensive and aren’t necessary to make homemade spice mixes.

We usually use a mortar and pestle to grind any whole spices and herbs into a fine powder. Grinding them fresh just before mixing ensures they have the best flavor, color, and aroma.

Now if you don’t have a mortar and pestle, there are other ways. A coffee grinder, food processor, high-powered blender, or even a rolling pin could all work… some methods may require more elbow grease than others, but it’s worth it!

Tips for Making and Storing Spice Mixes

Grind before making your mixes: It’s best to wait to grind up any spices until just before you plan to blend them for the freshest flavor.
Adjust: Don’t be afraid to experiment and adjust the amounts of any spices you use in your blends! That’s half the fun of making them from scratch, after all.
Keep them in a cool, dark place: Your pantry or a cupboard is best. Avoid storing them too close to heat sources or direct sunlight.
Use an airtight container: Store your mixes in an airtight container like a glass Mason jar to prevent moisture and air from getting in.
Label and date: Note when you make your mixes! This will help you keep track of freshness.

Winter Spice Frequently Asked Questions

What are classic winter spices?

Classic winter spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. These spices are commonly used in holiday baking, mulled drinks, and other winter dishes. They're warm, sweet, spicy, and plain old cozy.

What are the best winter herbs?

The best winter herbs include rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano — all are very tolerant of cold weather and would do well in the winter. These perennial herbs can withstand harsher conditions as compared to say, cilantro, which does much better in consistently warm and sunny climates.

What herbs keep you warm in winter?

Certain herbs are believed to have warming properties, including ginger, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. Ginger and black pepper in particular are known for their ability to increase body heat. Cayenne pepper is another powerful spic that may increase your metabolism and therefore generate body heat. Finally, cloves and cinnamon are believed to have warming and soothing properties. Using these herbs in your homemade spice blends could help you stay warm during the cold winter months!

Blending it All Together

Our blends are as easy to make as grind, mix, and store — giving you plenty of time to use them in homemade treats, beverages, and even main dishes. Making your own winter spice mixes is the best way to add flavor to your favorite recipes without worrying about any artificial ingredients! If you love cooking with herbs and spices then you will love our free guide Cooking with Tea!

Learn More About Making Spice & Tea Blends

Are you getting weekly tips on all things herbal?

Growing, creating, recipes, herbal medicine tips, and more every week right to your inbox (including sales on herbal goodness!) Make sure you grab it here!

We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.