How to make Apple Pie Spice

Homemade Apple Pie Spice is the best way to level up your baked goods throughout the fall and winter. Skip the store-bought blend, though, and make your own with whole spices for even stronger, fresher apple-spiced flavor. 

Apple Pie Spice Recipe 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Making your own spice blends, dressings and sauces is a quick and easy way to level up your cooking. (And oftentimes, it’s cheaper, too.)

There is nothing more true when it comes to Apple Pie Spice, a key ingredient in apple pie, caramelized apples, applesauce, homemade apple butter and any other apple recipe you might make in the fall. 

The thing that makes homemade Apple Pie Spice really, really, really good? Grinding your own spices. 

I know what you’re thinking — what a pain in the tush! Yes, yes, I know. But believe me when I say your spice blends will be so much more vibrant and potent when you grind them fresh, which results in you needing less of this spice blend to make the other ingredients shine. 

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Of course, this can also be made with pre-ground spices. If you go that route, be sure to check the expiration dates on your spice jars, as spices lose their potency after about a year on your shelf. 

Trust me when I say it’s not as bold or punchy. (Also, you will likely have to grate the star anise either way and maybe the nutmeg, too.) So if you’re making more than one apple-flavored thing in the fall months, it’s worth the effort!

Why I love this recipe:

This is not your standard apple pie spice blend that you would purchase at your local grocery store. 

This recipe is a unique blend of various spices that absolutely sing when paired together.

It combines the warm flavors of cinnamon with the sharp zinginess of the ginger, the fragrance of both nutmeg and allspice, the pepperiness of cardamon and the licorice of star anise. 

Here are some things I adore about this combination of fall spices:

• Grinding your own spices makes the most flavorful spice blends. 
• Your apple pies and other apple spice goodies taste SO fresh and flavorful when you use homemade spice mixes.
• Homemade spice blends also make great gifts for your fellow bakers in your life!

More homemade spice blend recipes to try: Homemade Taco Seasoning | Homemade Creole Seasoning | Homemade Steak Seasoning

What you need to make this recipe:

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Here are the simple ingredients that you need to get your hands on to make your own apple pie spice mix:

• Cinnamon — if you’re grating your own, get cinnamon sticks. You can get classic Ceylon sticks, Vietnamese cinnamon sticks or experiment with Cassia. This is the main ingredient!
• Ginger — you can make ground ginger by dehydrating fresh ginger root, then pulsing it into a fine powder. 
• Nutmeg — whole nutmeg can be grated on a microplane. (It’s great grated over cocktails like Baileys Coffee.) 
• Allspice — similarly you can grind allspice berries in a spice mill to make ground allspice. 
• Cardamom pods — green cardamom adds an earthiness to your apple baked goodies. You’ll use dried pods to grind up for your apple spice mix. 
• Star anise — star anise has a lovely licorice flavor… but not in a weird way! It’s very subtle and adds a lovely layer of complexity to apple desserts. The amount of it in this spice blend is not overwhelming.​

Customizations and substitutions

Pre-ground spices: Sure, you can make this with ground spices! I’ve done and and it’s great. But it’s better if you can take the time to grind all, or at least some, of the spices.

Double or triple the recipe: this homemade blend doesn’t make a ton, so you could very easily make a larger batch. It would make a lovely gift for the holiday season!

How to make Apple Pie Spice

Here’s how to make this simple ​apple pie spice recipe: 

Start by grinding all of your spices. Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to get them to a fine consistency. 

Next, transfer the ground spices into a mason jar. Make sure the jar is clean and dry before adding the spices.

Seal the jar and give it a good shake. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to stir the mixture until all the spices are well combined. Your spice blend is now ready to use for all your favorite fall baking items.

Uses for Apple Pie Spice

This is a great spice blend to have on hand for the fall months, especially when you make it fresh each year. try it in your favorite apple recipes like…

Pies, crisps and tarts: Filled with gooey warm apples, desserts like apple turnovers, apple crumble and apple crisp are must-have desserts every year. 

Cookies: Beyond pie, try this spice in apple snickerdoodles and caramel apple cookies. 

Cakes: Apples are delicious in cakes like these apple spice rum cakes and spiced apple upside down cake. 

Breakfast goodies: An apple a day, right? Breakfast is the ideal time for apple goodness like  fluffy apple cinnamon muffins, stacks of apple cider pancakes, French toast, jars of apple chai spiced yogurt parfaits, overnight oats or a crushable apple pie smoothie.

Savory dishes: Yes, apples are great in savory dishes or as sides! Consider these cinnamon apple pork chops or a side of sweet-and-salty bacon streusel stuffed baked apples.

Drinks: it would also be an awesome addition to drinks like spiked caramel apple cider, though you’ll probably need to strain it out because you don’t want chunks of spices floating in your glass! or mix it into sugar for a cinnamon-sugar-like rim on apple cider margaritas or a gin apple pie cocktail. 

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

• Incorporate this easy homemade apple pie spice into all your favorite fall baked goods for a delightful seasonal flavor! 
• Make extra and bottle it up into little jars or small bags. Add a bow, label and/or gift tag and give them out as party favors or housewarming gifts. 
• Offer small recipe cards with ideas on how to use the spice blend in different baked goods. This can help your friends get creative and see how versatile the blend is.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick tips and tricks to making the best Apple Pie Spice

• The thing that makes this really, really, really good is grinding your own spices. This spice combination is so much more vibrant and potent when you grind the spices fresh, which results in you needing less of this spice blend to make the other ingredients shine.
• Of course, this can also be made with pre-ground spices. If you go that route, be sure to check the expiration dates on your spice jars, as spices lose their potency after about a year on your shelf. 
• Store properly. Keep your fresh apple pie spice in an airtight container in your spice cabinet, away from direct sunlight and heat, to maintain its freshness and potency.

More fall recipes to try:

Here’s how you can make this spice blend at home…