Homemade Chai Spice Blend

Chai spice, if you’ve never had it, is like the exotic, more interesting cousin to pumpkin pie spice. I’m not quite tired of pumpkin pie spice, but after making homemade chai spice, I think my pumpkin spice might be pushed to the back of the cabinet this year.

I’m not sure why it took me so long to jump on the chai spice train. Maybe because I’ve never actually drank chai tea until I found an herbal version recently?

NOW I SEE WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT.

And P.S. It’s amazing with a splash of heavy cream in it. You’re welcome.

Why is chai spice exotic? Well, the cardamom and coriander add unexpected flavors, but still belong in the gang, if you know what I mean. And the white pepper is a must for a fun little bite. I’ve seen other blends for homemade chai spice that are basically pumpkin pie spice with cardamom added — also fun, but I wanted something that leaned further…. east, for lack of a better term.

Cardamom and coriander are common spices in Indian cuisine, which I LOVE. If you buy a bottle of ground cardamom (not the cheapest spice on the rack) you can also use it in these recipes:

Slow Cooker Indian Beef

Slow Cooker Ginger-Cardamom Pear Sauce (or Butter)

Paleo Sweet Potato Waffles with Orange-Maple Syrup

Coriander is pretty easy to find. I actually buy whole coriander (and whole cumin!) bulk at an Indian spice market and grind them myself. I keep pint mason jars full in my spice cabinet and use them all the time. I’m not sure I’d recommend grinding your own spices because once you start you can’t really go back. It’s a struggle — especially if you run out of everything at the same time.

Speaking of spice blends, the Baking Mixes and Spice Blends section of my recipe index has all of my favorites. And a few extra ones are in my cookbook in the Pantry section in the back.

I’ve got a REALLY, REALLY great recipe using this homemade chai spice coming up next week, so whip up a batch so you’ve got it ready to go!

And PSST… this would be a great little neighbor/friend/stylist/teacher/foodie gift with a recipe to go with it!

Here’s some recipes using this spice blend:

Chai-Spiced Golden Milk

Chai Maple Roasted Butternut Squash

Loaded Chai Caramel Popcorn

Chai Paleo Gingerbread Waffles with Pomegranate and Cranberry Cream

Homemade Chai Spice Blend

Yield: Makes about 1/3 cup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

This homemade chai spice blend is the new pumpkin pie spice. Just sayin'.

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Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cloves
• 1 Tablespoon ground cardamom
• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients into a small lidded container (like a half pint sized mason jar) and shake until thoroughly combined. Store at room temperature.

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