Warming Spices
Jan. 24th, 2026 02:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithWarming spices have hot, aromatic qualities. They encourage body heat; they go well with other thermogenic foods. Their scent evokes warmth and comfort. That makes them ideal for cold days. Browse a list of warming spices; you probably have some in your cabinet already. Here is a FAQ list. Screw winter, make something redolent.
Spice Blend Recipes
Baharat
A Middle Eastern blend based on paprika, black pepper, and cumin; kind of like a cross between berbere and garam masala.
BEST Chili Powder (from scratch)
Uses multiple chile types and Mexican oregano among others; looks very authentic.
BEST Curry Powder
A yellow curry powder based on coriander and cumin, with a few distinct Indian ingredients such as curry leaves; I would add a pinch of hing / asafoetida.
Biryani Masala
Based on Kashmiri chiles and coriander, with many other aromatic spices.
Bombay Sandwich Masala
Based on cumin with distinctive notes of green mango powder and black salt.
Cajun Seasoning
This is a red seasoning based on several pepper types.
Chai Spice Mix Recipe
Plus things you can make with it.
Chinese 5 Spice
Anise and Szechuan peppercorns make this blend distinctive; marries well with soy sauce, tamari, mirin, rice vinegar, and other Oriental ingredients.
Christmas Spice Mix
Plus things you can make with it. Similar to apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
Ethiopian Berbere Spice Blend
Ethiopian cuisine will just about take the enamel off your teeth, but you definitely will not be cold anymore.
Ghost Pepper Sauce And Powder Blends
Edible fire!
Gingerbread Spice (Lebkuchengewürz) Recipe
Includes some darker spices like anise and black pepper.
Holiday Warming Spice Blend Recipe
Surprisingly different from the more common apple pie spice, garam masala, or pumpkin pie spice.
Homemade Blackening (Cajun) Seasoning Recipe
This is meant to create a charred, spicy coating on grilled or roasted foods; look for a blend that starts brownish or grayish rather than bright red.
Homemade Garam Masala Spice
A cumin-based blend ubiquitous in Indian cuisine, which works in both savory and sweet dishes.
Homemade Harissa Seasoning
A hot spice mix from North Africa also appearing in the Middle East, based on cumin and chile plus rose petals and sumac; can be made into a paste by adding oil and/or roasted pepper puree.
Mixed spice recipe & ideas on how to use it
Multiple recipes from budget and classic to more exotic.
Homemade Mexican Spice Mix Recipe
Based on chili powder and paprika, plus chipotle powder and other seasonings.
Homemade Shawarma Spice
A savory blend, plus things you can make with it.
Homemade Yellow Curry Powder
A complex masala based on coriander and turmeric.
Indian Curry Powder
A hot red malsala made from chiles with coriander and cumin.
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
Extremely hot, based on Scotch Bonnet peppers, and the real thing includes allspice.
Kripalu Recipe: Savory Spice Blend
Another Indian recipe based on coriander.
Nord Spices
A splendid cardamon-based blend; includes instructions for designing your own blend.
Pain d'Epice Spice Mix
A French blend based on cinnamon and ginger plus citrus zests, ideal for baked goods.
Ras el Hanout (my version with 11 spices)
Ras el Hanout: Perhaps, the Most Complex Spice Blend in the World (with 23 spices)
Technically, this is isn't a blend that has a consistent recipe; the name means "head of house" and was traditionally made from 1-3 dozen of the best spices a vendor currently had available.
Sazón Seasoning
A Latin America blend based on coriander, cumin, and annatto.
Vindaloo Curry Powder Recipe
A volcanic masala of Kashmiri chiles, cayenne, black pepper, and aromatic spices; what you offer someone who says "vegetarian food is boring."
Xawaash Spice Mix
An African blend that leans savory, ideal for stews and curries; the spices look familiar but the end result is quite distinctive from garam masala or pumpkin pie spice.
Other Recipes
10 Healthy Quick Breads That Are Perfect for Fall
10 Spiced Autumn Bread Recipes to Bake This Fall
17 Spiced Tea Recipes to Keep You Warm
18 Spicy Carolina Reaper Pepper Recipes
This incendiary pepper has strong fruity notes.
18 Spicy Vegetable Curry Recipes Deliciously Flavorful
23 Delicious Star Anise Recipes for Every Occasion
28 Seriously Spicy Soup Recipes
29 Hot & Spicy Vegan Recipes That Bring the Heat
31 Spice Cake Recipes For A Sweet Holiday Season
36 Spice Cookie Recipes to Warm Up Your Day
50+ Delicious Winter Spicy Recipes to Warm You Up This Season
53 Turmeric Recipes to Help Reduce Inflammation
82 Fresh Ginger Recipes to Spice Up Every Meal
90 Ginger Recipes To Put Some Zing Into Your Menu
Cinnamon Recipes: 263 Things To Do With It, Part I
Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
Originally with cinnamon, but better with apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice; starting with apple cider instead of dry sugar prevents it from burning.
Apple Pie Cookies
Based on pumpkin pie spice.
Apple Topping
Based on pumpkin pie spice and candied ginger.
Best Recipes with Fresh Chile Peppers
The BEST Recipes That Use Nutmeg
Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Onions
Based on pumpkin pie spice plus white and/or rose pepper.
Chili Pepper Recipes
Classic Spice Bread Recipe
Clove Recipes
Crockpot African Black-Eyed Peas
Based on Xawaash spice mix.
Crockpot Xawaash Chicken Stew
A Dash of Heat: Warming Spices and Comforting Recipes for Winter
Haggis Spice Brownies
Includes a haggis spice blend with equal amounts of black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and ground clove; particularly good in recipes that use oatmeal.
Harvest Spice Bread
Healthy Spice Quick Bread
Made with cinnamon, nutmeg, whole wheat flour, and honey or maple syrup.
My Spiced Olive Oil Banana Bread That’s So Moist
Pigeon Peas Stew
Pistachio Cardamom Cookies
Recipes Using Black Pepper & Peppercorns
Spiced Applesauce Bread Recipe
Turmeric Butternut Squash Stew Recipe
Winter Cooking: Warming Spice Ideas for Soups, Beans, and Stews
Further Reading
Here’s Every Type of Pepper You Need to Know (chiles)
Holiday Spices: Warming, Uplifting Medicines for Cold Winter Months
Saffron & Spice: How Warming Botanicals Support Digestion, Mood, and Circulation
The Science of Warm Spices — and Why Your Body Craves Them in Winter
Spice Blend Recipes
Baharat
A Middle Eastern blend based on paprika, black pepper, and cumin; kind of like a cross between berbere and garam masala.
BEST Chili Powder (from scratch)
Uses multiple chile types and Mexican oregano among others; looks very authentic.
BEST Curry Powder
A yellow curry powder based on coriander and cumin, with a few distinct Indian ingredients such as curry leaves; I would add a pinch of hing / asafoetida.
Biryani Masala
Based on Kashmiri chiles and coriander, with many other aromatic spices.
Bombay Sandwich Masala
Based on cumin with distinctive notes of green mango powder and black salt.
Cajun Seasoning
This is a red seasoning based on several pepper types.
Chai Spice Mix Recipe
Plus things you can make with it.
Chinese 5 Spice
Anise and Szechuan peppercorns make this blend distinctive; marries well with soy sauce, tamari, mirin, rice vinegar, and other Oriental ingredients.
Christmas Spice Mix
Plus things you can make with it. Similar to apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
Ethiopian Berbere Spice Blend
Ethiopian cuisine will just about take the enamel off your teeth, but you definitely will not be cold anymore.
Ghost Pepper Sauce And Powder Blends
Edible fire!
Gingerbread Spice (Lebkuchengewürz) Recipe
Includes some darker spices like anise and black pepper.
Holiday Warming Spice Blend Recipe
Surprisingly different from the more common apple pie spice, garam masala, or pumpkin pie spice.
Homemade Blackening (Cajun) Seasoning Recipe
This is meant to create a charred, spicy coating on grilled or roasted foods; look for a blend that starts brownish or grayish rather than bright red.
Homemade Garam Masala Spice
A cumin-based blend ubiquitous in Indian cuisine, which works in both savory and sweet dishes.
Homemade Harissa Seasoning
A hot spice mix from North Africa also appearing in the Middle East, based on cumin and chile plus rose petals and sumac; can be made into a paste by adding oil and/or roasted pepper puree.
Mixed spice recipe & ideas on how to use it
Multiple recipes from budget and classic to more exotic.
Homemade Mexican Spice Mix Recipe
Based on chili powder and paprika, plus chipotle powder and other seasonings.
Homemade Shawarma Spice
A savory blend, plus things you can make with it.
Homemade Yellow Curry Powder
A complex masala based on coriander and turmeric.
Indian Curry Powder
A hot red malsala made from chiles with coriander and cumin.
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
Extremely hot, based on Scotch Bonnet peppers, and the real thing includes allspice.
Kripalu Recipe: Savory Spice Blend
Another Indian recipe based on coriander.
Nord Spices
A splendid cardamon-based blend; includes instructions for designing your own blend.
Pain d'Epice Spice Mix
A French blend based on cinnamon and ginger plus citrus zests, ideal for baked goods.
Ras el Hanout (my version with 11 spices)
Ras el Hanout: Perhaps, the Most Complex Spice Blend in the World (with 23 spices)
Technically, this is isn't a blend that has a consistent recipe; the name means "head of house" and was traditionally made from 1-3 dozen of the best spices a vendor currently had available.
Sazón Seasoning
A Latin America blend based on coriander, cumin, and annatto.
Vindaloo Curry Powder Recipe
A volcanic masala of Kashmiri chiles, cayenne, black pepper, and aromatic spices; what you offer someone who says "vegetarian food is boring."
Xawaash Spice Mix
An African blend that leans savory, ideal for stews and curries; the spices look familiar but the end result is quite distinctive from garam masala or pumpkin pie spice.
Other Recipes
10 Healthy Quick Breads That Are Perfect for Fall
10 Spiced Autumn Bread Recipes to Bake This Fall
17 Spiced Tea Recipes to Keep You Warm
18 Spicy Carolina Reaper Pepper Recipes
This incendiary pepper has strong fruity notes.
18 Spicy Vegetable Curry Recipes Deliciously Flavorful
23 Delicious Star Anise Recipes for Every Occasion
28 Seriously Spicy Soup Recipes
29 Hot & Spicy Vegan Recipes That Bring the Heat
31 Spice Cake Recipes For A Sweet Holiday Season
36 Spice Cookie Recipes to Warm Up Your Day
50+ Delicious Winter Spicy Recipes to Warm You Up This Season
53 Turmeric Recipes to Help Reduce Inflammation
82 Fresh Ginger Recipes to Spice Up Every Meal
90 Ginger Recipes To Put Some Zing Into Your Menu
Cinnamon Recipes: 263 Things To Do With It, Part I
Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
Originally with cinnamon, but better with apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice; starting with apple cider instead of dry sugar prevents it from burning.
Apple Pie Cookies
Based on pumpkin pie spice.
Apple Topping
Based on pumpkin pie spice and candied ginger.
Best Recipes with Fresh Chile Peppers
The BEST Recipes That Use Nutmeg
Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Onions
Based on pumpkin pie spice plus white and/or rose pepper.
Chili Pepper Recipes
Classic Spice Bread Recipe
Clove Recipes
Crockpot African Black-Eyed Peas
Based on Xawaash spice mix.
Crockpot Xawaash Chicken Stew
A Dash of Heat: Warming Spices and Comforting Recipes for Winter
Haggis Spice Brownies
Includes a haggis spice blend with equal amounts of black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and ground clove; particularly good in recipes that use oatmeal.
Harvest Spice Bread
Healthy Spice Quick Bread
Made with cinnamon, nutmeg, whole wheat flour, and honey or maple syrup.
My Spiced Olive Oil Banana Bread That’s So Moist
Pigeon Peas Stew
Pistachio Cardamom Cookies
Recipes Using Black Pepper & Peppercorns
Spiced Applesauce Bread Recipe
Turmeric Butternut Squash Stew Recipe
Winter Cooking: Warming Spice Ideas for Soups, Beans, and Stews
Further Reading
Here’s Every Type of Pepper You Need to Know (chiles)
Holiday Spices: Warming, Uplifting Medicines for Cold Winter Months
Saffron & Spice: How Warming Botanicals Support Digestion, Mood, and Circulation
The Science of Warm Spices — and Why Your Body Craves Them in Winter
