Homemade Chai Spice Blend

Homemade seasoning blends are the best! All you need is your spice rack and a few minutes to make your own Chai Spice Blend. Prepared with what most of us have in our spice racks already, this blend will keep in your pantry for months! With so many uses, you might just want to double the recipe!

Chai can include several different spices. Cardamom is the most common ingredient, followed by some mixture of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, etc. Sometimes, ground black pepper, coriander, and fennel are also used, but they are slightly less common. In North America, chai is most commonly known as a flavoured tea – most likely thanks to the popularity of Starbucks. This Homemade Chai Spice Blend uses the North American version of chai.

It’s cold outside which makes me crave comforting, warming treats which is why this chai spice blend is perfect for this time of year! There is nothing like a hot cup of chai tea on a cold afternoon. Having a chia spice blend on hand means that you can whip up delicious tasting recipes quickly and easily at home! For example, I made this Molasses Chai Spiced Bread and these Glazed Chai Spiced Shortbread Cookies!

You can use your Homemade Chai Spice Blend in a fudge recipe. You can stir it into ice cream, dust your cheesecake with it, or even infuse it into steamed rice! Oh, it just occurred to me that I can use it in my homemade rice pudding or homemade tapioca pudding as well! It’s really endless what you can do with it once you have it. Bake some into muffins, whip it into frostings, sprinkle it over oatmeal, french toast, or granola. It’s even quite good whisked into marinades for savoury dishes like roasted pork!

Who doesn’t love to have seasoning blends on hand for when the mood strikes? Maybe it’s just me, but nothing makes me happier than a well-stocked spice rack, drawer, or shelf – whatever you have! When I’m not in a rush, I like to reach into my spice collection and measure out exact amounts for each one. I tend to do this a lot when cooking soups, stews, or anything else that takes time and effort. Oh, here’s another great idea. Take a look at this awesome Spice Rack Sauce recipe!

SPICE RACKS

The problem, however, is that those pre-mixed, store-bought, spice blends can be quite expensive. Compare, if you will, the cost of buying a store blend to the cost of making one yourself at home. Of course, those cost savings depends on whether or not you have an existing stocked spice rack. And, truthfully, most of us do!

Unless you are a seasoned cook, most home cooks will have a spice rack that sits on the countertop. You know the kind I speak of. They are either plastic or chrome and most of them spin around so that you have easy access to the spices.

Some home cooks have the old fashioned wooden spice racks that are mounted to the kitchen wall. To be honest, these are the types of spice racks I prefer. My mom used to have one of them and I have fond memories it it. When we bought our house, despite wanting to modernize everything, I wanted to keep some old-time charm to it too.

I found this spice rack on Amazon. I admit, it is a little expensive, but when you consider what you’re getting, it’s not that much of a stretch. The rack is well-made with real wood. And, the spice jars come full. I trust the McCormick brand and use it often. It was a no-brainer for me. It used to hang quite nicely in our kitchen, but when it comes to spice racks, I rest not, Dear Reader! I’m constantly changing and re-organizing my spice storage system.

LET’S CHAT ABOUT SPICES FOR A BIT!

Anyone who knows me well will confirm that I am obsessed with spice racks and spice jars. John.e can attest to the fact that over the past ten years, I have updated and completely changed our spice storage system at least a half a dozen times.

Initially, I had to have all of our spices in mason jars. That lasted for a year or so. Then, I found some really great glass jars with a pull-off lid. The seal was great, but again, they were quite big. Next, I used smaller bottles, and then spice bottles that I picked up from Ikea. I could go on, but I digress.

My obsession has taught me a few things about buying spices. First, keep your spices in a cabinet or at least out of direct sunlight. Yes, I have my spice rack on the wall in my kitchen, but it is as far away from the windows as I could possibly get it.

Secondly, buy spices in small amounts. You should never have more than three to six months supply. Spices lose their pungency and flavour. The only seasonings I buy in larger quantities is salt and pepper. That’s why I love the McCormick jars. They’re not too large for me, but keep in mind, I cook quite often. And, when I run out, it’s easy to replace that one jar.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this Blackening Seasoning Blend. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Ground Ginger – Ground ginger is fresh ginger that has been peeled and dried before being ground into a powder.  It has a pale yellow in colour and has a pungent, spicy smell.  It adds a warming, spicy flavour to recipes.
• Ground Cinnamon – Cinnamon is a spice created from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree.   The bark is dried until it curls into a roll known as a cinnamon stick.  These are ground into powder.  Commonly found in baked goods, cinnamon is an aromatic with a warming flavour.
• Ground Nutmeg – Nutmeg is a seed that comes in whole or ground form.  It is a key ingredient in many baked goods and is essential to anything eggnog-related.  I often use it in fall dishes, especially in mashed potatoes!
• Ground Cardamom – Cardamom is a spice that comes from the seeds of plants in the ginger family. It has a complex flavor that’s warm, slightly pungent, and aromatic. Cardamom is used in both sweet and savory dishes.
• Ground Allspice – Contrary to what its name suggests, allspice isn’t a blend of other spices.  Allspice comes from a dried brown berry from a tree.  It is a warm-tasting spice and is very aromatic.
• Ground Cloves – Ground cloves come from whole cloves which have been finely ground.  They are a flower bud that come from the clove tree.  Whole dried cloves look like small nails.  The name clove comes from the Latin word for nail.  They are extremely fragrant and commonly found in spiced cakes and confections.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CHAI SPICE BLEND

This recipe – if one can even call it that – is quite easy. If you can measure the ingredients into a bowl and stir them together until very well blended, then you can make this! Be careful when mixing the spices together. I like to use a whisk and stir slowly to avoid getting spice dust in the air.

When you have mixed the spices and seasonings well, transfer them all to a clean mason jar. Be sure to label the jar with the name of the spice blend and the date you made it. Store your spice blend in a pantry or dark cupboard. This will help to keep your spice blend tasting fresh.

The shelf life of spices and seasonings vary and every one has an opinion about how long they last. For me, I like to buy spices in low quantities so that I know they will be used up in about six months time. Some spices though, just can’t be used up that quickly. If you keep them in a dark pantry and sealed well in jars, they can keep for up to a year.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!