Seasonings greetings! Today I share a compilation of ten festive holiday spice and seasoning blends. If you are into holiday baking, homemade Christmas gifts, or just simply enjoy process of herbal alchemy, this post has got you covered. It will be a good reference material each year the holiday season rolls around. The post is divided into three sections: spice blends for confections, savoury herb blends, and warm winter beverage blends.
Spices for confections like fruit cake, pumpkin pie, and gingerbread centre on five main spices – cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. The difference is that they are mixed in different proportions for different confections. Fruitcake (mincemeat) spice is heavy on cinnamon; speculaas cookie spice is complex and pungent with cloves, white pepper, and cardamom; pumpkin pie spice is heavy on nutmeg; gingerbread spice is heavy on ginger.
Confectionary Spice Blends - Fruit Cake, Speculaas, Pumpkin Pie, Gingerbread
Warming holiday spices (cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg) in different proportions. Fruitcake spice is heavy on cinnamon; Speculaas cookie spice is complex and pungent with cloves, white pepper, and cardamom; Pumpkin pie spice is heavy on nutmeg; Gingerbread spice is heavy on ginger.
Ingredients
Fruit Cake Spice (makes ~9 tsp)
- 2 tbsp Ceylon cinnamon powder (66%)
- 1/2 tbsp ginger powder (16%)
- 1 tsp allspice powder (11%)
- 3/8 tsp cloves powder (4%)
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder (3%)
Speculaas Cookie Spice (makes ~11 tsp)
- 2 tbsp Ceylon cinnamon powder (54%)
- 1 1/8 tsp cloves powder (10%)
- 1 tsp aniseed powder (9%)
- 3/4 tsp ginger powder (6.7%)
- 3/4 tsp nutmeg powder (6.7%)
- 1/2 tsp mace powder (4.5%)
- 1/2 tsp white pepper powder (4.5%)
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder (4.5%)
Pumpkin Pie Spice (makes ~10 tsp)
- 2 tbsp Ceylon cinnamon powder (28.5%)
- 1/2 tbsp ginger powder (15%)
- 1/2 tbsp nutmeg powder (15%)
- 3/4 tsp allspice powder (7.3%)
- 3/8 tsp cloves powder (3.7%)
Ginger Bread Spice (makes ~ 10 tsp)
- 4 1/2 tsp ginger powder (43%)
- 3 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon powder (33.3%)
- 1 tsp allspice powder (9.5%)
- 1 tsp nutmeg powder (9.5%)
- 1/2 tsp cloves powder (4.7%)
Instructions
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In a mixing bowl, combine the spices for the each individual recipe and mix well. Transfer the spice mixtures into separate airtight glass jars and store in the refrigerator for maximum freshness. Best used within two months.
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. The Simon-and-Garfunkel endorsed combination of herbs takes the centrestage for holiday herbs. Stuffing seasoning is strong on sage; Italian seasoning, while not solely associated with the holidays, is great for savoury dishes and highlights oregano and basil; Provencal salt is a finishing salt infused with herbes de provence, with lavender lending a soothing aroma.
P.S. I use the stuffing seasoning in Tempky Loaf, a tempeh-based meatless loaf developed as a Christmas special for Angie’s Vegan Pantry. You can order online at Angie’s online store! Orders are open and updates for deliveries or collection are posted on my Facebook.
Holiday Herb Blends
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. The Simon-and-Garfunkel endorsed combination of herbs takes the centrestage in this festive herb seasonings such as stuffing seasoning.
Ingredients
Sensational Stuffing Seasoning (makes ~ 3/4 cup)
- 5.4 g (2 tbsp) dried thyme (15.8%)
- 5.4 g (2 tbsp) dried rosemary (15.8%)
- 5.4 g (2 tbsp) dried oregano (15.8%)
- 3.6 g (2 tbsp) dried marjoram (10.5%)
- 3.6 g (2 tsp) dried ginger (10.5%)
- 3.3 g (2 1/2 tbsp) dried sage (9.6%)
- 3.0 g (2 tbsp) dried Italian parsley (8.8%)
- 2.0 g (1 tsp) black pepper powder (5.8%)
- 2.0 g (1 tsp) celery seed (5.8%)
- 0.5 g (1/4 tsp) nutmeg powder (1.5%)
Italian Seasoning
- 3 tbsp dried basil
- 3 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp dried marjoram
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp dried sage
- 2 tsp dried Italian parsley
Provencal Fleur de Sel (makes ~ 3 tbsp)
- 1 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/2 tsp dried lavender
- 4 1/2 tsp fleur de sel or regular sea salt
Instructions
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In a spice grinder, combine the ingredients and blend to a fine powder. You may need to do this in two batches depending on the capacity of your grinder.
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Transfer the powder into an airtight glass jar and store in the refrigerator for maximum freshness. Best used within two months.
Beaming beetroot hot cacao (left); Pineapple turmeric toddy (right).
I love a good hot drink. Hot chocolate and mulled wine are winter classics, but I have put a twist on them. Beaming beetroot hot cacao has the kick of Mayan spices, the earthy lull of rose and beetroot, the protection of ashwagandha and reishi, and the bliss of cacao and mucuna pruriens. Immune astragalus chai is a caffeine-free alternative to hot chocolate; it uses roasted dandelion, together with astragalus for an immune boost you may need when the weather turns frightful. Mulled Pineapple Toddy is an alcohol-free version of mulled wine, using tropical spices such as turmeric and ginger for a local twist.
Winter Warmer Beverage Blends
Hot holiday drinks with a protective, medicinal twist.
Ingredients
Beaming Beetroot Hot Cacao (brews ~8 cups)
- 45 g (1/2 cup) cacao powder (sub carob powder for caffeine-free alternative)
- 40 g (7 1/2 tbsp) collagen powder
- 16 g (2 tbsp) beetroot powder
- 6.5 g (32 no) rose petals, crushed
- 5 g (2 tsp) ashwagandha powder
- 4 g (2 tsp) Ceylon cinnamon powder
- 3 g (1 1/2 tsp) reishi powder
- 3 g (1 1/2 tsp) mucuna pruiens powder
- 1 g (1/2 tsp) cardamom powder
- 1 g (1/2 tsp) turmeric powder
- 0.5 g (1/4 tsp) cayenne powder
- 0.25 g (1/8 tsp) black pepper powder
Immune Astragalus Herbal Chai (brews ~8 cups)
- 18 g astragalus root
- 18 g codonopsis root
- 14 g reishi (optional)
- 2 tbsp roasted burdock, dandelion or chicory root
- 2 tbsp dried ginger (sub 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced)
- 1 tbsp dried orange peel
- 1 tbsp cinnamon chips
- 1 tsp green cardamom seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1.6 L filtered water
- 0.5 L milk of choice
Mulled Pineapple Turmeric Toddy (brews ~4 cups)
- 1 stick Ceylon cinnamon
- 2 1/2 tsp dried ginger (sub 2 inch fresh ginger, sliced)
- 2 1/2 tsp dried turmeric (sub 2 inch fresh turmeric, sliced)
- 3 whole allspice berries
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 whole green cardamom
- 1 whole star anise
- 1/4 whole nutmeg
- 1 no bay leaf
- 720 ml (3 cups) pineapple juice (from 2 honey pineapples)
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) orange juice (from 2 valencia oranges)
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) carrot juice (from 2 carrots)
Instructions
Beaming Beetroot Hot Cacao
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the powders until evenly distributed. Store in an airtight glass jar.
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To make hot chocolate, use 2 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture per 1 cup milk of choice. The collagen gives a rich mouthfeel. For extra decadence, you may melt 1/2 tablespoon of cacao chips into your hot chocolate. Sweeten to taste with coconut sugar, maple syrup, or raw honey.
Immune Astragalus Herbal Chai
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In a large pot, add the herbs and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 60 minutes, or until two-thirds of the original volume. Strain the decoction, add milk and sweetener of choice to preference.
Mulled Pineapple Turmeric Toddy
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In a large pot, add the spices and water. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the flavours have infused.
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Serve drink warm with a little orange peel.
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