The short answer: for a gingerbread spice mix, stir together 4 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons each of ground ginger and cloves, 1 teaspoon each of allspice, nutmeg, cardamom and coriander, and ½ teaspoon of ground anise. It makes about 50 g. Use about 1 tablespoon per 250 g of flour, and keep it in a closed jar, dark, for up to 6 months.
In Germany this blend is called Lebkuchengewürz, and every supermarket sells it in small packets from September. Homemade, it smells louder, costs less and you choose the balance. It takes 5 minutes and one jar. The cinnamon carries it, the cloves and allspice give it the dark Christmas note, and the anise and coriander are what make it taste German rather than just spiced.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | 5 minutes |
| Makes | About 50 g, enough for about 7 batches of biscuits |
| Use | About 1 tablespoon per 250 g flour |
| Keeps | Up to 6 months, closed and dark |
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground anise, or ground star anise
Fresh spices matter. Ground spices lose their scent in the cupboard. Open each jar and smell it. If you have to push your nose in to smell anything, buy new. For the loudest mix, grind whole spices yourself in a spice grinder and sieve out the coarse bits.
How to make gingerbread spice mix
- Measure. Level each spoon with the back of a knife. The ratio is the recipe.
- Sieve. Tip everything into a fine sieve over a bowl and push it through. This breaks up the lumps that cloves and ginger form.
- Mix. Stir until the colour is even, with no streaks of pale ginger.
- Jar. Spoon it into a small, dry jar with a tight lid. Label it with the date.
- Rest. Give it a day before you bake. The spices settle into one smell.
German Lebkuchengewürz or American gingerbread spice?
| Blend | Leads with | Also in it | Tastes of |
|---|---|---|---|
| German Lebkuchengewürz | Cinnamon | Cloves, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, coriander, anise, ginger | Warm, dark, a little aniseed |
| American gingerbread spice | Ginger | Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice | Hot, peppery ginger |
For the American version, mix 2 tablespoons of ground ginger, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon each of cloves and nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon of allspice. Use it the same way.
How much gingerbread spice to use
- Biscuits and Lebkuchen: about 1 tablespoon per 250 g of flour. Add up to half as much again for a darker, spicier biscuit.
- Cakes and loaves: 2 teaspoons per 250 g of flour.
- Whipped cream: ½ teaspoon per 250 ml of cream, with the sugar.
- Coffee and hot chocolate: a pinch in the cup, or ½ teaspoon in the coffee grounds before you brew.
- Porridge, yoghurt and baked apples: a pinch, with honey or brown sugar.
Cloves are loud. If a batch tastes bitter or numbs the tongue, there was too much clove. Halve the cloves next time.
Gingerbread spice butter in the Herb Lab
Ground spice in butter turns gritty. For a smooth butter that tastes of gingerbread all the way through, infuse whole spices instead. With the NOIDS Herb Lab:
- Put 225 g butter, 2 broken cinnamon sticks, 4 cloves, 1 star anise and 4 cracked cardamom pods in the Glass. Stay under the MAX mark.
- Cover with the Dish Lid and place the Glass in the Main Body.
- Turn the Rotary Control to Oil. The cycle holds 100 °C (212 °F) for about 120 to 180 minutes, then cools by itself.
- Strain the butter through the Filter Set and chill it until soft and solid.
- Beat in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Spread it on toast, or use it in biscuit dough.
Keep the spiced butter in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
More spiced kitchen basics
The same spices go further. Mix 4 parts sugar with 1 part of your spice mix for a gingerbread version of cinnamon sugar. Whip a teaspoon into cinnamon butter. For a spiced milk drink, the whole spices in our chai concentrate are close relatives. And a drop of homemade vanilla extract rounds off any gingerbread dough.
How long gingerbread spice mix keeps
- In a small, closed jar, away from light and the stove: up to 6 months at its best.
- After that it is safe but flat. Smell it: if it is faint, mix a new batch.
- Never shake the jar over a steaming pan. Steam makes it clump.
Questions
What is gingerbread spice made of?
Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg in every version. The German Lebkuchen blend adds cardamom, coriander and anise.
How much gingerbread spice per 250 g of flour?
About 1 tablespoon for biscuits and Lebkuchen, and 2 teaspoons for cakes.
Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead?
Yes, in a pinch. Pumpkin pie spice has no anise, coriander or cardamom, so the result tastes American, not German. Add a pinch of ground cloves for depth.
How long does homemade gingerbread spice last?
Up to 6 months in a closed jar, dark and cool. It is safe longer, but the scent fades.
Can I make it with whole spices?
Yes. Grind them in a spice grinder, sieve out the coarse bits and weigh roughly the same amounts. Freshly ground, the mix tastes louder, so start with a little less.
