![Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (1) Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (1)](https://i0.wp.com/www.familicious.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/DSC02677-e1572383344310-818x1024.jpg)
I just love holiday baking (with my kids)! The whole house fills with all these wonderful smells due to the spice blends. Nothing saysholidayquite like warm wafts of cinnamon-scented air filling the kitchen. Fragrant, aromatic spices like ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, all spice, anise and cloves are traditionalflavor profiles in holiday recipes.
Being a Dutchie living in Central America with a lot of North American friends that we celebrate the holidays with, I can definitely say I get the best of all worlds when it comes to holiday baking. Like I said, to me holiday baking is all about the spice blends; they create that special, nostalgic taste in holiday baked goods.
I discovered there are only slight differences and nuances to baking in different continents. Today I am sharing with you my 3 most used holiday spice mixed and their uses.
my 3 favorite spice blends
pumpkin spice mix
Used of course for pumpkin and pecan pie, but don’t forget a pumpkin spiced latte or hot cocoa. Recently I have been making pumpkin spiced smoothie bowls for breakfast.. A-MA-ZING!
My pumpkin spice mix consists of ginger, lots of cinnamon, cloves and all spice.
![Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (2) Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (2)](https://i0.wp.com/www.familicious.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IMG_2766-1-e1572453183930-819x1024.jpg)
speculaas spice mix
Speculaas is a crispy Dutch cookie eaten year around, but mostly over the holidays. They are known for their delightfully spicy kick, which comes from a blend ofcinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, anise, cardamom, and a tiny bit of white pepper. Thisspice blend is an unusual but awesome one, combining classic holiday flavors with a twist from the anise and white pepper.
![Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (3) Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (3)](https://i0.wp.com/www.familicious.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/DSC02618-805x1024.jpg)
So crispy speculaas cookies are made with this spice blend, but I also sprinkle it on my cappuccino and use it in granola, a great gift for the kids to give their teachers right before the winter holiday break! And for Thanksgiving I always bring my Dutch apple pie and I put this spice mix in the dough.
In the Netherlands we also use this spice blend to make ‘pepernoten’; marble sized cookies that are eaten around the holiday of ‘Sinterklaas’ which is on the 5th of December. Sinterklaas is a historical figure similar to Santa Claus. The recipe for these little flavor bombs will be up here very soon. Another great recipe to file under ‘holiday baking’!
![Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (4) Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (4)](https://i0.wp.com/www.familicious.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Jack-rolling-pepernoten-e1572290618683-818x1024.jpg)
gingerbread spice mix
Gingerbread cookies are actually very similar to speculaas cookies (see above), just the spice mix is a little different. Like I said, it is all in the nuances! Equal parts of ginger and cinnamon are combined with a bit of ground nutmeg and cloves. Cakes, bread, cookies and even ice cream can be spiced with this.
![Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (5) Holiday baking - my 3 favorite spice mixes (5)](https://i0.wp.com/www.familicious.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Jack-stancing-out-gingerbreadmen-e1572290963647-818x1024.jpg)
All 3 holiday spice blends are lovely. I hope you will enjoy them as much as we do. They are
warm and cosy – fragrant and aromatic – perfect for baking – versatile
All of these holiday recipes are made with these spice mixes: healthy pecan pie, crispy speculaas cookies, pepernoten, gingerbread cookies, pumpkin smoothie bowl and porridge and more. Please stay tuned!
Holiday baking – my 3 favorite spice blends // PUMPKIN SPICE
I am sharing my 3 favorite spice blends that I use in my holiday baking. PUMPKIN SPICE; I use it in my pumpkin and pecan pies, frosting and even in my latte!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Cuisine Holiday baking
Servings 1 jar
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp ground ginger
- 7 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 5 tsp ground cloves
- 5 tsp all spice
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a jar. Shake well and your spice mix is ready!
Holiday baking – my 3 favorite spice blends // SPECULAAS SPICE
I am sharing my 3 favorite spice blends that I use in my holiday baking. SPECULAAS SPICE; I use it to make crispy speculaas cookies, pepernoten and in my apple pie to bring to a Thanksgiving celebration.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Cuisine Holiday baking
Servings 1 jar
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 8 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp anise
- 2 tsp cardamom
- ½ tsp white pepper (optional)
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a jar, shake well and your spice mix is ready!
Holiday baking – my 3 favorite spice blends // GINGERBREAD SPICE
I am sharing my 3 favorite spice blends that I use in my holiday baking. GINGERBREAD SPICE; I use it of course when we make our gingerbread house each year, in Christmas cookies and even in ice cream.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Cuisine Holiday baking
Servings 1 jar
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp ground ginger
- 6 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp ground nutmeg
- 3 tbsp ground cloves
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a jar, shake well and your spice mix is ready!
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