Homemade mixed spice for mulled wine and Christmas cookies

Have you ever wondered how mixed spice for mulled wine or for Christmas cakes and cookies are made? It is a simple, aromatic and intense mix of spices that generally adds that fantastic smell and taste to different types of Christmas recipes such as French pain d’épices, German lebkuchen, Polish piernik or other types of traditional desserts. Preparing it at home is very simple and fast. You can keep this fantastic mixture in a airtight container and use it to your liking.

Homemade mixed spice for mulled wine and Christmas cookies

Mixed spice for mulled wine and Christmas cookies and cakes – rich, fragrant and intense.

Course condiments

Cuisine gluten free, lactose free, vegan

Keyword cardamom, Christmas, Christmas cookies, cinnamon, ginger, homemade

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 3

Total Time 8

Servings tablespoons

Calories 12kcal

Ingredients

40 g of ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks
10 g of ginger powder
10 g of cloves
20 cardamom berries
2 g of nutmeg one small nutmeg
1 pinch or more of freshly ground pepper
2 g of juniper berries optional
1 anise star

Instructions

Instructions mixed spice for mulled wine and Christmas cookies

You can customize this mixture according to your personal taste. In my family we prefer the use small amount of pepper but instead we use a lot of cinnamon.
Open cardamom pods. Discard the green shells and use only the seeds inside the berry.
Place cardamom seeds, juniper berries (optional), one anise star, cloves and cinnamon sticks in a pan. Toast everything for a couple of minutes over low heat until the spices begin to release an intense aroma.
Place everything in a mortar and grind. At this point you have two ways to proceed. The first one is to grind all the spices using a mortar. The second one that is simpler, is to use a coffee grinder that can pulverize everything in a few bzzzz.
Add ginger powder, fresh ground pepper and grated nutmeg to the mixture and stir.
Store in a airtight container and use to your liking.