Homemade gingerbread spice blend instead of a packet: 9 spices and a coffee grinder

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Toast the spices

   3 min

   Place the cloves, allspice, star anise, fennel seeds, anise seeds and coriander seeds in a dry skillet. Toast over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Do not let them darken, or they will turn bitter. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

2. Grind

   5 min

   Grind the cooled spices to a fine powder in a coffee grinder. Sift out any coarse pieces through a sieve and grind them again. Then clean the grinder by grinding a tablespoon of rice.

3. Mix

   2 min

   Mix the freshly ground spices with the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, then transfer to a dry jar with a lid.

Tip: Keep the jar in a dark, dry place; the aroma fades over time. If you don't have whole spices, use ground spices in the same proportions and skip toasting, as they would burn quickly in the skillet. Read more: Instant or unfiltered coffee: which has more caffeine and which raises cholesterol

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Domáce perníkové korenie namiesto vrecúška: 9 korenín a mlynček na kávu