Gingerbread Spice: What's in it, how to use it — and how to make your own
Gingerbread spice is more than just cinnamon: Which spices to include, how to properly measure them, a basic recipe for mixing your own – and what the blend is good for all year round.
Gingerbread spice is the scent of Christmas baking in a jar—and also one of the most underrated spice blends of all time. If you only pull it out once a year for a tray of gingerbread, you’re missing out on most of its potential. And if you grab the first supermarket blend you see, you’re sacrificing precisely the depth that distinguishes good gingerbread from dry disappointments.
This article explains what goes into gingerbread spice, how to measure it correctly, how to mix it yourself—and how to recognize a truly good pre-made blend.
What is Gingerbread Spice?
Gingerbread spice is a blend of sweet baking spices traditionally used to season gingerbread, Printen, and other winter pastries. The foundation almost always consists of cinnamon and cloves, supplemented by a varying selection of allspice, coriander, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, star anise, anise, fennel, and orange peel.
There is no definitive recipe—each region and each manufacturer blends differently. Nuremberg recipes traditionally emphasize cinnamon and allspice more, while Aachen Printen spices focus on anise and coriander. This is precisely where the difference between blends lies: not whether cinnamon is included, but which type, how much, and what accompanies it.
What’s in Gingerbread Spice?
The classic ingredients and their role in pastries:
- Cinnamon — the warm backbone of the blend, usually the largest proportion.
- Cloves — intense and slightly astringent, providing the typical gingerbread depth.
- Allspice — combines cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg notes in a single spice.
- Coriander seeds — provide a citrusy-warm lightness that lifts heavy doughs.
- Cardamom — floral and fresh, indispensable for an elegant touch.
- Ginger — adds a subtle, dry heat.
- Nutmeg and Mace — round out with a nutty warmth.
- Star Anise, Anise, Fennel — the licorice sweetness in the background, typical for Printen.
- Orange peel — brightens the blend and connects it with citrus notes in the dough.
How to Make Your Own Gingerbread Spice: The Basic Recipe
For a classic blend that will last for two to three baking projects:
- 4 tbsp ground cinnamon (ideally Ceylon cinnamon)
- 1 tbsp ground cloves
- 1 tbsp ground allspice
- 1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground star anise
- optional: 1 tsp finely chopped dried orange peel
Mix everything thoroughly and store in a dark, airtight container. Those who grind or crush whole spices freshly will be rewarded with significantly more aroma—ground spices lose their volatile oils faster than whole ones.
An honest note on this: a self-mixed version stands or falls with the quality of the individual spices. Eight mediocre ingredients will result in a mediocre blend. If you don't want to stock eight high-quality spices individually, you're better off with a carefully composed pre-made blend—such as Klingenberger Gingerbread Spice, which Michelin-starred chef Ingo Holland developed for his Altes Gewürzamt. The advantage of a manufactured blend: all components are coordinated and come from the same uncompromising selection of raw materials as the other spices from Altes Gewürzamt.
How to Measure Gingerbread Spice?
The rule of thumb for classic doughs: 1 to 2 heaped teaspoons per 500 g of flour. For low-flour Elisenlebkuchen, which consist mainly of nuts and marzipan, you can use more—the oily nuts carry the spice better here, with 2 to 3 teaspoons per baking sheet being common.
Manufacturer blends without fillers are more concentrated than supermarket products. For your first recipe, start with the lower amount and taste the raw dough—it will already give you an idea of the direction it’s going. You can always add more spice, but you can never take it out.
What You Can Use Gingerbread Spice For Beyond Christmas Baking
This blend can do much more than just gingerbread:
- Red wine cake and chocolate cake — a teaspoon in the dough adds depth without screaming Christmas.
- Baked apple — stuffed with butter, raisins, nuts, and a pinch of the blend.
- Rice pudding, porridge, and pancakes — a pinch turns breakfast into a winter breakfast.
- Red cabbage and game sauces — a small pinch replaces the usual clove-bay leaf sachet and rounds off braised dishes.
- Hot chocolate and coffee — sprinkled on the milk foam.
For mulled wine and punch, however, it's better to use a blend with a coarser texture that can steep and be strained—such as Ingo's Mulled Wine Spice from the same manufacturer. Our Mulled Wine Guide shows you how to make an alcohol-free version with it.
Gingerbread Spice, Speculaas Spice, Pumpkin Spice: The Difference
- Gingerbread Spice — the broadest blend, with cloves and allspice at the center, often with an anise component.
- Speculaas Spice — more streamlined, cinnamon-dominated with cardamom and clove, without the anise-licorice note.
- Pumpkin Spice — the American relative: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, completely without the intensity of cloves and anise.
In practice, the three can be swapped in many recipes—the result will only shift in character. Only for classic gingerbread is there no way around the original: without cloves and allspice, it simply won't taste like gingerbread.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use if I don't have gingerbread spice?
The quickest emergency solution: mix cinnamon with a generous pinch of ground cloves and allspice, plus a little cardamom or ginger, if available. This doesn't replace a balanced blend, but it will save a spontaneous baking project.
How long does gingerbread spice last?
Ground blends stored in a dark, dry, and airtight container will last about a year, after which the aroma gradually fades. So, last year's container is usually still usable—smell it: if it only smells faintly, dose higher or replace it.
Is gingerbread spice the same as Printen spice?
Not quite. Printen spice for the traditional Aachen pastry emphasizes anise and coriander more and often omits the citrus note. Nevertheless, gingerbread spice works well for Printen recipes—and vice versa.
Why does my gingerbread taste bitter?
Usually a matter of clove dosage or baking for too long—the essential oils of cloves can turn bitter when overdosed, and darkly baked edges intensify the impression. For the next batch: slightly reduce the spice amount, take it out of the oven earlier.
What other spices go well in Elisenlebkuchen?
True Elisenlebkuchen thrive on almonds and hazelnuts—Bourbon vanilla sugar in the dough and a delicate grating of tonka bean harmonize wonderfully for those who like the bittersweet almond-vanilla direction. Dose sparingly, as tonka bean is intense.
Our Recommendation for Christmas Baking
- The Basis: Klingenberger Gingerbread Spice — the manufacturer's blend from Altes Gewürzamt for gingerbread, cookies, and red wine cake.
- For Punch: Ingo's Mulled Wine Spice — coarse enough for steeping and straining.
- For Finesse: Bourbon Vanilla Sugar and Tonka Beans — the silent helpers of every Christmas bakery.
- The Entire Assortment: all Spices from Altes Gewürzamt at a glance.
One last piece of advice from experience: Buy or mix your gingerbread spice in October, not December. The best gingerbread needs two to three weeks to mature after baking—those who spice in time will eat better gingerbread at Christmas.
