Sweet and mellow
Vanilla, liquorice, paprika and fennel: soft, round and gentle.
Sweet spices carry a natural sweetness and are used in desserts and drinks. Vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, liquorice and fennel seed are among them.
What makes them sweet
Vanilla owes its character to vanillin, cinnamon to cinnamaldehyde, and anise and fennel to anethole. These compounds smell sweet, and the brain reads sweetness from the smell, so a vanilla scent can make a dish taste sweeter without more sugar.
How cooks use them
They flavour custards, ice creams, biscuits, milk puddings, sweet rice and drinks. In South Asia, cardamom perfumes kheer and tea, in the Middle East rose water and mastic flavour sweets, and in the Americas vanilla and cinnamon appear in chocolate and cakes.
Pairings
Sweet spices also work in savoury food, such as cinnamon in a meat stew or fennel in sausages. They pair well with citrus, nuts and dairy.
Sweet and mellow on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreFennel
The anise-scented seeds and crisp bulb of a Mediterranean perennial herbSeed · Anise and liquorice · Sweet and mellow
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka and 5 moreCinnamon
The dried inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, prized for its sweet warmth and essential oil.Bark · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇷🇺 Russia and 4 moreTarragon
A slender perennial herb with anise-scented leaves, prized in French and Middle Eastern cooking.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Sweet and mellow
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreAnnatto
The orange-red pigment from achiote seeds used as a natural food coloring and mild spice.Seed · Earthy and deep · Sweet and mellow
🇦🇺 AustraliaBush tomatokutjera
The dried fruit of a native Australian nightshade shrub, traditionally eaten by Aboriginal peoples.Fruit · Sweet and mellow · Earthy and deep
🇮🇹 ItalyMostardamostarda di frutta
A northern Italian condiment of candied fruit in a sharp mustard syrupBlend · Sweet and mellow · Sharp and pungent
🇵🇸 Palestine and 4 moreGreek sage
A hairy Mediterranean shrub with pink flowers and edible fruit galls.Leaf · Herbal and green · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇳 IndiaChammanthi podi
A dry coconut and spice condiment from Kerala that preserves fresh chutney for months.Hot and fiery · Earthy and deep
🇲🇽 MexicoPineapple sage
A Mexican shrub with leaves that smell of pineapple and flowers that feed hummingbirdsLeaf · Citrus and bright · Sweet and mellow
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreGingermint
A sterile mint hybrid grown for essential oil and chewing gum flavour.Herbal and green · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇱 IsraelNufar basil
A sweet basil variety bred in Israel to resist a deadly fungal wilt disease.Leaf · Sweet and mellow
🇦🇺 AustraliaWattleseed
The edible seed of Australian Acacia trees, traditionally ground into flour by Aboriginal Australians.Seed · Sweet and mellow · Earthy and deep
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreShishito pepper獅子唐辛子 (Shishitōgarashi)
A slender East Asian chili that is mostly mild with occasional spicy surprises.Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 morePaprika
A red powder made from dried Capsicum annuum peppers, used to colour and flavour dishes across Europe and the Middle EasSeed · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreGaram masalaगरम मसाला
A ground blend of warm spices from the Indian subcontinent used to finish curries and stews.Blend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent
🇺🇸 United StatesCarolina Reaper
A gnarled red cultivar of Capsicum chinense bred in South Carolina for extreme heat.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇹🇷 Turkey and 2 moreMahleb
A ground cherry seed used to sweeten Middle Eastern baked goods with an almond-cherry note.Seed · Sweet and mellow · Bitter
🇸🇾 Syria and 1 moreAleppo pepperفلفل حلبي
A moderately spicy, fruity flake from Syria and Turkey, named for the city of Aleppo.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇵🇪 Peru and 3 morePink peppercornbaie rose
The dried fruit of Schinus trees, offering a sweet, piney heat distinct from black pepper.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright
🇫🇷 France and 1 moreEspelette pepperpiment d'Espelette
A mild Basque chili with sweet, fruity notes and protected origin status.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇮🇳 IndiaAmchoorआमचूर
A sour powder made from dried unripe green mangoes, used to add tang to Indian dishes.Seed · Sour and tart · Citrus and bright
🇯🇲 Jamaica and 2 moreAllspice
The dried green berry of a tropical tree, named for its blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove notes.Fruit · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreMixed spice
A British blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice for sweet bakingBlend · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreCinnamon sugar
A simple blend of ground cinnamon and granulated sugar used to sweeten and spice desserts.Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreNew Mexico chilechile de Nuevo México
A cultivar group of Capsicum annuum from New Mexico, valued for its smoky flavor and range of heat levels.Sharp and pungent · Sweet and mellow
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreFresno chile
A medium-sized Capsicum annuum cultivar with a conical shape and bright red skin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇹🇷 TurkeyUrfa biber
A sun-dried and night-wrapped chili from Turkey with a smoky, raisin-like taste.Chilli · Smoky · Sweet and mellow
🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 moreBishop's crown
A wrinkled, three-sided Capsicum baccatum cultivar with mild heat and a sweet flavor.Chilli · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreChar magazचार मगज
A blend of four melon seeds used to thicken and enrich dishes in South AsiaSweet and mellow · Earthy and deep
🇮🇳 IndiaByadagi chilliಬ್ಯಾಡಗಿ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ
A deep red, mild cultivar from Karnataka prized for its colour and oleoresin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇪🇸 SpainPaprika Tap de CortíPimentón de Mallorca
A sweet, sun-dried ground pepper from the Balearic Islands, prized for its deep red colour and antioxidant properties.Seed · Sweet and mellow · Earthy and deep
🇪🇬 Egypt and 3 moreAnise
The sweet, licorice-flavored seed of an annual herb from the Mediterranean basin.Seed · Sweet and mellow · Anise and liquorice
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreBig Jim pepper
A large, mild New Mexico chile cultivar developed in the United States for green roasting.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreChimayó pepper
A prized New Mexico chile cultivar known for its sweet, smoky flavor and twisted dried pods.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Smoky
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreChinese cassia
The thick-barked spice tree of southern China, yielding a bold and sweet bark used in cooking and medicine.Bark · Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 morePandan
The fragrant leaf of a sterile screwpine, used to scent rice and desserts across Asia.Leaf · Sweet and mellow · Floral and perfumed
🇸🇩 Sudan and 5 moreTamarind
The sweet and sour pulp of a tropical tree pod used in sauces and drinks.Fruit · Sweet and mellow · Sour and tart
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreFenugreekحلبة (hilba)
The cuboid seed of an annual legume, prized for its bitter warmth and maple aroma.Seed · Bitter · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇯🇲 JamaicaPimiento
A sweet, heart-shaped red chili pepper used for stuffing olives and making cheese spreads.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇲🇽 MexicoGuajillo chilichile guajillo
A dried Mexican pepper with a sweet, fruity flavor and mild heat.Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇸🇷 SurinameMadame Jeanette
A fruity, very hot chili cultivar from Suriname with a reddish-yellow skin.Chilli · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreKorean mint배초향
An anise-scented Asian mint leaf used in Korean stews and herbal traditionsLeaf · Anise and liquorice · Herbal and green
🇻🇳 VietnamHúng lìu
A Vietnamese spice blend of cinnamon, star anise, and clove for roasted meatsWarm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreFriggitello
A mild sweet Italian chilli often pickled, known for its complex flavour and slight heat.Sweet and mellow · Hot and fiery
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau and 5 moreCalabash nutmeg
The dried seed of a West African tree, used as a local substitute for nutmeg.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreClove
The dried flower bud of a tropical tree, prized for its intense warmth and numbing bite.Flower · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇬🇷 GreeceFlorina pepperπιπεριά Φλωρίνης
A sweet, horn-shaped red pepper from northern Greece with Protected Designation of Origin status.Fruit · Sweet and mellow
🇪🇸 SpainPiquillo pepperpimientos del piquillo
A sweet, mild red chili cultivar from Northern Spain, prized for its thick flesh and gentle heat.Chilli · Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Chinese cassia: Itineranttrader, Public domain, source
- Clove: Bayu Nugroho, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Allspice: Unknown author, CC BY 2.5, source
- Amchoor: Miansari66, Public domain, source
- Paprika: Takkk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cinnamon: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pandan: Zuhairali, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fresno chile: Nadiatalent, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chimayó pepper: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mixed spice: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Big Jim pepper: User:Carstor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Anise: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Urfa biber: Fornax, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Byadagi chilli: Msclrfl22, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Char magaz: Miansari66, Public domain, source
- Capsicum baccatum: Retama, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Piquillo pepper: sindändùne -, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Florina pepper: https://www.aglaiakremezi.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Peppers-pan-S, CC0, source
- Wattleseed: division, CSIRO, CC BY 3.0, source
- Tarragon: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mahleb: Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database, Public domain, source
- Calabash nutmeg: Samuel Curtis and William Jackson Hooker, Public domain, source
- Annatto: Porto Neto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Shishito pepper: Sotaque, CC0, source
- Pineapple sage: Eric Hunt, CC BY 2.5, source
- Gingermint: SEWilco, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chammanthi podi: Ranjithsiji, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Greek sage: This file is a work by Ester Inbar ( user:ST or he:user:ST ). More of, Attribution, source
- Mostarda: Silvio, CC BY 2.0, source
- Paprika Tap de Cortí: Berin, CC BY 3.0, source
- Aleppo pepper: Badagnani, CC BY 3.0, source
- Garam masala: Miansari66, Public domain, source
- Espelette pepper: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pink peppercorn: Milvus, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cinnamon sugar: Ed! ( Photography Gallery ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- New Mexico chile: vxla, CC BY 2.0, source
- Carolina Reaper: Dale Thurber, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tamarind: B.navez, CC BY 2.5, source
- Fenugreek: Yak, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pimiento: Challiyan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Guajillo chili: Badagnani, CC BY 3.0, source
- Madame Jeanette: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Korean mint: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bush tomato: Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Friggitello: User:CFang, Public domain, source
- Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source