Warm and sweet-spiced
Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and allspice: the warmth of baking and mulled drinks.
Warm spices, such as cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice and ginger, give a sweet, deep, comforting aroma that is more about scent than heat.
What makes them warm
The flavour comes from compounds such as cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon, eugenol in clove and allspice, and myristicin in nutmeg. They are not hot like chilli, but they give a feeling of warmth to the nose and mouth.
How cooks use them
They go into baked goods, mulled wine and cider, chai, garam masala, Moroccan tagines and Middle Eastern rice dishes. Sweet and savoury cooking both use them, often together with a little salt.
Seasons and customs
Many cultures link warm spices with winter and festivals, from Christmas gingerbread and mince pies to Indian chai and Persian winter stews. They are used in small amounts, as nutmeg and clove can overpower.
Warm and sweet-spiced 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
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreBasil
A tender culinary herb with glossy leaves and a licorice-like aroma, native to tropical Asia.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreNutmeg
The dried seed of a tropical evergreen tree, prized for its warm, pungent flavor.Seed · Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreCardamom
Aromatic seeds from spindle-shaped pods used in sweet and savory dishes across Asia and the Middle East.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreVanilla
The cured fruit of a climbing orchid, the world's primary source of vanilla flavouringSweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka and 3 moreCeylon cinnamon
The inner bark of a Sri Lankan evergreen, prized for its delicate, sweet spice.Bark · Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇾🇪 Yemen and 1 moreHawaijحوايج
A ground Yemeni spice blend used for soups, coffee, and everyday cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep
🇺🇸 United StatesPumpkin pie spice
A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves used in American autumn baking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreHoja santa
The large, heart-shaped leaf of a Mexican pepper plant, used to wrap and flavor food.Anise and liquorice · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇨🇳 China and 4 moreLesser galangal高良薑
An aromatic Asian rhizome with orange flesh and a sweet, gentle spiceRoot · Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇵🇪 Peru and 3 morePink peppercornmulli
The dried pink drupes of the Schinus molle tree, sold as a peppery alternative to black pepper.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright
🇺🇸 United StatesMrs. Burns' Lemon Basil
An heirloom sweet basil cultivar from New Mexico with intense lemon flavor and large leaves.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Floral and perfumed
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreGinger
The pungent rhizome of a flowering perennial, one of the world's most traded spices.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇮🇳 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
🇪🇹 Ethiopia and 4 moreKorarima
The dried seeds of a wild ginger relative, essential to Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking.Seed · Warm and sweet-spiced · Citrus and bright
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreIndian bay leafतेजपत्ता
The large, veined leaf of a Himalayan tree, used for its warm cassia scent in South Asian cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent
🇮🇩 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
🇦🇺 Australia and 1 moreMountain pepper
The dried berry of an Australian shrub, used as a peppery condiment and wasabi substitute.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreGinger
The pungent rhizome of a flowering plant, widely used as a spice and folk medicine.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Clove: Bayu Nugroho, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mountain pepper: Melburnian, CC BY 3.0, source
- Pumpkin pie spice: Stephen Witherden, CC BY 2.0, source
- Ginger: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, source
- Pink peppercorn: Charles Gadbois, CC BY 3.0, source
- Ceylon cinnamon: NickCT, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vanilla: Everglades National Park, Public domain, source
- Ginger: Venkatx5, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fenugreek: Yak, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Korarima: Joe Castleman ( Gyrofrog ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cardamom: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Basil: Castielli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nutmeg: Herusutimbul, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source
- Indian bay leaf: Sonja Pauen, Public domain, source
- Hawaij: Mx. Granger, CC0, source
- Cinnamon: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Hoja santa: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, source