5 Allspice Substitutes

Allspice is a well-known spice that is beloved by many people all over the world. It can be used in a variety of recipes, from sweet to savory, and it is both warm and aromatic. 

5 Allspice Substitutes

Though it sounds like a mixture of herbs and spices, did you know that allspice is actually a berry? Allspice tastes like a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, so finding a substitute isn’t going to be too hard. 

We’ve put together a list of 6 allspice substitutes you can use if you can’t get hold of the real thing. So let’s have a look at them! 

1. Nutmeg

Seeing as allspice is quite similar in taste to nutmeg, it really makes sense that it would be a great substitute. 

Nutmeg is an incredibly warm spice, but it does not have the same peppery kick that allspice does. The lack of a peppery kick doesn’t mean that nutmeg isn’t a great substitute though! 

If you do choose to use nutmeg, you’ll want to use about half the amount in comparison to allspice. Make sure you do regular taste tests as you’re adding the nutmeg in, so you don’t accidentally add too much. 

2. Cinnamon

Another great choice, cinnamon works as an allspice alternative because allspice already has abit of a cinnamon taste to it. 

Cinnamon is super easy to get hold of as well and it’s pretty cheap in terms of price. If you don’t have any allspice readily available, chances are that you do have some cinnamon. 

You can use the same amount of cinnamon as you would allspice, and if your recipe already calls for cinnamon, you can just add more on top of that! 

3. Pumpkin Pie Spice & Pepper

This substitute will call for you to use both pumpkin pie spice (see also ‘6 Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitutes‘) and some ground black pepper. 

Pumpkin pie spice usually has allspice in its mix too, so even if you don’t have any allspice in your kitchen, you will get to have some via this ingredient.

Other ingredients usually found in pumpkin pie spice include cinnamon, ginger (see also ‘7 Great Ginger Substitutes‘), nutmegs, and cloves. 

When it comes to sweet recipes that include allspice, you don’t need to add black pepper with this pumpkin pie spice. If your recipe is savory, that’s when you should add the ground black pepper. 

4. Five-Spice Powder

Five-spice powder is made from 5 separate spices that include cinnamon, star anise (see also ‘6 Star Anise Substitutes‘), fennel, cloves, and ginger or pepper.

This substitute is one you can easily make at home and it perfectly replicates the taste and feel of allspice. 

Because it is a mixture of all the spices that are similar to allspice, you won’t have to worry about the taste of your dish diverting from its expected flavor.

If you want a spice that is as close to the real thing as possible, this five-spice powder is perfect for you. 

5. Cloves

If you haven’t guessed by now, cloves also make a great allspice substitute. You specifically want to use cloves in their ground state for the best results. 

Cloves alone won’t have the same peppery kick that allspice has, so if you need to use it for savory dishes, you can add a little bit of ground black pepper to emulate the taste better. 

Cloves are a little bit bitter and acidic too, so just bare that in mind when you use them.

The bitter and acidic tastes won’t take away from the overall dish though, so just compensate by using black pepper or even a dash of sugar for your sweet dishes.

Conclusion

Because allspice is already a great partner for the ingredients we’ve listed, and you usually won’t find it without them in a dish, this makes them all great substitutes. 

Regardless of if you use nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, or even the five-spice powder, you’ll find that you can barely taste the difference.

Allspice is luckily one of those spices that can be easily substituted. 

Give some of these substitutes a try next time you have to make a recipe that calls for allspice.

You’ll find that most of these ingredients are already in your kitchen cupboards, so you can experiment and see what works best for you!

5 Allspice Substitutes

5 Allspice Substitutes

Recipe by Jenna

If you’ve run out of allspice and you can’t get any more, you’re probably looking for the next best thing. Click here to learn about 6 allspice substitutes you need to try!

Course: Substitutes
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

  • Nutmeg

  • Cinnamon

  • Pumpkin Pie Spice & Pepper

  • Five-Spice Powder

  • Cloves

Directions

  • Decide on what substitute you need
  • Pick a substitute from the list above
  • Read what you need to substitute with
  • Create the recipe and enjoy

Recipe Video

Jenna
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