Homemade Pickling Spice Recipe
This Homemade Pickling Spice Recipe couldn’t be easier. It will be so much fresher than the premade stuff you buy at the grocer.
I go through lots of homemade pickling spices. So, I also make a large batch. Use it to make corned beef or pickled vegetables (See many recipes below).
One of the benefits of making spice blends at home is using up the spices you have on hand. They say that you should use your spices within 6 months of purchase. Now, I don’t always adhere to that. A case in point is the cream of tartar and the cloves in my pantry from circa 1975. 🙂
Buying a pre-mixed blend may be cheaper if you don’t have all the ingredients. I prefer to make my own. We have an independent Mennonite grocery store with bulk everything, so I buy all my spices from them. They are so much cheaper than the spice blends at a regular grocer. Bulk departments of many grocery stores will have spices, as well. That is always a more economical option, too. I only make a large batch once per year and keep it in an airtight mason jar for use when needed.
Ingredients Used to Make Pickling Spice
You can customize this spice blend to your tastes, as well. Some traditional ingredients include;
- Bay leaves
- Whole Mustard seeds (yellow or brown),
- Whole Black Peppercorns
- Whole Allspice berries
- Dill seeds
- Coriander seeds
Optional Spices
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Cardamom seeds
- Celery seeds
- Dried chili peppers (whole or flakes)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whole cloves
- Fennel seeds
- Dried ginger
- Juniper berries
- Mace blades
- Star anise
How to Mix and Store
Measure all of the ingredients. Make a large batch so that it lasts you all year. Add the spices to a medium bowl and mix well. If you’re making small jars of pickled veggies, you can pulse the spices in a spice grinder or break some of the larger spices with a mortar and pestle. There is no need to do this with most vegetables.
Store in pint or quart jars with a tight-fitting lid.
These Kilnar Clip Top Jars are great for storing spice blends and are decorative enough to sit on my counter. (Affiliate link)
I only use a few optional ingredients (see recipe below).
How to Use Pickling Spice
- Radishes
- Pickled Beets
- Pickled Red Onions
- Kosher Cucumber Pickles
- Cauliflower
- Green Beans
- Green Tomatoes
- Garlic Scapes
- Brining Corned Venison
- Cooking Corned Venison
Homemade Pickling Spice
Ingredients
- 1/2 Tablespoon mustard seed
- 1/2 Tablespoon coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dill seed
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl.1/2 Tablespoon mustard seed, 1/2 Tablespoon coriander seed, 1 teaspoon whole black pepper, 1 teaspoon dill seed, 1 teaspoon whole allspice, 1 bay leaf
- Store the mixture in airtight containers or canning jars in a dark place for up to a year.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Bay leaves
- Whole Mustard seeds (yellow or brown),
- Whole Black Peppercorns
- Whole Allspice berries
- Dill seeds
- Coriander seeds
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Cardamom seeds
- Celery seeds
- Dried chili peppers (whole or flakes)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whole cloves
- Fennel seeds
- Dried ginger
- Juniper berries
- Mace blades
- Star anise
Nutrition
Originally published April 13, 2018. Updated February 8, 2025.
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This is great! I never know that making your own spice blends is so easy and I am excited to try this. thank you for sharing.
It is super easy! Thanks Melve!
We keep saying we should pickle a bit more, and what better prompt than to make our own pickling spices.
I like to preserve food. It’s fun to run down in my pantry and grab something that was fresh from the garden! Thanks Caroline!
Fun! I definitely have to make this recipe. I want to get into pickling and this spice mix looks perfect!
Thank you Elaine! I love making pickles and relish! So much better than store bought!
I have plenty of jars that are loooooong past their expiry dates too! Bulk buying is a great solution that I need to do more of. Your spice blend sounds great! When I make pickles I usually just throw in a few dill seeds and peppercorns and call it a day, but I’ll have to try this next time!
I hear ya! You by a spice for one dish and then it sits in the back of the pantry for years! Lol! Thanks Ann!
Oh pickles! Me and my daughter can live with pickles and could not without.
This recipe is amazing and absolutely true, so good to have in hand – you buy the supermarket ones but I truthfully only trust my own. Good to know what’s in.
Recipe saved ????????thanks so much for sharing this ????
Absolutely! Glad it is a help to you! Thanks, Ramona!
This is a great idea! I really like! I definitely want to try this! Thank you for sharing this great post!
Thanks so much, Veena! I hope you like it!
This is such a great idea. It’s so simple and more than handy!
It is so very easy! Thank you Ginny! I appreciate your comment.
I have always wanted to make my own pickles! My daughter is a pickle-a-holic!
Pickles are quite easy to make! My son is a pickle-a-holic, too! Thanks for the comment, Sandi!
This is so great to have on hand! Thank you!
Sure! Thanks for your comment, Jenn!