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Don’t have nutmeg, or realized you’re all out while you’re cooking? Here’s the best nutmeg substitute in recipes.
Making a recipe that calls for nutmeg and don’t have it? Nutmeg is a popular spice often used in autumn baking, but it’s also sometimes used in a savory cheesy pasta to add depth and nuance. It’s a spice made from the seed of the nutmeg tree.
You’ll find it’s called for ground and dried, or whole and freshly grated. Nutmeg has a warm, aromatic flavor with undertones of clove. Have you run out of nutmeg? Here’s the best nutmeg substitute to use in a pinch.
Decide Whether You Need a Substitute
Often nutmeg is used in recipes combination with spices like cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. If you’re making a recipe like pumpkin bread that has other similar spices, you can get away with simply increasing one of the other spices to account for the amount of nutmeg.
Best Nutmeg Substitute
1. Cardamom.
A good nutmeg substitute in terms of overall flavor? Cardamom! Cardamom has a floral flavor that’s similar to nutmeg. This is the best substitute when you’re using a small amount of nutmeg. One thing to keep in mind: cardamom has a very distinctive flavor: it’s an integral part of chai spices. Only use it in small quantities so that you don’t end up with the wrong vibe.
2. Allspice.
Another good nutmeg substitute? Allspice! This warm spice mimics the peppery notes of nutmeg. Ground allspice is a 1 for 1 substitute for ground nutmeg. For every ½ teaspoon nutmeg, use ½ teaspoon allspice.
3. Mace.
Fun fact: the spice mace also comes from the nutmeg tree! Mace is the outer coating of the nutmeg seed that’s ground as a culinary spice. It’s a little more pungent and spicy than nutmeg. Since it’s not a very common spice in recipes, you might not have it in your pantry. (It’s not in ours!) But if you happen to have it on hand, you can certainly use it as a substitute!
4. Cloves.
Don’t have allspice? No problem. Another nutmeg substitute is ground cloves! Cloves are part of the tasting notes of nutmeg, so they’re a natural fit. Cloves are a little stronger with sweetener notes. For every ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, use ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
5. Cinnamon
Here’s the one everybody has! It’s sweeter than nutmeg, so use ¼ teaspoon cinnamon for ½ teaspoon nutmeg.
6. Pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice.
If you have it on hand, pumpkin spice has nutmeg included in it. You can use is as a 1:1 swap, though be careful in savory dishes like pasta: it will lean too sweet.
Can you substitute ground nutmeg for whole?
Yes! If your recipe calls for whole nutmeg, you may use ground nutmeg if you have it on hand. Use 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg for 1 whole nutmeg.
Whether it’s a good idea depends on the recipe! Most recipes with whole nutmeg really need them to pull off the dish. This Mulled Cider needs whole nutmeg to simmer because the drink would become grainy with ground.
