Delicious DIY Spice Mixes

The perfect stocking-stuffer or gift for a food-loving friend or neighbor, these DIY spice mixes are so, incredibly easy to put together. Once you buy the spices, you can make several jars, meaning this is also a great money-saving gift idea. Make one of these spice combinations or whip up all three to gift as a trio. I mixed these up with my personal tastes in mind, but I encourage you to switch up the ratios, add or subtract a spice, so you can make them your own! 

To start, you’ll need to acquire some small jars. I love these little hinge jars, but any small jar will do. To label them, simply affix some chalk-board stickers to the front (I trimmed mine down to fit this size jar). You can find these at your local craft store. Using a paint pen to label them makes it permanent (use chalk to make the jar reusable).

To make the Cajun spice mix, combine 2 tablespoons paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 ½ teaspoons thyme and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper. I love this mix tossed with roasted sweet potatoes—it’s a savory, spicy, sweet dream.

For the Masala mix, I used 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon turmeric and 1 tablespoon paprika. This seasoning blend is perfect on roasted chicken or in a curry-like stew.

To make the Herbes De Provence mix, combine 2 teaspoons basil, 2 teaspoons thyme, 2 teaspoons rosemary, 1 ½ teaspoons marjoram, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and ½ to 1 teaspoon dried lavender buds. Herbes de Provence tastes divine on any type of meat paired with lots of fresh garlic.

To create pretty layers, I like to use a funnel to layer these jars, but a teaspoon works just as well.

Once your jars are filled, there will be lovely layers—kind of like edible sand art!

A gift tag and some string make these a simple, yet impressive gift! No one will ever guess you waited to the 11th hour!