Today’s topic is all about mace Spice Substitute. So we’ve thought about what mace spice is and from where it comes? Well, mace spice comes from the nutmeg tree’s dried aril (lacy covering).
Note that nutmegs and mace aren’t the same. When dried, the seed’s outer layer is what we know as mace spice. However, we’ve come up with today’s discussion to provide you with the best mace spice substitutes.
The following section will have around ten of the best mace spice alternatives. Thus, it’ll be easy for you to come up with an option to replace mace spice when you don’t want it.
10 Best Mace Spice Substitutes
We’ve already told you that nutmegs and mace are two different items. However, you can also use nutmegs to substitute mace spice. So let’s start the discussion with nutmegs.
1. Nutmeg
So, nutmegs are the seeds inside the ripe fruits of a nutmeg tree. Both nutmeg and mace are spicy. So, it’s a perfect replacement for mace spice. But, nutmegs are less spicy than mace spice.
You can find a bit of sweetness in nutmegs and a spicy flavor. Hence, it’s an excellent alternative for mace spice in meats or baked foods. Overall, nutmegs are the closest substitute for mace spice.
2. Garam Masala
Well, garam masala is a common spicy food ingredient. It’s widely used by people from India and other Asian countries. However, the garam masala powder has the same spicy content as mace spice.
So, it’s a good substitute for Mace spice. Garam masala’s ingredients vary based on the place where it’s prepared. Cinnamon, various pepper, coriander, cloves, and other spices are popular ingredients.
This spice blend gives meals a fragrant, flowery, and chili flavor. You can replace the mace with an equal amount of garam masala in your recipe.
3. Cinnamon
Whether you consider baked food or desserts, the use of cinnamon is frequent. Food items like puddings, cakes, and other baked foods go well with cinnamon. The taste of cinnamon makes it a perfect replacement for mace.
If we consider the taste, cinnamon has a robust earthy flavor and a bit of sweetness. Hence, the diverse taste is good to go for several intercontinental dishes.
Keep in mind that cinnamon has a strong and overpowering smell and taste. So, use less cinnamon than the recipe requires when using it as a mace spice substitute.
4. Ginger
Ginger comes with a unique flavor as an alternative to mace in enhancing meat and culinary meals.
Ginger, a native of Southeast Asia, is a crucial ingredient in Asian cuisine. With a bright yellow hue and earthy skin, ginger adds a subtle warmth to any dish with its sweet, peppery flavor and enticing perfume.
Ginger can be used to season different sorts of meat, rice food items, and soups because of its distinct flavor. But, note that overuse of ginger in any recipe will make the dish taste sour. So, keep in mind the proportion of ginger in your recipe.
5. Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pumpkin pie spice is well-known for its diverse application in pumpkin muffins. But, it’s not the only dish where it’s used. It may also be used as a mace substitute.
Pumpkin pie spice, unlike raw pumpkin, lacks a strong pumpkin flavor and aroma. Instead, it tastes like spice, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. Thus, the taste of pumpkin pie spice contributes to its excellent quality when used instead of mace spice.
Because of its delicate flavor, it’s okay if we use the same amount as we’d use Mace Spice. So next, we’ll talk about allspice.
6. Allspice
Allspice is an excellent option whether you want to replace mace spice or nutmegs. Using allspice in baking or desserts is perfectly okay. But, what makes allspice a great substitute?
Pungent berries from a mid-canopy tree (Mexican-based) are used to make allspice. Nutmeg, cinnamon or clove, and chili are the three main ingredients of this Jamaican spice blend. Thus, it’s a terrific and exciting successor for the ground or spice mace.
7. Apple Pie Spice
You can use the apple pie sauce to substitute for mace when cooking apple tarts or puddings. It’s identical to the previously discussed pumpkin pie spice.
Apple Pie Sauce contains nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, and cloves. On the other hand, Apple-based pastries are the most delicate application for this ingredient because of their robust flavor.
You can add an apple aroma to various recipes by sprinkling the spice on your food dish.
8. Cloves
Who doesn’t know about cloves? Cloves are not only compatible as an ingredient but also provide a significant health benefit. In addition, cloves are the most affordable and accessible substitute for mace.
In essence, cloves and mace generally come from Indonesia. In addition, cloves have a flavor profile comparable to nutmeg or mace spice. So, it’s a good substitute.
Cloves have a spicy, smoky, aromatic perfume and impart a warm, sweet flavor. So, the taste is similar to mace. To replace ground mace, buy cloves and grind them into powder form. Then, chefs can use them in beef and dessert recipes the way ground mace is used.
9. Cardamom
Cardamom comes with a distinct flavor. Hence, it’s not identical to mace spice in terms of taste. But, cardamom has a powerful, sweet, and spicy flavor, with overtones of mint and lemon.
So, cardamom is an excellent candidate to be a mace spice substitute. If your recipe calls for mace and you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute cardamom to give your meal flavor if you have it on hand.
Spice mixes, baked foods, and beverages are frequent uses for this item. However, due to the distinct flavor, you should use cardamom ideally. For example, a requirement of one tablespoon of mace spice means the quantity of cardamom should be ½ teaspoons.
Next, we’ll discuss the last mace spice alternative on our list.
10. Cumin
Cumin is a common spice ingredient, and it’s a staple in many countries. From the Middle East to Asia to Africa, many consider the use of cumin in food recipes.
Cumin can be found in almost every cuisine on the planet. The brown-yellow variant of these tiny seeds, similar to caraway seeds, is the most frequent.
10 Best Mace Spice Substitutes
Ingredients
- Nutmeg
- Garam Masala
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Allspice
- Apple Pie Spice
- Cloves
- Cardamom
- Cumin
Instructions
- Choose your preferred replacement from the list
- Add substitute to your recipe
- Make your own delicious recipe
Conclusion
We’ve enjoyed a diverse discussion of mace spice substitutes, did we not? There’re ten different alternatives placed for you in this blog post. Now, you’ll be the one who will choose the best replacement for your recipe.
Note that nutmeg seeds are the best among all the ten alternatives. It’s simply because these seeds and mace spice come from the same tree. However, we recommend that you choose the substitute matching your recipe preferences.
We’ll end up our discussion with some questions and answers. It’ll be helpful for you to know something extra before we leave. However, our last recommendation is to use the proportionate amount of substitute you choose.
FAQs – Mace Spice Substitute
Yes, you can. Both of the items come from the same tree. So, they are compatible to replace each other. Nutmegs are less spicy than mace spice.
So, if you use nutmegs in your recipe, you might need to add more in amount. But, again, it’s all about the proportion of ingredients.
It’s one of the common questions from the spice ingredients world. Are mace and nutmeg the same or not? People ask this question because they think both come from the same tree.
However, note that nutmegs are the seeds found inside the ripe fruit. But, mace spice comes from the outer layer of the nutmegs. Hence, they have a different origin even though they come from the same tree.
Allspice is derived from the dried fruits of the allspice tree, which is native to Asia. But mace spice or mace comes from the nutmeg tree. Because they are derived from separate trees, they are distinct in many ways.
However, elements such as chili and clove in the allspice make an excellent substitute for mace.
The spice that comes from the nutmeg tree is called mace. If we go into the details, the mace comes from the fruit of the nutmeg tree. But, there’s more to add to the information.
The fruit of the nutmeg tree has got a seed which we know as a nutmeg seed. When we find the dried part of the outer layer of nutmeg seed, it is what we know as mace or mace spice.
They’re different in more than one way. For example, mixed ground spice is sweeter, and the latter has a more robust flavor.
However, we can always swap out one item for another. The most significant distinction between these two goods is the amount or proportion of spices.
And, with the last question answered, we’re done with our discussion on Mace Spice Substitutes.
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