Recipes with spices

Old-fashioned sour cream cookies with raisins, nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Soft, cake-like drop cookies made with brown sugar and cake flour for an extra tender crumb.

Sweet and spicy dill pickles made by slicing store-bought dills and repickling them in a hot sugar-vinegar brine with mixed spice and onion. Ready in 24 hours.

Pumpkin raisin cookies with canned pumpkin, cinnamon, and raisins, topped with a simple butter-vanilla frosting. Soft, cakey fall cookies that stay moist for days.

Southwestern simmered beef stew with round steak, green chilies, stewed tomatoes, cumin, and oregano. A thick, chile-spiced braise that turns tough beef fork-tender.

Cinnamon and cloves perfume these twisted Greek sesame cookies with golden crusts and soft centers. Makes 72 cookies perfect for Mediterranean holiday cookie exchanges or gift tins.

Spicy vegetarian chili simmers kidney and pinto beans with tomatoes, jalapeños, and bell peppers in a bloomed chili-cumin base. Ready in under an hour, hearty without the meat.

Sauteed eggplant, green peppers, and carrots seasoned with cinnamon, fresh parsley, and dill. A light vegetarian side dish with Middle Eastern flair.

Wholesome apple muffins lean on rolled oats, applesauce, and apple juice for moisture, with cinnamon and nutmeg warming a low-fat, egg-white batter. Tender breakfast muffins topped with extra oats.

Chewy oatmeal cookies loaded with chopped dates, coconut, and walnuts or pecans. Brown sugar and orange juice add a caramel sweetness with bright citrus notes.

Reduced fat pumpkin pie made with fat-free sweetened condensed milk and egg whites only. Same warm spices, same creamy texture, with significantly less fat than traditional pumpkin pie.

A homemade vanilla pecan liqueur: brandy slowly infused with pecans, vanilla beans, and cinnamon, then sweetened with sugar syrup. A smooth, nutty after-dinner sipper worth the weeks-long wait.

Ground sirloin, pinto and kidney beans simmer in cumin-spiced tomato broth for hearty, stick-to-your-ribs chili. Easy weeknight comfort food.

Ginger snaps roll molasses-spiked dough into balls and bake into crackly-topped, snappy spice cookies. Brown sugar, ginger, and cinnamon give the classic chewy-crisp texture in 36 cookies.

Layered apple cake with cinnamon-sugar apple slices tucked between three tiers of orange juice-brightened batter. A dramatic tube pan cake that reveals a stripe of fruit in every slice.

Robust beans and rice casserole with lean ground beef, pinto beans, green chilies, and Southwestern spices baked together until the rice is tender. A hearty one-dish dinner.

Spiced sirloin steak with roasted pepper couscous rubs sirloin with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and turmeric, then serves it sliced over lemony couscous studded with charred red peppers and green olives. A North African weeknight dinner.

Classic cake doughnuts spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, rolled, cut, and fried golden in hot oil. Old-fashioned cake donuts ready in 30 minutes, served plain, sugared, or frosted.

Sauerkraut apple cake with walnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg topped with orange-cinnamon cream cheese frosting. A secret ingredient cake nobody can guess.

Soft gingerbread cake with lard and butter for tender crumb, spiced with ginger and cinnamon, baked until edges pull away from the pan.

Spice beer cake loaded with raisins and walnuts, made with brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Beer adds moisture and malty depth to this old-fashioned tube pan cake.

Old-fashioned spicy date cookies with oats, chopped nuts, cinnamon, and allspice. Chewy drop cookies that spread thin and crisp at the edges. Ready in 30 minutes.

Slow-simmered black bean soup with ham hocks, cumin, jalapeno, and dry sherry, pureed thick and finished with fresh lime juice. A from-scratch Sunday soup worth the wait.

Gingerbread baked right in canning jars with molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Charming homemade holiday gift with fabric-topped lids, eat within a few days for safety.

Southern cream apple pie with par-cooked tart apples in a sour cream custard, finished under the broiler with a buttery flour topping. Makes two 9-inch deep-dish pies for a crowd.

Corn chili: a vegetarian Mexican-style chili built on rehydrated ancho chiles, fresh corn, and beer. Deep smoky heat balanced by sweet corn puree and finished with lime. Meatless chili that tastes serious.

Molasses elephant cookies are soft, spice-laced drop cookies with cinnamon, ginger, and a splash of cider vinegar, decorated with raisin or date faces. A vintage kids' cookie made for tiny artists.

Cranberry chutney with orange, apple, raisins, walnuts, ginger, and cinnamon. A fruity, spiced condiment that's ready in 30 minutes. Great for holiday turkey.

Peppery arugula pesto with basil, pine nuts, black olives, lime juice and cumin. Bold cheese-free pesto for pasta, sandwiches or roasted vegetables.

Swedish meatballs in a creamy allspice-spiked gravy made from beef bouillon, evaporated milk, and a touch of lemon. The retro homestyle version that lands over buttered noodles.

Sesame-almond cookies made with olive oil and white wine, scented with lemon zest, orange zest, and cinnamon. Crisp, not-too-sweet Italian-style biscuits.

Pecan coffee cake with a thick brown sugar-cinnamon crumb topping loaded with pecans. Egg whites keep the cake tender and light under that crunchy crust.

Moist pumpkin spice bundt cake with tangy cream cheese frosting. Easy one-bowl recipe uses canned pumpkin and oil for tender crumb. Perfect fall dessert in 90 minutes.

Country apple pie layers six cups of fresh apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a flaky double crust, baked in two stages for a golden top and tender filling. The American classic done right.

Artichoke heart spice cake: a moist bundt cake with pureed artichoke hearts (think zucchini cake's sneaky cousin) plus cinnamon, clove, walnuts, and raisins. The artichokes disappear, the moisture stays.

Crispy roasted chickpeas tossed in garlic butter with curry powder, cumin, coriander, and ginger. A crunchy, spiced vegetarian snack baked until golden.

Braided yeast bread wreath filled with dates, walnuts, bran flakes, and cinnamon, topped with vanilla confectioner's sugar frosting. A stunning holiday bread that's worth the rise time.

Roasted green chiles blister and char until their smoky flesh peels away easily, ready to star in salsas, enchiladas, or straight off the grill with melted cheese.

Provencal garlic soup with potatoes, saffron, sage, and thyme, strained and served over French bread with grated Parmesan. Simple, fragrant, and warming.

Jalapeno chocolate cream cake with semi-sweet chocolate, Kahlua, ground almonds, and cinnamon. A rich, fudgy, intentionally underbaked cake with a slow jalapeno heat finish.

Holiday muffin mix blends whole wheat, white flour, cinnamon, and cloves into a DIY dry mix for gifting. Jar it up with a label for instant spiced-muffin batter.

Pumpkin cheesecake with graham cracker crust, spiced pumpkin custard filling, and a tangy sour cream topping. Holiday dessert with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, garnished with pecan halves on each slice.

Slow-simmered beef chuck chili with dried red chiles, tomato paste, and kidney beans that rests 24 hours before serving for deep, concentrated flavor.

Sharp cheddar, cinnamon-spiced apples, and crunchy walnuts bake into a savory-sweet quick bread that's perfect for fall brunches or afternoon tea.

Soft iced pumpkin cookies with cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, and raisins topped with a vanilla cream icing. Cake-like fall cookies that smell like autumn in every bite.

Soft gingerbread cake with molasses, sour milk, and four warm spices in the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. Dense, moist, and deeply spiced with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Ginger molasses cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar with a crackled top. Loaded with ginger, cloves, and cinnamon for bold spice. Underbake for soft centers or bake full for snaps.

Whipped cinnamon honey butter with brown sugar and vanilla, blended until fluffy and spreadable. Makes three half-pound portions that freeze beautifully for gifts or everyday toast.

Apple pie topped with marshmallow meringue instead of a top crust. Cinnamon-spiced apples baked in a flaky shell, finished with fluffy marshmallow cream and egg white topping browned to golden.