Christmas Archives | The Good Hearted Woman

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies}

Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (or Swiss Chews as Mom always called them) are crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays!

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.

~ Charles Schultz

Crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are amazingly simple to make, and taste absolutely decadent: (I also have it on good authority that they are one of Santa’s favorite treats!)

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Back when I was small, every year around the first of December my mom would get together with her friend Betty and bake. Betty would always come up with a few new cookie ideas for them to try, but no matter what else they baked, the holy trinity of Christmas cookies at our house was Joe Froggers (a spicy, rum-infused molasses cookie), Chocolate Thumbprints, and Swiss Chews, more commonly known as Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

I always knew my mother’s chocolate crinkle cookies were better than anyone else’s, but for a long time, I didn’t know why. I guess I just supposed everyone thinks their mother’s cookies are the best.

It wasn’t until I started comparing chocolate crinkle cookies recipes that I figured out what made Mom’s cookies so unique. Unlike most recipes, Mom’s cookie recipe didn’t require any flour. It uses ground walnuts for structure instead – making these little sweethearts completely gluten-free. (You’re welcome, my gluten-free friends.)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookie dough balls, rolled and ready for the oven

5 from 1 vote

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies}

Crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays!

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Refrigeration Time2 hrs

Total Time40 mins

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Course: Cookies

Cuisine: Yummy

Servings:

Calories: 58kcal

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder optional
1 tsp kosher salt
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
3 eggs separated
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar for rolling prepared dough in

Instructions

Preheat oven to 340° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat mat.

Cookie Dough Prep

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks slightly. Set aside.
In a food processor, pulse walnuts until they resemble cracked wheat. [Be careful - if you let them go too long, you'll have walnut butter!] Measure walnuts after chopping. Set aside.
Melt chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave for 40 seconds at a time, stirring after each cycle, until chocolate is completely melted. Allow to cool slightly.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. To the beaten egg whites, gradually add brown sugar mixture and then vanilla, beating until thick. Gently fold in walnuts and beaten egg yolks.
Fold the melted chocolate chocolate into the whipped egg-white mixture.
Refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours, or overnight. [DO NOT attempt to make cookies until the dough is cold!]

Forming Cookies

Form 1" balls of dough using a small cookie scoop or spoon. (About 2 teaspoons per cookie.) A small cookie scoop works perfect for this.
Pour 1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar into a shallow bowl or plate. Rolls cookie dough balls in powdered sugar. Place cookie balls on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. (You do not need to press the cookie balls down.)
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. (If you make your cookies larger, you may need to bake them for an addition 2-3 minutes.) Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Notes

Walnuts should be chopped very fine, but not beyond recognition - about the same consistency as cracked wheat.

Nutrition

Calories: 58kcal

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Swiss Chews are free of added fats. No oil. No butter. (Trust me on this: they don’t need it.) Which brings me to this little extra holiday bonus: these deliciously fudgy bites of heaven have only about 58 calories per cookie! Can you believe it‽ Now you have no excuse: go make a batch or three today!

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

P.S. I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great Christmas recipes!

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Blushin’ Russian {Cocktail & Kid-friendly Mocktail}

December 30 By Renée 6 Comments

Celebrate with a Blushin’ Russian Soda – a sweet, refreshing cranberry and ginger infused libation that everyone can enjoy!

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day. – Edith Lovejoy Pierce

A perfectly refreshing cocktail for wintertime or any time, this Blushin’ Russian is a beautiful, delicious twist on a traditional Italian Soda. You can easily mix it as a cocktail or a an alcohol-free mocktail, so it makes a great option for imbibers and teetotalers alike.

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Blushing Russian Soda {Includes Non-alcoholic Version}

Prep Time5 mins

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Course: Beverages

Servings:

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

6 oz Cranberry Ginger Ale**
1 1/2 oz Spiced Simple Syrup
1 1/2 oz half-and-half***
1 1/2 oz vodka [optional]

Instructions

Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour cranberry ginger ale and simple syrup into glass. If you are using vodka, add it also. Stir gently, and then pour in half-and-half.
Garnish with mint leaves and sugared cranberries.

Notes

**If you can't find cranberry ginger ale, you can use regular ginger ale and 1 ounce of cranberry juice.

*** You can use heavy cream, but I prefer to use half-and-half for a lighter drink.

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Spiced Simple Syrup

Prep Time15 mins

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Course: Beverages

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
3-4 slices fresh ginger
4-5 cinnamon sticks
3 whole star anise
15 whole allspice

Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, sliced ginger, star anise, and heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely.
Using a slotted spoon, remove spices from liquid and pour into bottle or jar. Mixture can be refrigerated for at least two weeks.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

P.S. I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

The BEST “Handmade Holiday” Gift Guide

November 25 By Renée 138 Comments

Check out our “Handmade Holiday Gift Guide” for the best in handmade gifts from some of our favorite Etsy sellers.

This post contains affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

I’m so excited to present our “Handmade Holiday Gift Guide”! For the past month or so, I’ve been scouring Etsy to find the best in handmade gifts, and I think we’ve rounded up an amazing group of shops. This gift guide is made up of long-time favorites and brand new finds – Check it out – Etsy has something for everyone on your list!

Individual shop descriptions provided by Etsy sellers.

Star Lily Magic – Star Lily Magic offers needle-felted wool gifts for the inner child within – inspired by the Waldorf technique, the magic of childhood and the wonders of Mother Earth. Welcome to a world of angels, faeries, Mother Earth playscapes, mermaids, animal friends and more. Artist and owner, Asheya Ragna, felts each unique creation with great love and mindfulness. She believes that the wool has a special ability to invoke presence and personality within her creations, making each one very special. Asheya has found a great reservoir of healing from her connection with Mother Earth. animals, mermaids, angels & faeries. Her intention is to help people – adults and children alike – to connect with these powerful healing energies through the wool figures that come into being through her visions, her hands and her heart.!

GHW Notes: We have purchased a number of items from Star Lily Magic, and every one has been absolutely beautiful!

AMP It Up Designs – AMPitup Designs is owned by a food scientist turned graphic designer and features simple and classic designs for the everyday family. A wide variety of Amy’s award-winning holiday photo card designs are available this year, along with prints that make perfect gifts or home decor. Printable or printed options are available for every product to fit your budget or life demands.

GHW Notes: I’m proud to note that I’ve known this particular Etsy seller since she was three months old! Amy is as kind as she is talented, and she is coming up with new designs every day. You can find many of her card designs now featured at Target.

Milk & Honey Luxuries – Premium Hand Stamped Vintage Silverware and Unique Gifts. As seen in Nordstrom, People Magazine, The Today Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Martha Stewart American Made, Whole Food Market, The Knot, Anthropologie, FOOD52, and People Style Watch Magazine.

Prairie Hills Pottery – Custom Recipe Personalized Gifts, Wedding gift Ideas.

GHW Notes: How great would it be to have one of Grandma’s recipes printed on a platter?!?

Belleza Mia – Find personalized jewelry, mothers birthstone jewelry as well as everyday, minimalist pieces.

Beads & Knots by Nina – In my shop, Beads And Knots, you will find only handmade jewelry. Natural stone jewelry, semi-precious gemstones, pearl necklaces and crystal beaded jewelry. Everything is made by me and is mainly one of a kind. I love choosing my material by their fascinating colors and shapes. Especially gemstones, carrying a great mystery locked inside their crystal, can give impressive results. Agate, jade, amethyst, citrine, lapis lazuli, to name a few, are stones of protection, support and encouragement, elevating thoughts and promoting optimism among other things. I am sure that the energy transmitted by the stones, finally reaches you enriched with my energy and love when I make them.

Branded by Beazer – Branded by Beazer turns your best ideas into real, everyday things: a handstamped bracelet with your favorite quote, a custom dish towel, or even a witty mug. In this wild world, not one single person is the same; we all have unique traits that make us who we are. Branded by Beazer wants to help bring that individuality to life. Offering a wide range of customized decals, iron-on prints, décor, clothing and jewelry — each individually handmade with love — there is something to make YOU shine.

Crafty Staci – My shop focuses on handmade accessories for makers, artists, photographers, teachers and people on the go. I happily fulfill custom orders for every item I make. I enjoy mixing fabrics, and I love how excited my customers get that they can design an item that reflects their personality. After making thousands of vendor aprons, coffee sleeves, camera straps, lens cap holders, memory card wallets and other accessories, it still makes me happy to see the final finished item and hear my customer talk about how she’s using it.

Cut. Color. Create.– We specialize in handmade personalized gifts and custom stamped jewelry.

debandf – Guitar Pick Holders for the Perfect Guitar Player Gift, wonderful for any occasion. Plenty of time for your custom engraved Guitar pick box to be ready for the holidays.

Jahna Vashti – Fine art originals, canvas wraps, cards, prints, and calendars from Portland artist.

Julia Paris Jewelry – Julia Paris Jewelry was born as a creative outlet and an avenue to fulfill a lifelong dream of owning a small business. Every piece of our jewelry starts out as raw materials which are meticulously crafted in our home based studio. These materials form special and unique pieces that express my vision in the hope they remind the wearer that there is beauty in every little part of their lives. The items in our shop are intended to evoke happiness and joy when they are gifted to loved ones and we ensure they can be tailored to suit the needs of the most discerning gift receiver. We strive to use high quality materials and hone our skills to ensure every creation is of a high standard and will withstand the test of time.

Lettered & Lined – Lettered & Lined offers customized typography art prints for every room of your home. (As Seen in: Country Living, Design Sponge, Houzz, iHeartOrganizing, Wedding Chicks, Apartment Therapy, The Kitchn, and many more!)

Made by Anna Liisa – I create watercolor prints, cards, notepads, and calendars inspired by nature. I love to spend time outdoors and I hope to express that in my art. Currently I’m based out of San Antonio, Texas. Occasionally I try to add some Texas flare to my work. I also love to create custom pieces, such as wedding signs, invitations, birth announcements, anniversary gifts, and more. Art is my passion and it gives me joy to share with others.

Pronghorn Ironworks – Pronghorn Ironworks is owned and operated by Christopher Trautmann. Christopher is a Professional Engineer by trade but spends his free time in his garage creating all types of various metalwork. Whether it be trying his hand at a handcrafted piece of furniture, such as a bed frame, or simply making various shaped dinner bells.

Raziela Designs – An eclectic mix of old world charm and modern beats, we offer one of a kind jewelry for the modern woman.

Spice Expressions – Magnetic spice racks, bbq rub gift boxes, organic tea gifts, Indian spice kits, flavor infused sea salts, popcorn seasonings, DIY magnetic hex jars. {Great ideas here for the grill master or foodie in your life!}

Upcycled Library – Real-life librarian Kelly Liberona upcycles used books into jewelry, stationery, and home decor in the eco-friendly, library-themed shop, Upcycled Library. Find the perfect gift for the literature lover on your list!

Want more ideas? Check out the Etsy Editor’s Picks for tons of great Etsy finds!

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21 Favorite Pecan Recipes for Your Holiday Table

November 19 By Renée 16 Comments

Whether you say pee-can, peh-kahn, or peh-can, these delicious pecan recipes will make your holiday table simply irresistible.

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Pee-canz? Peh-kahnz? Peh-canz? Pronunciation of this word is apparently a huge point of contention for some people. (Much like the ever popular Mi-zer-uh / Mi-zer-ee [Missouri] debate in my own family.) Whatever you call them though, the only things that makes pecans better are butter and sugar. Which leads me to pralines.

Oh, pralines… mmmm…. (give me a minute…)

I distinctly remember the first (and only) time I’ve tasted a fresh, warm, still soft praline. It was in Savannah in the spring of 2005, and I was leading a week-long tour to the birthplace of Girl Scouting with my Senior Troop.

As we walked down River Street along the Savannah River, a heady fog of sweet, caramelly perfection surrounded us and drew us into the iconic River Street Sweets shop. There, we sampled rich, buttery, nutty bites of heaven that seduced our senses and caressed our palates. We could not have escaped if we had wanted to. And we did not want to.

“Chopped Pecan” by Rebecca Sims [CC BY 2.0]

Unfortunately, pecans do not grow well in my corner of the world, so all of my other praline memories involve a box full of hard, overly sugared pecan pucks that tasted like last year’s stale leftovers. Nope. Having tasted the real thing, there is nothing left for me to do now except make them myself.

21 Tempting Pecan Recipes for Your Holiday Table 🥧 Whether you say pee-can, peh-kahn, or peh-can, these pecan recipes will make your holiday table simply irresistible. Click To Tweet

Pralines, however, are only one of the many delicious ways to enjoy pecans during the holiday season. Here’s some amazing pecan recipes gathered from some of my favorite food blogs. Enjoy!

21 Tempting Pecan Recipes for Your Holiday Table

Orange Pecan Baked French Toast

Photo Credit: www.theworktop.com

The best part about this orange pecan baked french toast? It can be prepared the night before and baked off in the morning.

Perfect Creamy Pralines (Prejean’s)

Photo Credit: theperfectkindofchaos.wordpress.com

Pralines are a Southern specialty and they are not always east to make. But the best one’s the one’s that make grown men beg and make you want to slap ya momma (not really. It’s a Southern saying meaning delicious.).

Sweet Potato Pecan Pancakes with Praline Butter

Photo Credit: saygraceblog.com

Light and fluffy sweet potato pancakes packed with toasted pecans and smeared with a delicious pecan praline compound butter.

Roasted Sweet Vanilla Pecan Butter

Photo Credit: strengthandsunshine.com

Not only does your house smell lovely when the pecans are roasting, but once you put them in the blender with the vanilla…o my! This is a fabulous spread for anything - from bread, to apples, to carrots…to just, you know…a spoon!

Pecan Pralines

Photo Credit: basilandbubbly.com

The much sought Classic Southern treat, the Pecan Praline Recipe that EVERYONE is dying to have.

Honey Roasted Pecans - 2 ingredient gluten-free snack

Photo Credit: www.trialandeater.com

Honey Roasted Pecans – easy recipe with just those two ingredients! Gluten-free snack ready in under 30 minutes including cooling time.

Gingerbread Pecans (Sugar-Free)

Photo Credit: phruitfuldish.com

Pecans roasting on an open fire… and toasted to perfection! These roasted nuts have a festive twist and provide plenty of nourishment.

Easy Candied Pecans (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!)

Photo Credit: twohealthykitchens.com

These deliciously easy candied pecans are so lightning-fast! You’ll be making them all the time - for snacks, on salads - even as last-minute gifts!

Dream Home Cooking Girl

Photo Credit: simpledelicioussouthernfood.blogspot.com

New Orlean's Style Pralines...one of my favorites!

Kentucky Derby Chocolate-Pecan Cookie Bars

Photo Credit: twohealthykitchens.com

This incredibly easy, no-butter, bar cookie version of the always-popular Derby Pie is the perfect dessert for a weekday dinner or a party! Filled with whole grains, it’s fabulously decadent yet so nutritious!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pecan Cookies with Orange Zest Glaze

Photo Credit: www.theorganickitchen.org

The dark chocolate, slight hint of cinnamon and orange zest glaze bring a tantalizing twist to this tasty dessert! Warm, chewy, chocolate goodness that is perfect for fall!

Paleo Pecan Pie Bars (Low Carb, Gluten-free)

Photo Credit: www.wholesomeyum.com

These healthy, paleo pecan pie bars are gooey and crunchy at the same time. Low carb, sugar-free, gluten-free, and super easy to make.

Butter Pecan Brandy Fudge

Photo Credit: nomageddon.com

How could you make fudge any better? With brandy of course!

Classic Pecan Pie Recipe

Photo Credit: www.seriouseats.com

Honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and freshly roasted nuts give this pecan pie deeper, richer flavor and lots of crunch.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Photo Credit: vanillaandbean.com

Bourbon Pecan Pie, made with just a touch of bourbon, molasses, and butter with the flakiest homemade pie dough is a favorite anytime of year! I made this Bourbon Pecan Pie without corn syrup – but it tastes as fabulous, if not better than the traditional!

Perfect Pecan Tart

Photo Credit: saygraceblog.com

The perfect balance between crust and pecan filling makes for a really tasty tart!

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Photo Credit: www.bakingbeauty.net

Pecan Pie Cheesecake: Creamy brown sugar cheesecake topped with a decadent pecan pie filling. Your favorite holiday pie, in cheesecake form!

Grain-Free Pecan Pie Made with Honey

Photo Credit: healthhomeandhappiness.com

This pie is a great gluten and grain free option to bring to holiday tables, and it makes the house smell heavenly as it bakes.

Pecan Pie Cake

Photo Credit: www.bakingbeauty.net

Pecan Pie Cake: Delicate yellow cake filled with a decadent pecan filling. Your favorite Thanksgiving pie in cake form! Must try!

Quick and Easy Low-Carb Pecan-Crusted Dijon Salmon

Photo Credit: kalynskitchen.com

Quick and Easy Low-Carb Pecan-Crusted Dijon Salmon would be lovely for a special dinner, and it really is quick and easy to make!

Baked Brie Bites with Pecans & Brown Sugar - Housewives of Frederick County

Photo Credit: www.housewivesoffrederickcounty.com

Brie, butter, pecans, cinnamon, pastry shells, & brown sugar.

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin this Recipe Roundup!

Ode to Red Velvet Pants

December 25 By Renée 2 Comments

Long before the days of digital scrapbooking, I was an avid old-school, cut-n-paste scrapbooker. One of my ongoing projects back then was a book devoted entirely to Christmas – past, present and future – and while putting it together, I discovered a series of pictures of myself that could not be ignored. Recreated here in digital form, my Christmas message this year is a blast from the past: I hope you get as much of a tickle out of my “Ode to Red Velvet Pants” as I do.

(It probably could go without saying, but just in case you are on a holiday overload and missed it, this can be sung to the tune of “Deck the Halls.”)

Mr. B and I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Festivus, Merry Winter Solstice, Joyous Kwanzaa or >insert your favorite holiday greeting here<. Whatever you do, let us all find ways in this holiday season to spread goodwill, and inspire others to do likewise.

Holiday Eggnog Cake {with Rum-Bourbon Glaze}

December 9 By Renée 4 Comments

Want to be the hit of your next holiday party? Serve up this amazing, uber-moist Holiday Eggnog Cake {with Brandy-Rum glaze}! This bundt is a crowd-pleaser for any occasion!

Let me introduce you to one of the most delicious bundts you will ever sink your teeth into – my amazing holiday Eggnog Cake.

{She said “Bundt!”}

OK, I know that at least a few of you just giggled, or at least smiled inside your head. If you didn’t, then watch the short clip below, because you have obviously missed out.

“There’s a hole in this cake!”

(I think I’ve watched the Bundt Cake scene from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” at least a dozen times and it still cracks me up. (If you’ve never seen the movie, I highly recommend it.) Now, on to the cake-making.)

5 from 1 vote

Holiday Eggnog {Bundt} Cake

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Ingredients

Cake

1/2 lb unsalted butter 2 sticks, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs separated and at room temperature
3 cups flour
1 Tbs baking powder
2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup egg nog

Glaze

1 cup sugar
1/4 lb unsalted butter 1 stick
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup dark rum Non-Alch.option: 1 T. rum flavoring
1/4 cup brandy Non-Alch. option: 7 T. apple cider

Instructions

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a bundt pan with butter or Crisco and dust with flour.
Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolks.
Sift together dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with egg nog.
Note: If you typically make your cakes from a mix, be aware that this batter is much thicker. This is what it looks like before the egg whites are folded in - almost like a very soft cookie dough.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks, and fold into batter. Once the whipped egg whites are folded in, spread the batter into your prepared bundt pan. Give the pan a couple of good taps on the counter to make sure all those little ridges are filled in.
Bake 50-55 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Top of cake will crack. Remove from oven and cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out.

For Glaze:

Combine sugar, butter, water and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in rum and brandy, or flavoring and apple juice. Glaze will be very thin.
Invert cake onto rack. Prick top of cake with a long fork or skewer at 1-inch intervals.
To glaze, start with very warm glaze and a very warm cake. The glaze will be very thin when you start, but will thicken slightly as you go. Use a pastry brush and take your time, or all the glaze will run off. I usually glaze a layer and then wait a minute and glaze again, repeating until all the glaze is gone.
Let cake sit at room temperature for 2-4 hours before serving.
Freezes well.

Notes

If you are concerned about the alcohol being in your finished cake, don't be. It will all boil off immediately when you add it to the boiling hot glaze mixture. In fact, when you do this, stand back a little or the alcohol cloud from the burn-off may sting your eyes. (Voice of experience.)

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Eggnog Cake makes a simple, elegant presentation, and is delicious served alone or with the festive beverage of your choice.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice {Using FRESH Spices}

October 9 By Renée 7 Comments

Homemade Pumpkin Spice is so easy and economical to make! Hand me a pumpkin spice latte, a good book, and a glowing fire and I’ll curl up like a cat in a sunbeam.

^{This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.}

The thing is, Pumpkin Spice in those little bottles at the store costs a fortune (relatively speaking), and you never know how long it’s been been sitting on that shelf. What’s more, they never have just the right balance of nutmeg to everything else for me. (I love nutmeg!)

A few years ago, I decided it was time to start making my own homemade Pumpkin Spice, and as it turns out, it’s pretty darned easy to make. Plus, the price differential will blow you away!

To put things in perspective, the ingredients for this recipe collectively cost less than 40 cents. By comparison, bottled Pumpkin Pie Spice can run more than twenty times that much, especially if you are buying organic.

To make fresh, homemade Pumpkin Spice, you first need to gather the freshest ingredients you can. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves are easy – buy them whole in the bulk section and grind them yourself. Grinding your own ginger, however, is another thing entirely, so you probably just want to buy pre-ground ginger.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Seasonings

Keyword: fall, pumpkin spice

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Ingredients

4 3-inch sticks of cinnamon
1 whole nutmeg
15-20 whole allspice
14-16 whole cloves
4 teaspoons ground ginger

Instructions

Pound cinnamon sticks with a hammer or meat tenderizer to make smaller pieces. In a clean coffee grinder or spice grinder, combine cinnamon stick pieces, whole cloves, whole allspice and grind into powder. Leave it in the grinder and set aside.
Grate nutmeg on a nutmeg grater or microplane and add to cinnamon spice mix in grinder. Freshly ground nutmeg is much more “lofty” than the kind you buy in the store, and much more aromatic! Measure this. If you like nutmeg, use 2 teaspoons. If you aren’t as much a fan, use only 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Add ground ginger to grinder and give everything a whirl to combine.
Store mix in tightly sealed jar until ready to use.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

It's so easy to make your own homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice using fresh spices!! 🍃 Click through to get the How-to 🍂 Click To Tweet

In upcoming posts, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite ways to use Pumpkin Pie Spice. But for now, I think I’ll just sprinkle some on a a vanilla steamer, sit back with a good book, and relax.

(Not really – that was just for dramatic effect. I have to go vacuum now.)

Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (or Swiss Chews as Mom always called them) are crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays!

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies}

Ingredients

Instructions

Cookie Dough Prep

Forming Cookies

Notes

Nutrition

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

Celebrate with a Blushin’ Russian Soda – a sweet, refreshing cranberry and ginger infused libation that everyone can enjoy!

Blushing Russian Soda {Includes Non-alcoholic Version}

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Spiced Simple Syrup

Ingredients

Instructions

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

Check out our “Handmade Holiday Gift Guide” for the best in handmade gifts from some of our favorite Etsy sellers.

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin this post!

Whether you say pee-can, peh-kahn, or peh-can, these delicious pecan recipes will make your holiday table simply irresistible.

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin this Recipe Roundup!

Want to be the hit of your next holiday party? Serve up this amazing, uber-moist Holiday Eggnog Cake {with Brandy-Rum glaze}! This bundt is a crowd-pleaser for any occasion!

“There’s a hole in this cake!”

Holiday Eggnog {Bundt} Cake

Ingredients

Cake

Glaze

Instructions

For Cake:

For Glaze:

Notes

Homemade Pumpkin Spice is so easy and economical to make! Hand me a pumpkin spice latte, a good book, and a glowing fire and I’ll curl up like a cat in a sunbeam.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and print this recipe!