4 Homemade Spice Blends - Smoky BBQ, Jerk, Five Spice & Dukkah

These 4 essential homemade spice blends are GAME CHANGERS for your cooking! Once you start making your own spice blends from scratch, you'll never go back to store-bought. More flavour, no nasty fillers, and done in minutes. If you're looking for even more DIY blends, I also have another set of 4 recipes here! Let's get into it!

Watch how to make homemade garlic and onion powder on YouTube (both are brilliant in these recipes and you can make them from scratch if you have a dehydrator!)

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Makes: 4 spice blends
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Small bowls or jars for storing

Having a few great homemade spice blends in your pantry is honestly one of the best things you can do for your cooking. These four are my absolute essentials: a smoky, punchy BBQ rub for grilling season, a bold and aromatic Jerk Seasoning with that signature warmth from allspice and thyme, the deeply fragrant Chinese Five Spice that transforms stir-fries and braises, and the wonderfully nutty, crunchy Dukkah that you'll want to put on absolutely everything. The best part? Each one takes literally 5 minutes to put together, just measure, mix, and store. When you make your own blends, you're in control of every single ingredient, no anti-caking agents, no mystery fillers, no added MSG, just pure flavour. And they taste SO much better than anything from a jar. Once you have these four in your pantry, you'll find yourself reaching for them constantly, rubbed on chicken before it hits the barbecue, stirred through roasted vegetables, scattered over dips and eggs, or used to season everything from noodles to slow-cooked meats.

Why You'll Love These Recipes

• 5 minutes each: Measure and mix, that really is all there is to it
• Better than store-bought: Pure ingredients, no fillers, incredible flavour
• Pantry gold: Four blends that cover so many different cuisines and dishes
• Fully customisable: Adjust heat, sweetness, or salt exactly to your taste
• Perfect gifts: Decant into pretty jars for the most thoughtful foodie gift

The 4 Spice Blends

1. Smoky BBQ Rub

The ultimate all-purpose rub for grilling and barbecue. Smoky, slightly sweet, with a gentle kick, this is the one you'll reach for every single time you fire up the barbecue. It's AMAZING on chicken, ribs, pork chops, and even roasted cauliflower.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne
• ½ tsp mustard powder (if you don't have this, you can use mustard to stick your spice mix to your protein or veggies instead)

Instructions

1. Measure all the spices: Add the smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, and mustard powder to a small bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly: Stir everything together until evenly combined and no clumps remain. If the brown sugar has any lumps, break them up with the back of a spoon.
3. Taste and adjust: Dip your finger in and taste. Want more heat? Add a little more cayenne. Prefer it sweeter? Add a touch more brown sugar.
4. Store: Transfer to a small airtight jar or container. Label and date it.

How to Use It

• Rub generously over chicken pieces, ribs, or pork before grilling or roasting
• Mix into burger patties for smoky depth
• Toss with potato wedges or roasted vegetables before cooking
• Sprinkle over corn on the cob with a little butter

2. Jerk Seasoning

Bold, warming, and deeply aromatic, this homemade Jerk Seasoning captures everything you love about Caribbean cooking. The magic is in the allspice, which gives jerk its signature flavour, layered with thyme, warm spices, and a good kick of cayenne.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp brown sugar

Instructions

1. Measure all the spices: Add all the ingredients to a small bowl, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, allspice, cayenne, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar.
2. Mix thoroughly: Stir everything together until completely combined. Break up any clumps from the brown sugar or dried thyme.
3. Taste and adjust: Jerk should have real heat! If you like it milder, reduce the cayenne. If you love it fiery, add more.
4. Store: Transfer to a small airtight jar. Label and date it.

How to Use It

• Rub onto chicken pieces (especially thighs and drumsticks) and marinate overnight before grilling
• Mix with a little oil and lime juice to make a paste for fish or prawns
• Stir through rice with coconut milk for jerk-spiced rice
• Toss with sweet potato wedges before roasting

3. Chinese Five Spice

This ancient Chinese spice blend is one of the most unique and wonderful things you can have in your kitchen. The combination of star anise, fennel, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and cloves creates a warm, complex, slightly sweet flavour that's instantly recognisable. Making it yourself means you can grind it fresh for the most incredible aroma.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp ground star anise
• 1½ tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp Sichuan pepper (or just regular black pepper)
• ½ tsp ground cloves

Instructions

1. Grind if needed: If you have whole spices, grind the star anise, fennel seeds, and Sichuan pepper in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle until fine. Pre-ground versions work perfectly well too.
2. Measure and combine: Add all the ground spices to a small bowl and mix until completely combined.
3. Check the aroma: Give it a smell, it should be warm, sweet, and deeply fragrant. This is the beauty of making it fresh!
4. Store: Transfer to a small airtight jar. Label and date it.

How to Use It

• Rub onto duck breast or pork belly before roasting
• Add a teaspoon to marinades for Chinese-style braised meats
• Stir through stir-fries for an authentic depth of flavour
• Add a pinch to baked goods like cookies or banana bread for a warming twist

4. Dukkah

Dukkah is a nut and spice blend that is absolutely addictive. It's crunchy, nutty, aromatic, and deeply savoury, and once you've made it, you'll find yourself putting it on everything. It's traditionally served with bread and olive oil for dipping, but honestly, it makes everything better.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp mixed nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, or pistachios work brilliantly, even pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, whatever you have!)
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Toast the nuts: Place the mixed nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until golden and fragrant. Watch carefully, they can burn quickly! Transfer to a plate to cool.
2. Toast the sesame seeds: In the same dry pan, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until golden. They'll pop slightly, that's normal! Transfer to the same plate.
3. Roughly chop the nuts: Once cool, roughly chop the nuts. You want a coarse, chunky texture, not a fine powder. You can also just crush them with your hand.
4. Combine everything: Mix the chopped nuts and toasted sesame seeds with the cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, and salt until combined.
5. Store: Transfer to a small airtight jar. Label and date it.

How to Use It

• Dip crusty bread in good olive oil, then into dukkah, the classic way!
• Sprinkle over hummus or any dip
• Scatter over fried or poached eggs for the most incredible breakfast
• Use as a crust for fish fillets or lamb cutlets before pan-frying
• Toss through roasted vegetables or salads for crunch

Chef's Tips

Use good quality spices: Homemade blends are only as good as the spices you put in them. If your spices have been sitting in the pantry for 2 years or more and have lost their smell, it's time to replace them!

Toast whole spices first: If you're grinding your own (especially for the Five Spice and Dukkah), toasting whole spices in a dry pan for a minute before grinding massively amplifies the flavour.

Label everything: Always label your jars with the blend name AND the date you made it. Future you will thank you.

Make small batches: It's tempting to make huge batches, but smaller batches means fresher flavour. The quantities here are perfect for regular use.

The brown sugar blends: The Smoky BBQ Rub and Jerk Seasoning both contain brown sugar, which can clump over time. Just break it up with a spoon or give the jar a good shake before using, it's totally fine.

Adjust everything to your taste: These recipes are starting points, not rules! Love heat? More cayenne. Watching your salt? Reduce it. Prefer less sweetness? Cut the sugar. Make them yours.

Substitutions & Variations

• Smoky BBQ Rub, make it hotter: Double the cayenne or add a pinch of chipotle powder for extra smokiness.
• Smoky BBQ Rub, make it sweeter: Increase the brown sugar to 2 tablespoons for a more caramelised, sticky result on meats.
• Jerk Seasoning, add more heat: Add ½ teaspoon of habanero powder for truly authentic jerk fire.
• Chinese Five Spice, no Sichuan pepper? Substitute with regular black pepper. It won't have the same numbing tingle, but will still taste great.
• Dukkah, nut variations: Hazelnuts are the most traditional, but almonds, pistachios, walnuts, or a mixture all work beautifully.
• Dukkah, add more spice: A pinch of dried chilli flakes gives a lovely warmth, or try adding a little smoked paprika for a smoky version.

Storage

Best fresh: All four blends are at their most vibrant in the first 4 to 6 weeks after making. They'll still taste great up to their full shelf life, but freshly made is always best.

Pantry: The three dry blends (Smoky BBQ Rub, Jerk Seasoning, Chinese Five Spice) keep in small airtight glass jars in a cool, dark cupboard for up to 3 months. Chinese Five Spice is best used within 6 weeks for the freshest flavour. The brown sugar in the BBQ Rub and Jerk Seasoning can clump over time, just break it up with a spoon before using.

Fridge: Dukkah is the exception. Because it contains nuts, it goes off faster than dry spice blends. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 month, or at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Avoid: Never use a wet spoon to scoop any of these blends. Even a small amount of moisture will cause the spices to clump and degrade much faster. Keep all jars away from steam and out of direct sunlight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pre-ground spices for everything? Yes, absolutely! Pre-ground spices work perfectly for all four blends. Grinding your own whole spices gives a more intense flavour, especially for the Five Spice and Dukkah, but pre-ground is completely fine and much quicker.

My spice blend has lost its smell, is it still good? If it has little to no smell, it's lost its potency and the flavour will be disappointing. It's time for fresh spices! Good spices should have a strong, vibrant aroma when you open the jar.

Can I double or triple the recipes? Yes! These scale up perfectly. Just multiply everything by the same amount. Keep in mind that larger batches of Dukkah may not stay fresh as long because of the nuts.

What's the best jar size for storing these? Small 50 to 100ml glass jars with tight-fitting lids are ideal. Old spice jars work perfectly and are a great way to recycle them!

Can I use these as gifts? They make INCREDIBLE gifts! Decant into pretty glass jars, tie on a handwritten label with the name and date, and maybe include a card with serving suggestions. People absolutely love homemade spice blends as gifts.

You Might Also Like

Hot Cross Buns - Five Spice is a wonderful swap for the mixed spice in a classic hot cross bun recipe, give it a try this Easter!

4 DIY Spice Blends (Part 2) - Four more essential blends to stock your pantry, including an Everything Seasoning and a Mexican Fiesta blend.

Chinese Braised Short Ribs - A rich, comforting slow-cooked recipe that puts your freshly made Chinese Five Spice to delicious use.

Four spice blends, 20 minutes total, and your pantry is stocked with flavour-packed staples that make everything you cook more interesting. Once you've tasted your own smoky BBQ rub or freshly made dukkah, you'll never look at the spice aisle the same way. These make brilliant gifts too, decant into small pretty jars and they're done. Happy spice-making!

Enjoy!

Del x

Four essential homemade spice blends that will transform your cooking! Smoky BBQ Rub, Jerk Seasoning, Chinese Five Spice, and Dukkah, all made in 5 minutes from pantry staples, with incredible flavour that beats anything from a store.