12 Best Mace Substitutes That Are Less Expensive And Easier To Find

Mace is a spice that is often used in soups and winter squash recipes. They may also be used to make seafood and meat taste better. Mace may be used in baking to lend a warming and savory flavor to cakes, doughnuts, and pastries.

Mace tastes similar to nutmeg, but with a less strong flavor. Mace contains delicate aromas of black pepper and cinnamon when added to foods. Most of the time, it is not readily accessible, but here are some options to explore.

1. Allspice
2. Apple Pie Spice
3. Black Peppercorns
4. Cardamom
5. Cinnamon
6. Cloves
7. Cumin

Before delving into each alternative, let us first explain why the Mace blade is one of the world’s rarest spices.

12 Best Substitute For Mace 

Mace is not a common spice. It’s manufactured from the nutmeg tree, and supplies are limited. As a reason, mace is quite costly, necessitating the use of less expensive substitutes such as those listed below.

It is available in tiny blocks or powder form. Solid blocks are often less expensive, and you can grind them yourself.

Each tablespoon of mace has around 25.2 calories. They are often seen at foreign or health food shops. Nutmeg and mace powder are two of the finest mace substitutes.

Allspice

Allspice does not refer to a mixture of spices. Instead, it’s a single spice derived from the allspice tree. Yes, it exists, and it may serve as a good alternative for mace.

Allspice has a sweet flavor with a warm aftertaste that brushes across the throat. Think of it as a practical blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.

Allspice is offered as a ground spice. However, the berries may also be purchased whole and used to stews, cattle, and lamb recipes. When making pies, cakes, and other baked products, use the powdered version.

Others prefer to use it to give a layer of sweetness to veggies or soups. When making the swap, stick to the 1:1 ratio. One tablespoon of all spice is just 16 calories.

Apple Pie Spice

Apple pie spice is pretty common in supermarkets. It contains cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice, among other spices. As a consequence, you get this fantastic combination of sweet and spicy tastes.

The cinnamon flavor is often the strongest, making it ideal for cookies and cakes. Apple pie spice is ideal for baking apple pie or any other apple-based treat since it combines wonderfully with the fruit.

2 ratio. 1 teaspoon mace should be equivalent to 1 teaspoon apple pie spice. The exact calorie count varies depending on the brand. The McCormick Apple Pie spice, on the other hand, has no calories.You may use the 1:1 substitution method.

Black Peppercorns

Black peppercorns are the solid counterpart of pepper. You’ve certainly seen this kind previously in grocery shops since it’s often used in a variety of meals.

They are incorporated in their whole and contribute to the dish’s fiery flavor. However, they are not an identical equivalent for mace. A teaspoon of black peppercorn has around 6 calories.

Cardamom

Cardamom may not be your first option for a mace alternative. It has a sweet and spicy flavor with a hint of lemon and mint in the background.

As a consequence, the taste substitute will be imperfect. Even if the final meal isn’t a perfect reproduction of the recipe, it should be fascinating.

Cardamom may be purchased in whole or ground form. However, it is not a common spice, and you may have to visit many grocery shops before locating one. Nonetheless, it is a plausible mace alternative at a lower cost.

Cardamom may be used to season meats and vegetables. You may also use it in baked products or with hot drinks. With a dash of lemon and mint, your cardamom drink should become a favorite wintertime beverage.

Mace to cardamom ratio of two. Essentially, a recipe that calls for 10mg of mace calls for just 5mg of cardamom. This spice has just 18 calories per tablespoon.Cardamom is a more potent spice than mace. Use a 1:1

Cinnamon

The bark of the cinnamon tree is used to make cinnamon spice. It has a sweet and spicy taste profile that is ideal for cocktails, sweets, and savory foods. It may also be used in baked dishes, curries, and even meat!

Because the taste is rather strong, keep portions to a minimum. If the recipe asks for 1 teaspoon mace, use 1 teaspoon cinnamon. This will give you about the same taste balance.

Cinnamon is also less expensive than mace and easy to buy at supermarket shops. You probably already have one in your pantry. Cinnamon has just 19 calories per tablespoon.

Cloves

Cloves are flower buds that are available whole or ground. They have a bitter-sweet taste and are plucked from the clove tree. This spice, like cinnamon, has a large level of heat. It may be used in a variety of meals, including rice, meat, pies, and other sweet and savory foods. Some even mix it with cider and tea!

2 ratio. To keep the taste balanced, if the recipe asks for 1 teaspoon of mace, use just 1 teaspoon of clove. Cloves are widely available at most grocery shops. They’re also less costly than mace and more adaptable. Keeping one in your cupboard will offer you additional options while cooking! A teaspoon of clove has just 6 calories.Because the taste is so intense, use a 1:1 ratio.

Cumin

Cumin is a widely used spice in the Middle East, India, North Africa, and Latin America. Fortunately, the spice is now common enough that it can be found in most grocery shops.

Cumin is accessible in seed form, but it is also available in ground form.

Cumin’s taste is a blend of sweet and bitter. There’s also an earthy undertone to the flavor, which rapidly comes through in your cooking.

Mace to cumin ratio of two. One tablespoon has around 22 calories.It works well in sweet and savory meals to enhance the taste of meat and vegetables. Use a 1:1

Garam Masala

Garam Masala is made up of many spices. Cardamom, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, and nutmeg are common ingredients. Black pepper, ginger, bay leaves, saffron, and garlic are also included. Mace is sometimes included in garam masala!

The spice is widely used in Indian and South Asian cuisine. However, the exact blend of garam masala varies on where it is prepared, so verify the ingredients list first.

This spice blend produces a sweet and spicy balance. It also imparts a flowery aroma to anything you prepare. They are ideal for savory recipes as well as baked items.

Simply follow a 1:1 ratio when using this as a replacement. A teaspoon of garam masala has around 11.8 calories. This might vary based on the type of garam masala, so read the nutritional information on the package.

Ginger

Ginger is one of the world’s most well-known spices. It’s available fresh or powdered at almost every grocery shop. Ginger is very inexpensive and easy to cultivate if you want to!

The root has a sweet and spicy taste that complements almost any cuisine. It may be used in stir-fries, marinades, curries, soups, and other prepared meals. You may also include it in various sweets, and ginger cocktails are known to aid with sore throats.

Ginger has a milder taste than mace. You may use a 1:1 substitution ratio. If you want a stronger kick of sweet and spicy, consider a 1:1.5 ratio. It’s also a low-calorie choice. Two grams of ginger root, or around one teaspoon of this spice, has just two calories.

Mace Blades

Mace blades are essentially the nutmeg’s outer covering. They are best used whole and have a similar taste to ground mace.

Because mace blades and mace originate from the same source, they aren’t really a cheaper option. If you can’t get ground mace, mace blades are your next best alternative.

For mace blades, use a 1:1 replacement ratio. It obviously has the same number of calories as mace.

Nutmeg

Both mace and nutmeg are derived from the same tree. Unsurprisingly, they have the same taste with minor differences. Nutmeg has a stronger flavor. It’s sweeter and somewhat nutty, but far less expensive.

This may be used in soups, pies, casseroles, puddings, and other savory foods. Because nutmeg is inherently sweeter, it should be safe to use in sweet foods without altering the overall taste.

Use a one-to-one substitution ratio. Nutmeg contains more calories than mace, at 37 calories per tablespoon.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pumpkin pie spice is a spice blend that is often used in cakes, pastries, pumpkin pies, potato pies, muffins, waffles, and even beverages! It’s definitely one of the most popular flavors available at your local Starbucks.

It’s a combination of many spices previously listed in this list, including ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Yes, the flavor is similar to mace because to the spicy and sweet combo. Because the spice is so popular, you can get it almost anyplace!

Simply use a 1:1 ratio for replacement. This item has just 19 calories per tablespoon.

Mace Substitute Related FAQs

Can you replace mace with nutmeg?

Yes. Because nutmeg and mace originate from the same tree, their flavors are quite similar. In the absence of mace blades, nutmeg is the finest replacement.

Are mace and nutmeg the same?

While they are both derived from the same tree, mace and nutmeg are NOT the same. Mace is the part that surrounds the seed, while nutmeg is the seed itself. As a consequence, the two tastes are noticeably different. However, equivalent quantities may be used for substitute.

How do you use mace powder?

There is no need to prepare. Mace powder may be sprinkled on top of any food. Mace blades, on the other hand, must be crushed into smaller pieces using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle.

Sprinkle it over foods, drinks, or oatmeal and allow it to dissolve. This will provide you with the ideal taste for each cuisine.

Is mace stronger than nutmeg?

Mace has a stronger taste than nutmeg, which is surprising. With mace, you get a spicy taste that contributes to the tingling sensation of the cuisine.

This is due to the fact that mace is on the outside while nutmeg is within. You can replace one for the other, but the variation in flavor means the taste will be somewhat different.