Nutmeg Substitute: What to Use in Pies, Cookies and Custards
The best nutmeg substitute is mace, swapped one to one: 1 teaspoon of ground mace for every 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Mace is the lacy red coating that grows around the nutmeg seed, so it tastes like a lighter, slightly more delicate nutmeg. If you don't have mace, use 1/2 teaspoon of allspice or a full teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice for each teaspoon of nutmeg.
Nutmeg is a background spice in most holiday baking, so a good swap is easy to hide. The calculator below works out the exact amount of each option for whatever your recipe calls for, from a pinch in whipped cream to a tablespoon in a big batch of spice cookies.
Free calculator
Nutmeg substitute calculator
Pick how much ground nutmeg your recipe needs, then pick the swap you have on hand.
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What nutmeg brings to a recipe
Nutmeg is warm, sweet, a little woody and slightly piney. In most baking it's a supporting player, not the star. It rounds out cinnamon, makes custards and cream taste richer, and adds a cozy depth to anything with pumpkin, apples or eggs. Think of the smell of a pumpkin pie or a mug of eggnog: a lot of that is nutmeg.
Because it usually sits in the background, you have more room to swap it than you would with a headline flavor. The goal is to keep that warm, round note without letting a louder spice take over. That's why some swaps below use less than the full amount.
Nutmeg substitute chart
All amounts replace 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Scale them up or down for your recipe, or let the calculator above do it for you.
| Swap | Amount per 1 tsp nutmeg | Best in | Flavor shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mace | 1 tsp | Everything, especially custards and cakes | Almost none, slightly lighter |
| Allspice | 1/2 tsp | Spice cake, gingerbread, fruit pies | A little clove-like |
| Pumpkin pie spice | 1 tsp | Pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, quick breads | More cinnamon and ginger |
| Apple pie spice | 1 tsp | Apple and pear pies, crisps, muffins | More cinnamon |
| Cinnamon | 1/2 tsp | Muffins, coffee cake, French toast bakes | Sweeter, more obvious |
| Ground ginger | 1/2 tsp | Gingerbread, molasses cookies | Brighter, spicier |
| Ground cloves | 1/4 tsp | Dark spice cookies, fruitcake | Much stronger |
| Garam masala | 1 tsp | Savory bakes and cream sauces | Savory, peppery |
Why mace is the closest match
Nutmeg and mace come from the same tree fruit. The nutmeg is the seed in the middle. Mace is the bright red, lacy covering wrapped around that seed, which is dried and turns orange-tan. Since they grow together, they share most of the same flavor. Mace is a bit lighter and more delicate, with a hint of pepper, which is why it's often used in pale bakes like pound cake and doughnuts.
Swap it one to one. If you're using it in something where nutmeg is the main flavor, like a custard pie or eggnog cookies, you can add an extra pinch.
Whole nutmeg vs ground nutmeg
If you have a whole nutmeg and a fine grater, you already have the best swap there is. Freshly grated nutmeg tastes brighter and more aromatic than the ground kind in a jar, which loses its oils over time.
Here's the conversion most bakers use:
- 1 whole nutmeg, grated, gives about 2 to 3 teaspoons of ground nutmeg.
- Measure freshly grated nutmeg the same way you'd measure ground: 1 teaspoon grated replaces 1 teaspoon ground.
- Because fresh is stronger, use a slightly scant measure if your nutmeg is new and very fragrant.
| Ground nutmeg in recipe | Freshly grated nutmeg | About how much whole nutmeg |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 tsp | A scant 1/4 tsp | A few strokes on the grater |
| 1/2 tsp | A scant 1/2 tsp | About 1/5 of a nutmeg |
| 1 tsp | A scant 1 tsp | About 1/3 to 1/2 of a nutmeg |
| 1 tbsp | A scant 1 tbsp | About 1 to 1 1/2 nutmegs |
Use the smallest holes on a box grater or a rasp-style zester. Grate straight over a measuring spoon so you don't lose any. A whole nutmeg keeps its flavor for years in a closed jar, so it's a good backup to keep around even if you usually buy ground.
Worked example: pumpkin pie with no nutmeg
A classic pumpkin pie recipe often calls for 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon cloves. Here's how the swap plays out:
- With mace: use 1/2 teaspoon mace. Nobody will taste a difference.
- With allspice: use 1/4 teaspoon allspice. The pie tastes a touch more clove-forward.
- With pumpkin pie spice: add 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice on top of the other spices.
- With only cinnamon: add 1/4 teaspoon more cinnamon. The pie will be a little sweeter-tasting and less deep.
Nothing else changes. The filling, the oven temperature and the bake time stay the same. If your pie usually comes out with a soggy bottom, that's a crust issue, and our guide on how to blind bake a pie crust fixes it. For the filling itself, our evaporated milk substitute guide helps if you're short on that too.
Baking guideHow to Blind Bake a Pie Crust Without a Soggy BottomSee how it's done →
Baking guideSubstituting Evaporated Milk for Whole Milk in BakingWhat can I use? →
Nutmeg in Thanksgiving and Christmas baking
Nutmeg is probably the most holiday-heavy spice in the cupboard. It's in pumpkin pie, sweet potato casserole, eggnog cookies, spiced cake, apple crisp, and the whipped cream on top. Here's the best swap for each:
- Pumpkin and sweet potato pie: mace, or pumpkin pie spice.
- Eggnog cookies, custards, bread pudding: mace. Nutmeg is the main flavor here, so pick the closest match. Use store-bought, pasteurized eggnog in any recipe where it isn't cooked.
- Apple pie and crisps: apple pie spice, or allspice at half.
- Spiced whipped cream: a tiny pinch of mace or cinnamon. Here's how to make whipped cream that holds its shape.
- Cheesecake with a spiced crust: cinnamon in the crust is plenty. Our tips on keeping cheesecake from cracking matter more than the spice.
Baking guideHow to Make Whipped Cream: Cold Cream, Perfect PeaksLearn the method →
Baking guideHow to Prevent Cheesecake From Cracking Every TimeShow me how →
Common nutmeg swap mistakes
Swapping cloves one to one
Cloves are much stronger than nutmeg. A full teaspoon in place of nutmeg makes a bake taste medicinal. Use a quarter of the amount at most.
Overdoing nutmeg itself
This one surprises people: large amounts of nutmeg can make you genuinely sick. Normal recipe amounts spread through a whole pie or batch are fine, but don't heap on extra spoonfuls to make up for an old jar, and never eat it by the spoonful.
Using stale ground nutmeg
Ground nutmeg fades faster than most spices. If it smells dusty instead of sweet and warm, the bake will taste flat. A whole nutmeg grated fresh is the fix.
Forgetting savory blends are savory
Garam masala often has cumin, coriander and black pepper. It's fine in a savory quiche or cream sauce, but it will taste strange in a sugar cookie.
Check your cupboard for hidden nutmeg
Before you decide you're out of nutmeg, look at the spice blends you already own. A lot of them contain it, and that makes them easy swaps that taste right without any guesswork.
- Pumpkin pie spice: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves or allspice. Nutmeg is usually the third biggest part.
- Apple pie spice: mostly cinnamon, with nutmeg and sometimes allspice or cardamom.
- Gingerbread spice: ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It's stronger than pumpkin pie spice, so start with 3/4 teaspoon per teaspoon of nutmeg.
- Baharat and garam masala: both can contain nutmeg, but they also bring pepper and cumin, so keep them for savory food.
When you use a blend, remember you're also adding extra cinnamon and ginger. If your recipe already has a lot of both, cut those back a little so the bake doesn't end up tasting like a stronger version of itself. Reading the label takes ten seconds and saves you from a spice cake that tastes mostly of cloves.
One more tip: if a recipe calls for nutmeg in a savory dish like a creamy potato bake, a spinach filling or a cheese sauce, mace is still the best swap. Sweet blends with cinnamon will taste out of place there, so skip them and use a tiny pinch of black pepper with the mace instead.
Swaps for quick breads and muffins
Banana bread, zucchini bread and muffins often use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg alongside cinnamon. In these, you can usually just leave it out and add a pinch more cinnamon. If the loaf turns out heavy, the spice isn't the cause. Our guides on why banana bread turns out dense and why muffins come out dry cover the real reasons.
Baking guideWhy Is My Banana Bread Dense? 6 Causes and the FixesFind out why →
Baking guideWhy Are My Muffins Dry? 6 Causes and the Fix for EachFix it next time →
For loaves you plan to give as gifts, a little extra spice helps the flavor hold up over a few days, because spices mellow as bread sits. If you're swapping in allspice or ginger, though, stick with the amounts in the chart. Those two get louder, not softer, as a loaf rests overnight, and they can end up dominating a mild banana or pumpkin flavor by day two. To check that a quick bread is fully baked before it comes out, see how to tell if banana bread is done, which works for most loaf-pan quick breads.
Baking guideHow to Tell If Banana Bread Is Done: 4 Real ChecksSee the doneness test →
Getting the measurements right
Spices are used in tiny amounts, so small measuring mistakes are big percentage mistakes. Use proper measuring spoons, not a dinner spoon, and level them off. If a recipe gives you a weird amount like 3/8 teaspoon, that's 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon. For bigger batches, our cups to tablespoons converter makes it easy to scale spice blends up, and the full baking substitutions chart covers everything beyond spices. If you're stocking up on pie supplies for the holidays, it's also worth checking your pie pan sizes before you bake, since a deep dish pan holds more filling and needs a bit more spice.
Free toolCups to Tablespoons Converter (Plus Halving Chart)Try the calculator →
Free toolBaking Substitutions: Exact Ratios for 41 IngredientsPlug in my recipe →
Questions people ask
What is the best nutmeg substitute?
Mace is the best nutmeg substitute because it comes from the same fruit. It's the lacy red covering around the nutmeg seed. Use it one to one: 1 teaspoon of ground mace for 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg. It tastes a little lighter and more delicate, but in pies, cakes and cookies most people can't tell the difference.
How much ground nutmeg is in one whole nutmeg?
One whole nutmeg grated on a fine grater gives about 2 to 3 teaspoons of ground nutmeg. Freshly grated nutmeg is more aromatic than jarred ground nutmeg, so measure it the same way but use a slightly scant spoonful if your nutmeg is fresh and very fragrant.
Can I use cinnamon instead of nutmeg?
Yes. Use about half as much cinnamon as the nutmeg called for, so 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon per 1 teaspoon nutmeg. Cinnamon is sweeter and more noticeable, so the bake will taste more cinnamon-forward. In recipes that already have cinnamon, you can often just leave the nutmeg out and add a small pinch more cinnamon.
Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of nutmeg?
Yes, one to one. Pumpkin pie spice already contains nutmeg along with cinnamon, ginger and cloves or allspice. It's a great swap in pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, spice cake and quick breads. Your bake will taste a little more like a classic fall dessert, which is usually a good thing.
Can I leave nutmeg out of a recipe?
Usually, yes. If the recipe uses 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg alongside other spices, leaving it out won't hurt the texture at all. The flavor will be a little less deep. In recipes where nutmeg is the main flavor, like custard pie or eggnog cookies, use mace or a fresh grating instead.
What can I use instead of nutmeg in eggnog cookies or custard?
Use mace one to one, or grate a whole nutmeg fresh if you have one. In these recipes nutmeg is the main flavor, so a blend heavy in cinnamon will change the taste a lot. If mace isn't an option, a mix of 1/4 teaspoon allspice and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon per teaspoon of nutmeg is the next best choice.
Is a lot of nutmeg bad for you?
In large amounts, yes. Eating a tablespoon or more of nutmeg at once can cause nausea, dizziness and other unpleasant symptoms. The small amounts in normal recipes, spread across a whole pie or batch of cookies, are safe. Just don't add extra spoonfuls to make up for an old, weak jar.