Top 5 Clove Substitutes for Baking and Whole Cloves
Every swap is milder than clove, and the best one depends on whether the recipe uses it ground or whole.
Ground allspice is the best clove substitute, used at the same amount and raised to twice as much if you want the full clove strength. Pumpkin pie spice works in pies and cakes, and cinnamon works where a sweeter result is fine. For whole cloves in a braise, a ham or mulled wine, use whole allspice berries in their place.
Why is clove so hard to replace?
It is one of the strongest spices on the shelf. Whole cloves are dried flower buds whose oil is mostly eugenol, a compound so intense that it numbs the tongue slightly in large amounts.
- What it is
- The dried flower bud of a tropical tree
- Main flavor
- Eugenol, warm, sweet and slightly numbing
- Strength
- Strong enough that recipes use it by the pinch or a few whole buds
- Forms
- Whole buds for infusing, ground for baking and rubs
- Usual jobs
- Gingerbread, pumpkin pie, baked ham, mulled wine, pickles and pilafs
Every substitute is milder.
That is often an advantage. Most home cooks find clove easy to overdo, and a slightly gentler swap rarely hurts a dish. The swaps below are chosen for which of clove's jobs they cover rather than for matching its strength exactly.
Which warm spices stand in for ground clove?
Five spices stand in for ground clove, and one of them shares clove's main flavor compound.
| Substitute | Per 1 tsp ground clove | Best for | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allspice | 1 tsp, up to 2 tsp for full strength | Baking, braises, fruit | Rounder and less numbing |
| Pumpkin pie spice | 1 tsp | Pies, cakes, cookies | Adds cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp | Baking, poached fruit, drinks | Sweeter and woodier, with no numbing edge |
| Nutmeg | 1/2 tsp | Custards, cream sauces, squash | Nuttier and softer |
| Cardamom | 1/2 tsp | Tea, rice pudding, fruit | Brighter and more floral |
- Allspice: the closest flavor.
- Pumpkin pie spice: already contains a little clove.
- Cinnamon: sweeter, with no numbing edge.
- Nutmeg and cardamom: gentler directions.
Ground allspice is the closest by a long way. Its oil is also rich in eugenol, which is why allspice tastes of clove to begin with.
Start at the same amount and taste. Allspice is softer, so a dish can take up to twice as much before it tastes like a clove-heavy one.
Pumpkin pie spice usually contains a little clove already, which makes it an easy swap in anything sweet.
What replaces whole cloves?
Whole cloves are used for infusing and for studding, and both jobs need something you can remove or see that ground spice cannot provide.
- For a braise or stockUse two or three allspice berries per whole clove, tied in a small cloth bag
- For mulled wine or ciderUse a cinnamon stick plus a few allspice berries, and lift them out when the drink tastes right
- For a studded ham or onionUse allspice berries pressed into the surface, which hold like cloves
- For pickling liquidUse allspice berries at the same count as the cloves
- For a star-anise-friendly brothUse one small point broken from a star anise for two or three cloves
- Tie them up: easy to lift out.
- Taste as it cooks: whole spices keep releasing flavor.
- Star anise: only a small point, since it is strong.
Whole allspice berries are the default because they look, behave and taste the most like cloves. A star anise point brings licorice instead, so keep it for broths where that note suits the dish.
Why can gingerbread take a gentler swap than a braise?
Because sugar hides a gentler spice, while savory food shows the gap.
Allspice at the same amount, or pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin pie spice, which already contains clove
Allspice, ground into the glaze or as whole berries
Allspice berries in a bag, lifted out when the stew tastes right
A few allspice berries or a cardamom pod in the pot
Allspice berries with extra cinnamon stick
- Sugar: softens the difference.
- Allspice: the closest flavor.
- Taste the batter: add a little more if needed.
Gingerbread is the easiest case of all. It already carries ginger, cinnamon and molasses, and a clove-shaped gap in that mix is almost impossible to taste.
How strong is ground clove compared with whole?
Much stronger per spoonful, and the difference catches people out. Ground clove releases all of its oil at once. A whole bud gives it up slowly over a long cook.
- One whole cloveRoughly an eighth of a teaspoon of ground clove, released slowly
- Ground clove in bakingA quarter to half a teaspoon flavors a whole cake
- Ground clove in a rubA pinch per pound of meat is usually enough
- Whole cloves in a braiseTwo to four for a pot that serves four
- Old ground cloveLoses strength within months, so older jars need a little more
- Whole: slow, removable.
- Ground: fast, and it stays in the dish.
- Measure ground clove carefully.
That is also why substitutes behave more gently. None of them releases flavor as fiercely as fresh ground clove.
How do European, Indian and Chinese dishes replace clove?
Each kitchen pairs clove with different neighbors, and the best swap borrows from them.
In European baking, allspice is the natural stand-in, and it already shares clove's main flavor. In Indian dishes such as biryani and pilaf, a cardamom pod and a small piece of cinnamon cover the gap better. In Chinese braises, where clove sits beside star anise, a small extra point of star anise takes its place.
Mexican moles and adobo sauces use clove as one of several warm spices, and allspice with a little extra cinnamon fills the space without anyone noticing.
Is clove oil a substitute?
Not for everyday cooking.
Food-grade clove oil is sometimes used by professional bakers in tiny, measured amounts. For home cooking, ground allspice is safer and far easier to measure.
Can you leave clove out?
Often, yes, since a missing quarter teaspoon of clove is hard to notice in a recipe with several other warm spices.
It is noticed where clove leads. Studded ham, mulled wine and some pickles are built around it, and those are the dishes worth finding a real substitute for.
Garam masala is one blend where a small clove gap matters less than people think. It carries cardamom, cinnamon and pepper that cover for it. Skipping the clove in a home mix still tastes right.
What if the cake or ham tastes numbing?
Too much clove is the common problem, and more of the plain dish is the only reliable fix.
- Numbing or medicinalToo much ground clove or allspice, which only more batter, fruit or stock fixes
- Too sweet and blandCinnamon with no depth behind it, which a pinch of allspice or nutmeg rounds out
- PerfumedToo much cardamom, fixed by more of the base
- Licorice in a savory dishThe star anise point stayed in too long, so lift it out and dilute
- FlatOld, faded spice, and a fresh jar makes the biggest difference
Sugar and fat soften a slightly strong clove note in baking, which is why a dollop of whipped cream helps an over-spiced slice of pie. In savory food, a little acid such as lemon or vinegar lifts a heavy, clove-dark braise.
For the other warm spices, ground cinnamon and whole nutmeg cover their own swaps in more detail.