Step aside, pumpkin spice

Summer’s end signals a change not only in weather but in our tastes as well. We crave hearty, toasty flavors. The light herbs that felt so perfect just weeks ago just don’t cut it now. 

Pumpkin spice is the perennial autumnal go-to spice, and it is everywhere. From coffee and ice cream to popcorn, cookies, and granola.  

But I have found another, more versatile, and not so overdone way to channel my warm-and-cozy fall flavor desires— I am leaning into chai spices. (Note: That’s “chai” with the “ch” of “chocolate,” not the “ch” of “challah.”) 

Chai is traditionally called “masala chai” and is a warm, pungent mix based on cardamon, ginger, and black pepper. It is toasty and versatile. If you like pumpkin spice (which doesn’t contain pumpkin, BTW!), you are going to love chai spice.  

Most of us think of chai as a tea blend, but it did not start out as a beverage. Chai spice was created over 5,000 years ago in India as a medicinal drink. The spices were chosen and blended to aid digestion and overall health. 

Then, in the 1800s, the British East India Company started massive tea plantations in India to disrupt China’s tea monopoly. To stretch the tea, locals added milk, sugar, and chai, enhancing the flavor and creating masala chai tea. 

The magic of these spices is their sweetness. Cinnamon, cloves, allspice, star anise, and fennel contain chemical compounds that mimic a sweet smell and taste, because their structure is very close to that of sugar molecules. 

Chai spice mix enhances savory foods like fish, chicken, turkey and especially duck, and also browned or caramelized veggies. The caramelization of foods is the browning of natural sugars; the chemical compounds of the sweet-tasting chai mix make this a perfect match.  

For dessert, chai spices are delicious with butter, caramel, and vanilla flavors—oh, and with white chocolate! 

As you reach for fall’s cozy sweaters, sweatshirts, and spices, I hope I have inspired you to look past the pumpkin spice and try something old/new and endlessly versatile. I’m sharing my favorite chai spice mix, but I urge you to have fun experimenting with it. You can also purchase chai spices. 

Chai Spice Mix 

I worked as a product developer for a local spice company, and loved being in the warehouse when the spices arrived and were ground and bottled. 

My appreciation for using fresh spices was sharpened when I started creating my own blends. 

There is a huge difference in intensity and flavor when you have freshly ground spices. If you have jars of ground spices more than a year old, toss them.  

For a great mix, start with fresh spices from a reputable company. Seek out a local spice trader and purchase small amounts. 

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon (I prefer Saigon/Vietnamese cinnamon) 

2 tablespoons ground ginger 

1 tablespoon ground cardamom 

½ teaspoon ground black pepper (I only use Tellicherry peppercorns) 

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (I prefer whole nutmeg and grate it myself on a microplane) 

½ teaspoon ground cloves 

¼ teaspoon ground fennel 

1. Sift cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and fennel together. 
2. Store in a covered container, away from direct light. 

Chai-Spiced Butternut Squash Soup 

There is something about butternut squash soup that makes many weak in the knees. This version ups the luxurious and velvety soup with warm and sweet aromatic chai flavors. 

Butternut squash caramelizes beautifully when roasted; by browning the soup’s aromatic base of vegetables or mirepoix, the soup is complex but still comforting. The flavors are elevated and robust, but with a softness if that makes sense. The cinnamon is pillowy and works as well with onions and garlic as it does with sugar and chocolate. Pure magic! 

Serves 5 

EVOO 

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

1 large butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeded 

2 large yellow onions, diced 

2 medium favorite apples (I like Honeycrisp), peeled, cored and diced 

2 medium carrots, diced 

3 celery ribs, diced 

3 large garlic cloves, minced 

Several sprigs of fresh thyme 

2-3 teaspoons Chai spice mix 

1 cup apple cider (not apple juice) 

6-8 cups vegetable stock 

Garnishes: Chai-Maple spiced pumpkin seeds, plain yogurt 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F 

1. Drizzle oil on butternut squash halves and season with salt and pepper.  
2. Roast squash, cut side down, on lined baking sheets until fork tender and caramelized (about 30-40 minutes).  
3. Cool and then scoop flesh from shell and set aside.
4. While squash is cooking, heat a large Dutch oven, or soup pot, lightly coated with EVOO, over medium heat. Sauté onions, apples, carrots and celery, in batches, until golden brown and caramelized.  
5. Add garlic and thyme to the last batch and cook until fragrant and softened.  
6. Add chai spice mix to the vegetables and sauté until fragrant (about 3 minutes). 
7. Add butternut squash, apple cider and vegetable stock. Simmer for about 20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove thyme sprigs and discard. 
8. Puree soup with an immersion blender until creamy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and consistency with additional stock.  

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Chai-Maple Spiced Pumpkin Seeds and dollop of yogurt. 

Chai Spiced Roasted Salmon 

Rich and buttery salmon paired with warm, bold Chai spices make this a perfect autumn dish, toasty and cozy. This is a great dish for a dinner party. The flavors are sophisticated, and the fish can be browned ahead of time, and then finished in the oven while guests are gathering at the table. 

Serves 4 

4 5-ounce salmon filets, skin-off 

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

EVOO 

1 tablespoon Chai spice mix 

2 tablespoons honey 

For the pan sauce 

1 tablespoon butter 

1 shallot, minced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 teaspoons Chai spice mix 

Zest of 1 orange 

½ cup vegetable stock 

2 tablespoons cold butter 

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley 

Line a baking sheet with parchment, preheat oven to 325°F 

1. Season salmon filets with salt and pepper. Heat a medium sauté pan, lightly coated with EVOO, over medium-high heat. Sear salmon filets, non-skin side down, until browned and crispy (about 5 minutes). Transfer to lined baking sheet. 
2. Stir chai spice mix with honey and brush each filet with the mixture.  
3. Roast salmon in preheated oven to 4-6 minutes until cooked to medium. 
4. In the same pan in which the salmon was browned, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add shallot, garlic, chai spices, and orange zest; stir together. Cook until shallot is translucent and mixture is very fragrant. 
5. Add vegetable stock and reduce to about 4 tablespoons. Whisk in cold butter and parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 

Place salmon filets on individual plates or a serving platter and pour pan sauce over salmon. 

Crispy Chai Sweet Potatoes  

The natural sweetness of sweet potatoes is a fantastic pairing for Chai Spices, which complement its flavor and crispy, caramelized exterior. 

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into matchsticks or thin wedges 

3 teaspoons cornstarch 

3 tablespoons EVOO 

2 teaspoons sea salt and 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 

2 tablespoons Chai spice mix 

Line a full-size baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375°F. 

1. Place cut sweet potatoes in a large bowl with cold water. Soak for about 20-30 minutes. Drain and dry the sweet potatoes. 
2. Toss potatoes with cornstarch to coat each piece.  
3. Drizzle with EVOO and toss with salt, pepper, and Chai spice mix. 
4. Arrange potatoes on lined baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes until crisp and browned. 

Serve hot. 

Lime-Sriracha Mayo 

The cozy flavors of the sweet potatoes need a little nudge to balance their flavors. I like the perfume and citrus punch of lime, a gentle poke of heat from sriracha, and the sweet-evoking spices, making this a perfect “swicy” condiment. Rich, eggy mayo makes the potatoes satisfying. 

Yields 1 cup 

1 cup high-quality mayo (I love Kewpie Mayo for the rich eggy flavor) 

2 garlic cloves, grated on microplane 

2 teaspoons or more sriracha 

Zest and juice of 1 lime 

1. Stir mayo, garlic, sriracha, and lime zest together. 

Chai Spiced Shortbread 

Butter, vanilla, and Chai Spices are heaven! I love the perfume of orange zest here. The dough is very easy to work with, and can be made several days ahead of baking. Allow the dough to warm to room temperature before rolling it out. 

For a ridiculously delicious garnish, melt good quality white chocolate and drizzle over baked shortbread. Its high cocoa-butter fat content enhances the spices. 

Yields about 2 dozen cookies 

12 ounces butter, room temperature 

1 cup sugar, plus more to sprinkle 

2 teaspoons best quality vanilla extract 

Zest of 2 oranges 

3 teaspoons chai spice mix 

3½ cups flour, sifted 

1 teaspoon sea salt 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F. 

1. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar until creamy. This takes a while! Scrape the bowl down a few times and mix until the butter is fluffy and creamy.  
2. Add vanilla, orange zest, chai, flour and salt. Mix thoroughly. 
3. Shape dough into a disk and wrap in parchment. Chill for at least one hour. 
4. Roll out dough to ½ inch thickness and cut into desired shapes.  
5. Place on lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar.  
6. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  

Once the cookies have cooled and firmed up a bit, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. 

For the glaze 

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted 

2 tablespoons milk 

1/3 cup chai spice mix 

1. Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and spice mix until smooth. You might need a tiny splash of milk depending upon humidity. 

To glaze the shortbread: drizzle cooled cookies with glaze. Allow to dry completely before storing. 

Laura Frankel—a noted kosher chef, and cookbook author—serves as Director of Culinary Operations at Tamarisk NorthShore. She is also a product development specialist and has worked as culinary director for a media company.