Homemade Old Bay Seasoning (2024)

In a pinch and need to mix up your own homemade Old Bay Seasoning? We’ve got you covered with this easy spice mix recipe! It’s just as tasty as the original and you can use as much or as little as you need and store the rest in your pantry to use again when needed.

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Growing up in Delaware, right next door to the crabbing capital that is Maryland, I am all too familiar with the taste of Old Bay.

My dad would go crabbing and invite the neighbors over for a big dinner. Of course he always seasoned the crabs with Old Bay and everyone would rave about how good they were.

These days I make steamed shrimp with Old Bay and my husband makes crab dip, though there are so many more ways to use this flavorful seasoning.

The idea to make a homemade Old Bay Seasoning recipe came about when we unexpectedly ran out. I prefer to make my own seasonings most of the time now, to avoid unnecessary added ingredients, so coming up with a copycat recipe of Old Bay was next on my list.

It’s always good to have homemade spice mix recipes on hand just in case! A few of my favorites, that I prefer much more than store-bought mixes, are Blackening Seasoning, Poultry Seasoning, and Taco Seasoning.

Why This Recipe Works

As with most homemade spice mixes, Old Bay Seasoning is a very easy spice mixture to make. It’s as simple as measuring out individual herbs and spices and mixing them together. If you want a finer mixture, you can use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

This is a very flavorful seasoning. Original Old Bay has 18 ingredients in their secret recipe. While this copycat recipe has a bit less, it’s suspected that some of the ingredients in the authentic recipe are similar in flavor, such as white and black pepper.

As with all homemade spice mixtures, you have full control over how it tastes. Adjust the amount of individual herbs, add other types that aren’t in it, or omit an herb or spice you may not have or care for. The main spices in Old Bay are celery salt, paprika, bay leaves, mustard powder and pepper. If you’re missing one or two of the other spices, especially the less common ones like mace, you likely won’t miss it much.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons celery salt: you can make your own celery salt by blending 2 parts celery seed with 1 part salt.
• 1 tablespoon ground bay leaves: if you can’t find ground bay leaves, you can grind them up in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika: you can use regular paprika, if preferred.
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mace

The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.

Prep!

There is no significant prep work for this recipe.

Create!

Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and mix until well combined.

Chef’s Tip: if a finer seasoning is preferred, you can use a spice grinder, mortar and pestle, or small food processor to blend it to your desired texture.

Present!

Store in a jar with a lid away from direct sunlight.

Use by the earliest expiration date on the individual jars of herbs used.

Tips and Techniques

• Use fresh, dried herbs and spices for the best results.
• Make your own celery salt by blending 2 parts celery seed with 1 part salt.
• If you’d like a less spicier seasoning, you can reduce or omit the cayenne pepper.
• If you don’t have, or don’t like, an ingredient,you can easily adjust this recipe to suite your own tastes.
• Use a spice or coffee grinder, food processor, or mortar and pestle to grind the spices finer, if desired.
• Store in a dry, cool place away from direct sunlight.Use by the earliest expiration date on the individual jars of herbs and spices used.

FAQ’s

What Is In Old Bay Seasoning?

The main ingredients in Old Bay Seasoning are celery salt, paprika, mustard powder, pepper and bay leaves. The secret Old Bay recipe is originally made with 18 different spices, though these 5 make up most of the recipe.

What Can Be Used As A Substitute For Old Bay Seasoning?

If you have the 5 main ingredients in Old Bay, celery salt, paprika, ground mustard, pepper and bay leaves, you can use a mix of those.

More Homemade Spice Mixtures

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