This chili seasoning recipe is a perfect blend to have in your cupboard for when you want to make a quick pot of chili. There are a couple surprises that set this spice mix apart!
You guys. It’s snowing in Michigan right now. I’m not talking a few little flurries snowing. I’m talking scrape off the car, shovel the driveway, salt the porch, put up the Christmas tree snowing. I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life, and yet snow in April never ceases to annoy me a little bit.
Our plants were all starting to pop up, and now they’re covered with snow.
I debated not writing this post, because frankly, I just don’t really feel like doing much of anything at all. I just want to curl up under a blanket and watch movies. The kids are grumpy, I’m a little grumpy (okay, fine, a lot grumpy), and we’re all just over it.
Alright I’ll be honest, I wrote those first few paragraphs and then decided to push this back a day. Sunday was a long day, my kids were so grumpy, and by the time they went to bed, I was completely spent. I could have done it, of course, but I decided to give myself a break and relax a little before bed instead of working late.
So, instead of writing, I laid in my bed, ate popcorn, and watched Schitt’s Creek. I’ve heard everyone raving about it recently, and I have to admit, it is pretty funny.
I am excited to share this chili seasoning with you, though. It’s a recipe that a couple of readers have requested over the years, so I’m excited to finally share it.
There are a couple of surprising ingredients in this chili seasoning. You have two choices:
- Trust me, and make it as it is written.
- Leave them out and have a more basic chili seasoning. It will still be absolutely delicious and taste 100% like chili, but people probably won’t be asking you for the recipe. They won’t be saying, “Oh my gosh, this is the best chili I have ever had, is that cinnamon I taste?”
Either way, your call. This is a no-judgement zone.
What you need
So much good stuff in this spice mix! Here’s the rundown:
- Chili Powder, and lots of it.
- Ground Cumin
- Paprika (use smoked paprika for a great smokey flavor!)
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Cocoa Powder (TRUST ME)
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Cayenne
- Cinnamon (TRUST ME AGAIN)
The cinnamon and cocoa powder might sound strange at first glance, but they add a great depth of flavor that sets this apart from typical store-bought seasoning mixes.
You’ll also notice a few omissions that are often found in store-bought spice mixes.
Where is the salt?
I leave the salt out of my spice mix for a couple of reasons. The first being that I like to add the salt (and pepper, but that’s next) when I’m sautéing my vegetables and cooking my meat. I also want you guys to be able to control the amount of salt you put into your chili. Add a little while you sauté your vegetables and meat…and then when it is all said and done, give it a taste and add more as needed.
Where is the ground black pepper?
Again, I like to add this while I sauté my vegetables and meat. I find it’s the best time to layer in this flavor. I don’t go heavy on the black pepper when I’m using this spice mix, though, because it already has red pepper flakes and cayenne. I also often add diced jalapeño to my chili (my favorite chili recipe is coming to you this week!) so I don’t find that a lot of black pepper is needed.
Where is the thickener?
Many store-bought seasoning mixes contain some sort of thickener. I like to add masa at the end, but some people like a thinner chili, or they might just use less liquid to begin with. Again, I want you to be able to control this aspect of your chili, which is why I didn’t include it in the seasoning mix.
Obsessed with spice mixes?
I have a lot of choices on my site, and I’ve made a list of all my favorite homemade spice mixes. But here are some of my favorites:
- Taco Seasoning – My #1 go-to, always.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix – Good for so many things, not just pie. This pumpkin spice candied walnuts are to die for!
- Fajita Seasoning – I use this one all the time, especially in sheet pan chicken fajitas.
- Mild Curry Powder – I love this one! It’s great in this copycat Panera squash soup or pumpkin curry soup.
- Beef Stew Seasoning Mix – Great in Instant Pot Beef Stew!
We adore chili with cornbread. Try this healthy cornbread or cornbread muffins with herbs and cheddar,.
Chili Seasoning Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika (use smoked paprika, if desired)
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl or jar. Store in a small airtight container.
- After cooking meat and vegetables for chili, stir in spice mix and toast for 1-2 minutes before adding liquid ingredients to chili.
Notes
- I use this entire spice mix with 3 pounds of meat in a beanless chili. Since each chili recipe is different, it’s hard to say exactly how much to use. Start with half if you’re unsure, and you can always add more.
- Makes about ⅓ cup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Is this for one batch of chili??
I use this entire spice mix with 3 pounds of meat in a beanless chili. Since each chili recipe is different, it’s hard to say exactly how much to use. Start with half if you’re unsure, and you can always add more.
Sooo….in your pepper flakes /chili powder, what type chili pepper did you use? On the hot side or the sweet side taste-wise?
Probably on the sweeter side. I use Mccormick :)
I made this yesterday. It’s a great chili recipe. Rachel is right…. the Cocoa powder, and Cinnamon definitely make it an extremely good Chili.
Jim Corbin
So happy to hear you liked it!
The cocoa and cinnamon remind me of Cincinnati Style Chili! We are trying this recipe out now! Will come back with results…sounds great!
I hope you love it!
I’m curious about the use of chili powder since it contains most these ingredients already. Is there a certain type of chili powder that you recommend? I’m not a real big fan of cumin so that is really my concern. The chili powder that I have already has cumin in it.
I most often use Mccormick. You could leave the additional cumin out if you’d like!
Years ago McCormick made a cocoa chili blend. It made the best chili especially when used with black beans. I am definitely going to give this recipe a try.
I hope you love it!
This recipe is life changing! Haha I’ve always just used a store bought packet and dr’d it up a bit, but this one is tried and true! I love the smokey flavor the cocoa powder and cinnamon add, (I often find myself adding a bit more) and I can’t stop telling ppl about it! I’m a huge fan of sharing is caring, so i have and will continue to share with friends/ family. Can’t wait to check out your other spice recipes, you’ve earned my trust!
Ahhh, life changing! What a compliment! Thank you! I’m so glad you like it and I have earned your trust! The trust of my readers is the most important thing to me in this business! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Quick Q before I make tomorrow: why onion poweder if my chili is getting yellow and red onions? Just a wonder.
You can leave it out! It adds another layer of flavor but your fresh onions will provide lots of flavor on their own.
Left it in! Just followed you to a T. And let me tell you…THE BEST CHILI I EVER MADE! Could not detect the cocoa and cinnamon but my whole palate was robust with joy!!! DELICIOUS; Thank You! (I figured 1/2 tsp. onion powder for 6lbs. total of stew; I just follow you. AND WHOLLY HAPPY I DID!!!)
I’m so glad you liked it! Your comment made my day!
This spice mix is EVERYTHING!!!! Amazing. Thank you so much.
So happy to hear you like it! Thanks for leaving a review!
We enjoyed this very much! I didn’t have chili powder on hand, but used a mix of ancho chile powder, chipolte powder, and harissa powder to replace the chili powder. I added all the other spices as per the recipe. My chili is sans beans; I use 1lb stew meat, 1lb ground beef, and 1lb ground pork. Sometimes I’ll use lamb, bison, or sausage of some type if there’s a good price. My seasoning veggies are usually onion, celery, and garlic. Today I added a green pepper. All blended to be really delicious and we all had seconds! After living in Hawaii for several years, we’ve adopted the practice of serving chili over hapa-style rice (chili-n-rice, said as all one word!). Hapa rice is a mix of half white and half brown rice. Since I’m eating low carb, I exchanged rice for cauliflower rice. Topped with sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, and a spoonful of sour cream ( and sometimes crumbled crispy bacon). Thanks for the good spice mix!
Thanks for taking the time to write your review! Your meal sounds so delicious!!!
Very good. I added another 1 1/2 chili powder.
Happy to hear you liked it!