# Substitute for nutmeg: calling all chefs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594 "2002-10-17T00:22:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/1 "2002-10-17T00:22:24Z")
I have a recipe that I was going to try for my friend’s last day at work on Friday (we’re having a surprise party for her), but it lists nutmeg as one of the ingrediants…and my grocery store doesn’t sell nutmeg (I spent 15 minutes going over the spice shelves to make sure). The recipe calls for 1/4 teaspon ground nutmeg…is there any other spice I can substitute for it, or would it make a big difference to leave it out? ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/2 "2002-10-17T00:27:53Z")
Do you have mace? That spice is found on top of a nutmeg and should taste like nutmeg. Or maybe you could substitute cinnamon or allspice? ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/3 "2002-10-17T00:28:32Z")
Do you have mace? That spice is found on top of a nutmeg and should taste like nutmeg. Or maybe you could substitute cinnamon or allspice? Hey, this is my 500th post!! Yay me!! ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/4 "2002-10-17T05:01:03Z")
It says 499 when I look at it. There’s already a 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in the recipe as well, so I suppose I could just double it then. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/5 "2002-10-17T14:37:52Z")
**Kat** , what’s the recipe? And that’s bizarre that they don’t sell nutmeg – maybe you should ask someone there where they keep it? Nutmeg is one of the basic spices; it’s kinda like not selling thyme. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/6 "2002-10-17T15:45:10Z")
Try cloves or, as you entioned, a bit more cinnamon. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/7 "2002-10-17T15:48:30Z")
I forgot- depending on the recipe, you could try a pinch of ginger, too. Leaving a 1/4 of a teaspoon of anything (except baking powder/soda) out shouldn’t make a huge difference. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/8 "2002-10-17T16:44:21Z")
Yeah, nutmeg can be substitued with cinnamon, allspice, or ginger, depending on your tastes and the recipe. I’ll also second the :boggle: that your grocery store doesn’t sell nutmeg. It’s not a weirdo ingredient. It’s sorta like your grocery store not selling hamburger. I’d think even the smallest grocery store with a very limited set of spices would have nutmeg - next to salt and pepper, it’s one of the basics. Are you by any chance outside the US? Maybe it’s not so common in other places, or it’s called something besides nutmeg. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/9 "2002-10-17T18:02:56Z")
I would have suggested cinnamon, mace, or allspice as well. All spice may be too strong though. It goes well with pumpkin. MMM MMM ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/10 "2002-10-17T23:53:15Z")
I wonder if the grocery store’s reluctance to carry nutmeg is because of its allegedly hallucinogenic properties: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=114029&highlight=nutmeg](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=114029&highlight=nutmeg) ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/11 "2002-10-18T00:04:08Z")
Sorry about the misleading post. The second one should have been my 500th post. This one is, though. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/12 "2002-10-18T00:08:45Z")
You’ll all be happy to know that I stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home from work today because I had a craving for IBC root beer and, while there was absolutely no sign of IBC products on the designated shelves, they did have nutmeg. So I can make apricot burritos for tomorrow as they were intended to be made. 😉 Thanks for the suggestions and everything. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/13 "2002-10-18T00:52:29Z")
> [@](#): > > **apricot burritos** First time I’ve seen those two words next to each other like that ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/14 "2002-10-18T01:09:46Z")
Well, I’ll let you know how they turn out. And if they’re good, I’ll put the recipe up on Opal’s recipe page. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/15 "2002-10-18T07:39:18Z")
Apricot burritos sound fabulous. Assuming it is a dessert recipe… ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/16 "2002-10-18T13:18:15Z")
Fascinating! I wanna hear about the recipe (and FWIW, I think ginger and apricots would be damn fine together) Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/17 "2002-10-18T13:43:56Z")
For a good nutmeg replacement, substitute an equivalent amount of IBC root beer. ---
**Author:** ![li\_l\_Dickie\_Dirtz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@li\_l\_Dickie\_Dirtz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/li_l_Dickie_Dirtz)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/18 "2002-10-18T13:46:17Z")
[This](http://www.foodsubs.com/) website lists substitutions for various ingredients. I didn’t check if it has anything for nutmeg, but I guess you got that covered. For future reference, then. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/substitute-for-nutmeg-calling-all-chefs/132594/19 "2002-10-18T15:52:41Z")
Until I heard what the recipe was, I was reluctant to suggest a substitute. I say that because many of the substitutes suggested do NOT taste like nutmeg. Oh, several of them would make for very nice alternatives, under some circumstances, but not all. I mean, cinnamon does NOT taste like nutmeg… but if you were making French Toast, and your recipe called for a litttle nutmeg, and you didn’t have any, I’d say, “Go ahead and use cinnamon- it won’t taste the same, but it WILL give the French Toast a nice flavor.” I’d say the same thing for almost any dessert you’d want to make. On the other hand, nutmeg is used in numerous recipes that AREN’T sweet- quite a few cream sauces require nutmeg, for example. And I definitely would NOT use cinnamon as a substitute in THOSE cases! In any case, I’m glad the OP found the nutmeg, and that our advice isn’t needed. I just wanted to warn that spices that make EXCELLENT nutmeg substitutes in one recipe might NOT be appropriate substitutes in others.