You can buy a Tex-Mex seasoning, a Mexican chili blend or a fajita mix at any grocery store. Nothing compares to a homemade spice mix built on dried chilies you toast yourself in a cast iron pan ten minutes before you use them.
This is the blend I make before every trip. One jar seasons a whole outdoor kitchen: it goes into a pot of Cowgirl Chili, onto grilled corn, into a marinade, over eggs. When people ask what is in the pot, this is usually the answer.
🌶️ The Two Chilies Behind This Homemade Spice Mix
Ancho is a dried poblano — dark, wrinkled, sweet, with raisin and cocoa notes and almost no heat. Guajillo is brighter and tangier, a little sharper, with a mild kick. Together they give you depth and lift; either one alone is flatter.
Look for chilies that are still pliable, like dried fruit. If they snap when you bend them they have been sitting on the shelf too long and will taste dusty — New Mexico State University’s guide to dried chiles explains why they stiffen and fade with time.
🔥 Why Toasting Matters
Toasting wakes up the volatile oils in the chilies, the cumin and the allspice. It is the difference between a blend that tastes like dust and one that fills the campsite the moment you open the jar. Do the chilies first, set them aside, then the seeds — they need less time.
🫙 Storing Your Homemade Spice Mix
A sealed jar away from light keeps it several months, though it is at its best in the first six weeks. Make a double batch before a long trip: it weighs nothing and it does more work than any other thing in the spice kit.
🍳 What to Use This Homemade Spice Mix On
- Cowgirl Chili — a tablespoon in the pot is what makes the dish.
- Beans, ground meat and any one-pan skillet supper.
- Rubbed on corn with lime and butter.
- In a marinade with oil and citrus, for chicken or pork.
- Over fried eggs, or on homemade tortillas with a little salt.
🔄 Variations
- Hotter. Add one dried chile de árbol, or leave the guajillo seeds in.
- Smokier. Swap one ancho for a dried chipotle.
- Smoked paprika instead of sweet, for a barbecue-leaning version.
- No grinder? Crumble the toasted chilies by hand and use a mortar — coarser, still excellent.
Knock-Your-Socks-Off Spice Mix
Equipment
- cast iron pan
- Food processor or spice grinder
Ingredients
- 2 dried ancho chilies stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried guajillo chilies stemmed and seeded
- 3 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 allspice berry
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
Instructions
- In a cast iron pan, toast the chilies quickly on both sides until fragrant — no further, or they turn bitter. Set aside.
- Toast the cumin seeds and the allspice berry in the same pan until they smell nutty.
- Transfer everything to a food processor or spice grinder and grind finely. BAM!
Notes
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find ancho and guajillo chilies?
Latin grocery stores, most large supermarkets in the international aisle, and online. They keep for a year in a sealed bag.
Can I use chili powder instead?
You can, but you will lose most of what makes this worth making. If you must, use a pure ground ancho rather than a pre-mixed chili powder, which is already seasoned.
How much does the recipe make?
About one small jar — roughly half a cup of ground mix, enough for eight to ten dishes.
Is it spicy?
Barely. Ancho and guajillo are about flavour, not heat. Add a chile de árbol if you want it to bite.
Can I skip the allspice berry?
Yes, but it is doing more than you would expect — it is the warm background note behind the cumin. One berry is all it takes.
Can I grind it outdoors?
Better to grind at home. Toasting works fine over a fire, but a grinder needs power and a food processor is not camp equipment.
How long does it really keep?
Several months sealed and out of the light. Ground spices fade rather than spoil — if it stops smelling like anything, make a fresh batch.