• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Creative Manner
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
      • Cold Appetizers
      • Delicious Dips
      • Warm Appetizers
    • Breads and Muffins
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Cookie and Brownie Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink and Cocktail Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
      • Beef Recipes
      • Pork Recipes
      • Poultry Recipes
    • Sauce Recipes
    • Side Dishes
  • Tips and Tools
  • Outside The Kitchen
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Me
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
      • Cold Appetizers
      • Delicious Dips
      • Warm Appetizers
    • Breads and Muffins
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Cookie and Brownie Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink and Cocktail Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
      • Beef Recipes
      • Pork Recipes
      • Poultry Recipes
    • Sauce Recipes
    • Side Dishes
  • Tips and Tools
  • Outside The Kitchen
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Me
×
Home » Recipes

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe

March 27, 2025 by Jennifer Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe
All this spice jars to make the homemade seasoning blend. With a jar and then a bowl that is filled with all the seasonings it takes to make Old Bay.

Making your own Old Bay seasoning lets you control the ingredients, ensuring a fresh, additive-free blend. Store-bought versions may contain preservatives or extra salt.

Looking down on a jar of copycat Old Bay seasoning mix.

But a homemade mix allows you to adjust the flavors to your taste. Whether you prefer it spicier, milder, or salt-free, customizing your seasoning ensures it suits your favorite dishes.

Plus, it's a budget-friendly option since you can use spices you already have in your pantry. With just a few simple ingredients, you can recreate the bold, zesty taste of Old Bay at home and enjoy it anytime!

Why You'll Love This Homemade Seasoning Mix

Making your own Old Bay seasoning at home is easier than you think, and the flavor is just as bold and zesty as the store-bought version!

Looking into a bowl that has all the spices to make homemade Old Bay seasoning mix.

One of the biggest benefits is customization; you can adjust the spice level, salt content, or specific ingredients to match your taste.

Love heat? Add extra cayenne pepper. Prefer it milder? Reduce the black pepper.

Homemade spice blends like my homemade creole seasoning and easy chicken taco seasoning recipe let you control the ingredients while avoiding additives and preservatives.

With simple pantry staples, you'll always have fresh, flavorful seasoning ready to use. Plus, you can tailor it to fit dietary needs or allergens.

Use this DIY old seasoning to spice up seafood, chicken, fries, and more. It's sure to become a kitchen staple.

What Makes This Bold Spice Blend So Special?

Old Bay seasoning is a bold, zesty spice blend that originated in the Chesapeake Bay area. It combines a mix of spices like celery salt, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, and other seasonings.

It's known for its distinct, savory, and slightly spicy flavor.

A bowl filled all the seasonings needed to make homemade Old Bay.

Common uses for this spice blend are.

  • It's a classic seasoning for shrimp, crab, and lobster. And is often used in seafood boils.
  • Great for seasoning grilled, baked, or fried chicken.
  • It's a tasty way to add flavor to French fries or potato wedges.
  • A fun twist for flavoring popcorn.
  • Add a savory kick to roasted or grilled vegetables.
  • Enhances the flavor of broths for soups and stews.
  • Coat the rim of a glass to spice up a Bloody Mary

Step-By- Step Instructions

Mixing this homemade spice blend is quite simple. Gather all the ingredients needed and measure them out.

In the same mixing bowl, whisk the spices together until well blended. You could put them in a spice blender and grind them for a finer texture.

Store in an airtight container in a pantry or spice cabinet. Don't forget to put a label on the jar.

Keep the jar of Old Bay seasoning away from steam to prevent clumping and spoilage. This homemade Old Bay seasoning blend will last 6-12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this salt-free? Yes, you can easily make it salt-free simply omit the celery salt or reduce the amount of regular salt.

A jar filled with the best homemade Old Bay seasoning mix with more of the spices in the background.

What are some substitutes I can use? If you're missing a specific ingredient like sweet or smoky paprika, you could use regular paprika.

For the cayenne pepper, you could use chili powder or red pepper flakes. For the celery salt, you could grind up equal parts celery seed and salt together. Ground turmeric would be a great mild alternative for mustard powder.

Bring Bold Flavor To Every Dish

Are you ready to elevate your cooking with bold, homemade seasoning? Give this DIY blend a try and bring fresh, zesty flavor to all your favorite dishes. Don't forget to share your creations and let us know how you're using it!

Here are some more homemade seasoning blends you may enjoy.

  • Looking into a bowl that has the homemade fajita seasoning blend in it.
    Easy Fajita Seasoning Recipe
  • A spice jar and measuring spoon that is filled with the hiomemade lemon pepper seasoning recipe.
    Lemon Pepper Seasoning Recipe
  • A plate that has the spices on it to make homemade Cajun seasoning.
    Homemade Cajun Seasoning
  • A mixing bowl with the homemade poultry seasoning in.
    Easy Homemade Poultry Seasoning
A airtight container filled with the homemade seasoning blend for Old Bay with more seasonings in the background.
0 from 0 votes
Print

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe

Old Bay seasoning is a kitchen staple with bold, complex flavors. Learn how to make your own homemade blend with this easy recipe.

Course Seasoning
Cuisine American
Keyword Homemade Seasoning Recipes, Homemade Seasonings, Old Bay Seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 5 kcal
Author Jennifer

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Celery Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Hot Hungarian Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1½ Teaspoon Ground Mustard
  • ½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon White Pepper
  • ⅓ Teaspoon Ground Bay Leaves
  • ⅛ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ⅛ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • ⅛ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Into a spice grinder, add in 1-2 bay leaves and some of the other seasonings. Grind until the bay leaves are fine. Adding some of the other spices helps to get those bay leaves ground up.

  2. Add the ground bay leaves and the other spices into a small mixing bowl.

  3. Whisk together until combined.

  4. Add the homemade Old Bay seasoning to a labeled airtight container. Store for 6 months to 1 year.

  5. Use on fish, seafood, meats, or vegetables.

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe
Serving Size
 
12 Servings
Amount per Serving
Calories
5
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
0.2
g
0
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.04
g
0
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0.04
g
Sodium
 
589
mg
26
%
Potassium
 
31
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
 
1
g
0
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
0.1
g
0
%
Protein
 
0.2
g
0
%
Vitamin A
 
610
IU
12
%
Vitamin C
 
0.1
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
5
mg
1
%
Iron
 
0.3
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
« Easy Grasshopper Mint Dump Cake
  • Share
  • Tweet

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Jennifer - My Creative Manner
Welcome to My Creative Manner, I’m so happy to have you here! My name is Jennifer but my friends and family call me Jen. I’m from Michigan where my high school sweetheart and I are raising our three wonderful kids. Life can get busy but our goal is family first, so meals together are a must in our home.
Find out more about me

Stay updated!

Get a free list of Instant Pot terms when you sign up to receive our emails.

Categories

Most Popular

Looking down into a bowl with all the spices that make up homemade old bay seasoning.

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe

Looking down on a slice of the minty dump cake recipe that has a fork with some on it.

Easy Grasshopper Mint Dump Cake

Looking down on a slice of the chocolate cake on a plate with more of the German dump cake in a baking dish.

German Chocolate Dump Cake

Looking down onto a platter of pumpkin muffins with crumb topping.

Pumpkin Muffins With Streusel Topping

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned on this site.

I earn commissions from qualifying purchases as an Amazon associate

All images on this site belong to My Creative Manner

Copyright © 2017- 2025 My Creative Manner

Green Woods Formulations, LLC

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required