How to Make Homemade Paprika and Cayenne Powder

My spice rack grew in the garden this year.

I grew two kinds of peppers for it. Cayenne for heat, and Jimmy Nardello peppers for a sweet paprika. A few hours in the dehydrator and a minute in the blender later, I had a whole year of spices.

I have celiac, so I read every spice label. When I make my own, I know exactly what’s in the jar: peppers. That’s it.

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The peppers

• Cayenne makes cayenne powder. It’s hot, so wear gloves.
• Jimmy Nardello makes sweet paprika. They have no heat, and their thin walls dry beautifully.

Step 1: Harvest

Pick only when the peppers are completely, vividly red. Firm or slightly wrinkled is perfect. If some have started drying on the plant, even better. They’ll finish faster.

Cut the stems with shears. Don’t pull them off by hand. And wear gloves for the cayenne.

Step 2: Prep

1. Rinse off any garden dirt and pat the peppers completely dry. Water on the outside slows down drying.
2. Cut off the green stems.
3. Slice each pepper in half lengthwise so the moisture can escape.
4. For paprika, scrape out the seeds and the pale inner ribs. You’ll get a smoother, brighter red powder.
5. For cayenne, keep the seeds and ribs for more heat, or scrape them out for a milder powder.

Step 3: Dry

Lay the halves skin side down in a single layer, so the air can move around them.

I dry mine at about 140°F in my Nesco Gardenmaster dehydrator. It takes 6 to 12 hours. Check early if some of your peppers started drying on the plant.

How to tell they’re done: take a piece out and let it cool for a minute. If it bends at all, it needs more time. It’s ready when it snaps in half like a potato chip.

No dehydrator? Use your oven on its lowest setting, 150°F to 175°F, on parchment, with the door cracked open a little. Start checking at 3 hours. It can take up to 5.

Step 4: Grind

1. Let the dried peppers cool on the counter for about 10 minutes.
2. Blend them in a spice grinder, coffee grinder or high-powered blender for 1 to 2 minutes, until you have a fine powder.
3. Sift it. Pour the powder through a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Blitz any pieces left in the strainer one more time.

Let the grinder sit for a minute before you open the lid, especially with cayenne. And don’t breathe in the dust. Trust me.

Want red pepper flakes too?

You have two options:

• Pulse instead of blend. A few quick pulses of the dried cayenne gives you coarse flakes.
• Sift them out. Grind to a medium texture, then pour it through a fine-mesh strainer. The powder falls through, and the flakes stay behind. One batch, two spices.

Storage

Store your powder in airtight glass jars in a dark cupboard, away from the heat of the stove. I use little 3 oz glass jars with hinged lids. These are the same kind. It keeps its color, flavor and heat for about a year.

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Paprika and cayenne questions

Can I use any pepper for paprika?
Sweet, thin-walled red peppers work best, because they dry fast and grind smoothly. Jimmy Nardellos are my favorite for it.

How do I know my peppers are dry enough?
They should snap cleanly in half once they’ve cooled. If they bend, they need more time. Peppers that aren’t fully dry can mold in the jar.

Is homemade paprika gluten free?
Yes. It’s just peppers. Store-bought spices are naturally gluten free too, but if you’re celiac like me, you still check the label.

How long does homemade cayenne last?
About a year at its best, in an airtight jar in a dark cupboard.

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More from the garden

• How to Plant Garlic in Fall
• Easy Raspberry Freezer Jam

Something good is always growing.

XO, Carly