20 Recipes That Put Cloves to Good Use, From Masala Chai to Barbacoa Tacos These recipes showcase the warmth and surprising versatility of cloves in sweet and savory dishes. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 19, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Cloves contribute unmistakable warmth in sweet and savory recipes alike. Used either whole or ground, these dried flower buds of a tropical evergreen are staples in spice blends such as garam masala, Chinese five-spice powder, quatre épices, pumpkin pie spice, and more, working synergistically to lend depth and complexity to dishes and drinks of all kinds. They’ve got global appeal, too, working their magic in everything from Latin American mainstays like adobo and picadillo to North African tagines and European baked goods. Bring this fragrant spice to your own kitchen with some of our favorite recipes featuring cloves. Love these recipes? Join MyRecipes — your personal home for recipes — to easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place. 01 of 20 Spiced Cider–Glazed Ham Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel Baked ham and cloves are a timeless combo. Here, chef Carla Hall coats a spiral-cut ham in a sweet, sharp mixture of apple cider, brown sugar, mustard, bourbon, and warm spices, which caramelizes in the oven into a glossy, deeply flavored crust for a vibrant, modern centerpiece. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 20 Gulai Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Curry) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Ground traditionally in a stone mortar and pestle, this creamy Padang-style curry is built on an aromatic paste of ginger, chiles, and spices. Candlenuts add rich body, while charred turmeric softens any bitterness; Indian bay leaves bring warm notes of cinnamon and clove, echoed by a cinnamon stick and four whole cloves. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 20 Five-Spice Braised Short Ribs Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle These fragrant, fork-tender short ribs from Chicago chef Erling Wu-Bower lean on Chinese five-spice — a blend of Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, fennel seed, and cloves — for foundational flavor. “Outside of Lunar New Year, this dish has entered the echelon of my most beloved Sunday family dinners, alongside gumbo, gravy, and cassoulet,” he says. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 20 Mulled Wine Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele Gently infuse red wine with nutmeg, vanilla, star anise, and 20 whole cloves, lightly sweeten with honey and maple syrup, then top it off with applejack brandy for a classic and festive holiday cocktail. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 20 Barbacoa de Res (Beef Barbacoa) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley A true labor of love, Jonathan Zaragoza’s barbacoa builds big flavor by marinating beef in an adobo made with a toasted blend of allspice, cloves, a cinnamon stick, peppercorns, oregano, cumin, and anise. Wrapped in banana leaves, the meat is slow-roasted until tender, then shredded for tacos. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 20 Ginger Spice Cake Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Nashville baker Jennifer Latham’s moist, zingy gingerbread cake comes together easily in the blender. Warm baking spices perfume the batter, while garnishes of candied ginger and pomegranate make the seasonal staple extra special. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 20 Sauerbraten Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley You’ll need to plan ahead for this traditional German pot roast, but it’s worth it. Boneless chuck roast marinates for three to seven days in a tangy mix of red wine, vinegar, aromatics, herbs, and spices like whole cloves and juniper berries before it’s browned and slow-roasted. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 20 Masala Chai Adam Friedlander / Food Styling by Pearl Jones Black tea is steeped with crushed cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon along with ground ginger and black pepper, milk, and sugar for a cozy, soul-warming drink that takes just 10 minutes to prepare. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 20 Maple and Orange–Glazed Sweet Potatoes Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel Roasted sweet potato wedges are lacquered in a syrup spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and star anise for this autumnal side dish from chef Gregory Gourdet. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 20 Curried Pumpkin and Buss Up Shut (Paratha Roti) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Whole cloves meet curry leaves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, coriander, and cardamom in a spice sachet, which works alongside plenty of aromatics to infuse Nina Compton’s vegetarian curry with layers of complex flavor. The dish is served with crinkled, buttery roti to sop everything up. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 20 Madhur Jaffrey’s Chicken Biryani Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Redolent with saffron, garlic, ginger, and warm spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, Madhur Jaffrey’s fragrant dum biryani is made with dark meat chicken and studded with fried onions, slivered almonds, and golden raisins. Hard-boiled eggs top it all off. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 20 Hot Buttered Rum Biscotti Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Sweetened brown butter, rum, and warm baking spices come together for this crispy reimagination of the classic cold-weather cocktail. The cookies are terrific served with a hot drink for dunking. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 20 Soup Joumou Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Shell Royster Rich and savory, this vegetable-beef Haitian soup is perfect for winter coziness. It starts with epis — the aromatic, pureed flavor base that serves as the backbone of Haitian cooking — and is spiced with a Scotch bonnet chile, fresh herbs, and six whole cloves. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 20 Mole Poblano Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelesa Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Rich, decadent, and deeply flavorful, this mole blends chiles, chocolate, spices, nuts, and seeds for a sauce that begs to be spooned over meat, enchiladas, burritos, or tacos. It’s great with rice or eggs, too. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 20 Poblanos Rellenos de Picadillo Dulce Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen There’s a lot to like in these smoky peppers, filled with a picadillo dulce of lean ground beef seasoned with briny pimiento-stuffed olives and the sweet spice of cinnamon and cloves. They sit atop a pool of vibrant red-orange caldillo de tomate, a simple, silky tomato sauce. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 20 Sorrel Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Spiced with cloves, cinnamon, and ginger, this hibiscus drink from writer and food historian Toni Tipton-Martin has roots in West Africa and is typically enjoyed on holidays, most notably for emancipation celebrations like Juneteenth. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 20 Spiced Pickled Beets © John Kernick Chef Martha Wiggins of New Orleans’ Café Reconcile pickles beets with a trio of warm spices — cinnamon, allspice, and cloves — plus bay leaves and black peppercorns for an ideal cocktail snack. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 20 Lamb Tagine with Green Olives and Lemon © Kana Okada 2008 F&W Best New Chef Ethan Stowell skips browning the meat, simplifying the recipe and giving the lamb a buttery texture. The dish is robustly flavored with spices like ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. Serve over couscous to catch the rich broth. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 20 Onion-Clove Compote © Chris Court It takes just four ingredients to make this sweet, fragrant condiment from pioneering chef Wylie Dufresne that’s superb with grilled steak, chicken, or pork — you’ll need butter, yellow onions, whole cloves, and salt. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 20 Shortcut Café Brûlot Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen In this streamlined version of the signature New Orleans cocktail, Jessica B. Harris combines warmed orange liqueur and Cognac, fresh lemon and lime juice, cinnamon, cloves, and hot coffee. It’s a simple but satisfying boozy after-dinner drink that’s easy to prepare, serve, and savor. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Ingredients Seasonings Cloves Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit