The Best Homemade Flavored Salt Recipes You’ll Love To Make

The thought of licorice salt sounded disgusting to me… but I knew it was expensive (it was a gift that someone gave us from another country) so we had to give it a try. OH MY YUMMY! It’s a mixture of salty and sweet (my favorite combo) but it tastes particularly yummy mixed into a warm bowl of oatmeal or sprinkled over a bowl of buttered popcorn (even better than kettle corn).

So off to my kitchen I went to figure out how to make flavored salt and boy did I come up with some good homemade flavored salt recipes.

The best part is that most of the ingredients were already in my pantry. What a bonus!

So not only will this be a yummy gift for you to give someone (plus they look adorable), but these homemade flavored salt recipes won’t cost you a lot either.

They are so easy to make too! If you can use a whisk then you’ve got the skills needed to easily make this gift.

Plus, you can have fun with your kids by making them together. Get your family into the kitchen to make some delicious gifts for your family and friends!

This post is part of our 30 Days of Homemade Gifts Series. 30 gifts that are easy (and cheap) to make, but also something you’ll be proud to give.

Each Homemade Gift has to meet 5 stipulations in order to maximize your money and make it easy for a busy mom to do:

1. Easy to obtain supplies –  Supplies are things you might already have on hand or are easy to find at Walmart or a craft store so you can get them in the same day you want to make it.
2. Easy to make –  Supplies are easy to work with or use so that anyone could do it… not caustic… so you could do the craft with your kids.
3. Quick to make –  It can be made in 30 minutes or less so it’s possible to make this gift in the middle of the night with products you most likely already have on hand. (Note: This project takes a little longer, but you can do it without even looking at the scarf. Or you can have your kids help like I did to make it in less time.)
4. Cheap to make – You should be able to make the project without spending more than $10.
5. Substantial – Each gift is “big” enough that you’ll feel confident giving it alone and not having to add a gift card to it.
   BONUSES:
   Multiple uses –  Multiple gifts can be made out of the same supplies giving you options to use up all the supplies you buy.
   Saving Money Double Bonus: Try to think about what you already have on hand to upcycled and save more money.

So are you excited to learn how to make flavored salt? Yay! Let’s get creating!

Master Supply List To Make All 7 Homemade Flavored Salt Recipes:

• Glass Spice Jars 25 pk w/ labels – $22.99 (92¢ per jar)
• Coarse Kosher, Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt
  (I found the big bag pictured at TJ Maxx. 5 lb bag for $7.99)
• Dried Zest – Orange, Lemon or Lime (Lemon or Orange Peel can be found @ Walmart for around $3.97-$6.78)
  OR: buy Organic Oranges, Lemons and Limes, zested and dried
• Anise Extract (2 oz $3.88 @ Walmart)
• Black food coloring gel (Wilton Icing Colors 8 ct $9.47 @ Walmart)
• Red Pepper Flakes ($2.36 @ Walmart)
• Whole Coffee Beans (12 oz $5.88 @ Walmart)
• Hot Sauce (your favorite – as low as $2.62 @ Walmart)
• Vanilla Beans
• Food Processor
• Knife
• Funnel

To turn these homemade flavored salt recipes into a fun gift you can either package the individual ingredients (and let them make them DIY style) or make them for them and package up the end result in a cute basket.

Optional Supplies:

• Ribbon for each jar
• Salt Spoons (would look great with larger jars)
• Baskets with basket stuffing & basket wrapping

Coffee Salt: (Use on pan fried and grilled steaks.)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Coarse Kosher, Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Coarsely Ground Coffee – make sure you grind the beans yourself so they are freshest

Directions: Add 1 tablespoon of coffee beans to a chopper, coffee grinder or food processor. Just barely grind the beans NOT in a fine grind as store bought coffee. Add the salt to the coffee grinder or food processor just until mixed. Then, add the mixture to your jar and label it.

Coffee Salt is a great addition to pan fried and grilled steaks.

See how easy these Homemade Flavored Salt Recipes are to make?!! You are basically only combining course salt with another main flavor.

Vanilla Salt: (Use on baked goodies… kinda like salted caramel)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Coarse Kosher, Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1 Vanilla Bean

Directions: With a knife, split the bean down the center longways. Then, hold the bean at the top and scrape down the center of the bean to extract the individual vanilla beans.

Add the vanilla beans to the salt and mix well to combine. Add the salt mixture to the jar. If you would like to, cut the used vanilla bean in half and add it to the jar. This will help the salt become even more flavored over time.

When I first thought about vanilla flavored salts, I was curious what to use it on. You know those delicious sweet snacks finished with a tiny sprinkle of sea salt? Now imagine if that salt was vanilla salt. Best.Mom.Ever….

If you love a salty sweet thing as much as I do (you do, right?) you’re going to love this stuff. And if you have a friend who loves salty after their sweet stuff, they’re going to think you’re the bestest for making them this fun (and delicious) vanilla salt.

Chili Lime Salt: (Use in Mexican meals)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Coarse Kosher, Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, crushed
• 2 teaspoons dried Lime Zest

Directions: Add the ingredients food processor (or hand chopper) and mix just until combined and the red pepper flakes have broken up a bit. Add the salt mixture to your spice jar and label.

Chili Lime Salt is a great addition to any Mexican dish and even french fries! It can even spice up plain mayo and would be a lovely kick to a fruit plate.

Orange or Lemon Salt: (Use on chicken, fish or roasted veggies)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Coarse Kosher, Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Peel or Zest – Orange or Lemon

Directions: Add the ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Add mixture to a spice jar and tighten the jar lid. Then, add a label and a pretty ribbon.

If you have time, grate and dry your own zest. This is one of my favorite zesters!

Other spice additions to your citrus flavors: Thyme and Rosemary.

Citrus Salts are a perfect addition to chicken, fish, dips and even roasted veggies.

These are my favorite homemade flavored salt recipes and some of the easiest DIY flavored salts too!

Anise (Licorice) Salt: (Perfect for Steaks & Desserts)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Coarse Kosher, Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Anise Extract (add more flavoring to your liking)
• 1-2 drops Black food coloring gel (optional)

Directions: Add the ingredients to your food processor and mix well (or you could mix by hand or using a fork). On a parchment lined baking sheet, dump the salt mixture and even it out into a thin layer.

Anise Salt is perfect for steaks and desserts like cookies and cakes.

These DIY Flavored Salts are going to be a big hit with your foodie family and friends!

Spicy Salt: (Useful for anything on which you’d like some extra spice)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Coarse Kosher, Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce – Your Favorite!

Directions: Add the ingredients food processor and mix well. On a parchment lined baking sheet, dump the salt mixture and even it out into a thin layer.

Put the baking sheet into a 150 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes. Or let the salt dry out for a couple of days, stirring every 12 hours or so. Or, pand brake for 30 minutes.Break up any clumps and stir.

If the salt is not dry, add back into the oven and check every 30 minutes. Cool the baking sheet, break up any clumps with a fork, and then add the cooled salt mixture to your spice jar and label.

This Spicy Salt is the perfect addition to make any dish more spicy! Add it to eggs, quiches, sandwiches and any Mexican dish.

How Much Does Homemade Flavored Salt Cost?

• Glass Spice Jars 25 pk w/ labels – $22.99 (92¢ per jar)
• Coarse Kosher, Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt
  (I found the big bag pictured at TJ Maxx. 5 lb bag for $7.99) = 26¢ per 1/3 cup
• Dried Zest – Orange, Lemon or Lime
  I used from Walmart:
  Great Value Organic Orange Peel, 1.15 oz – $3.97 = $1.72 per Tablespoon
  McCormick Gourmet California Lemon Peel, 1.5 oz – $6.78 = $2.26 per Tablespoon
  Or you can zest & dry yourself:
  Lemons – Organic 2 lb – $4.77 = @ Walmart – about 60¢ per lemon
  Oranges – Organic 3 lb – $5.24 = @ Walmart – about 58¢ per orange
  Limes – Organic 1 lb – $3.28 @ Walmart – about 55¢ per lime (will need 2 limes per teaspoon) = $1.10
• Anise Extract (2 oz $3.88 @ Walmart) = 8¢ per 1/4 tsp.
• Black food coloring gel (Optional – Wilton Icing Colors 8 ct $9.47 @ Walmart) – $1.18 per color jar
• Red Pepper Flakes (1.2 oz $2.36 @ Walmart) – 30¢ per teaspoon
• Whole Coffee Beans (12 oz $5.88 @ Walmart) – 25¢ per Tablespoon
• Hot Sauce (your favorite – as low as 12 oz $2.62 @ Walmart) – 11¢ per Tablespoon
• Vanilla Beans – $1.90 per bean
• Food Processor
• Knife
• Funnel

Total Cost:

Anise (Licorice) Salt: As low as – $1.26 (jar, salt, anise extract)

Chili Lime Salt: As low as – $2.58 (jar, salt, red pepper flakes, homemade lime zest)

Orange or Lemon Salt: As low as – $1.78 (jar, salt, homemade orange zest)

Coffee Salt: As low as – $1.43 (jar, salt, coffee beans)

Spicy Salt: As low as – $1.29 (jar, salt, hot sauce)

Vanilla Salt: As low as – $3.08 (jar, salt, vanilla bean)

Add one of every kind to a basket and you’ve only spent: $11.42!

See how yummy these gifts will be this year? And these homemade flavored salt recipes won’t cost you a lot either!

Plus, these DIY flavored salts are so easy to make too! If you can use a whisk or a food processor, you can easily make these gifts.

Don’t you also love that your kids can help you make them too! Get your family into the kitchen and make some delicious gifts for your family and friends!

Plus, you’ll have some great homemade flavored salt recipes gift ideas for all year long gifting! Aren’t you glad you learned how to make flavored salt? Me too!

YOUR TURN: What homemade flavored salt recipes are you going to make this year? Let me know in the comments below!

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