Homemade Garlic Powder
Do you have lots of garlic that you want to turn into garlic powder? Are you looking for a oven drying method because you don’t have a food dehydrator? Then this homemade garlic powder recipe is for you! Homemade garlic powder tastes SO MUCH BETTER than store bought garlic powder. You can taste (and smell) the freshness! This year we grew so much garlic which had us jumping in the air with giddiness (literally, we were very happy). We used the scapes for garlic scape pesto, stored some to use fresh (here’s how we store garlic), and with the remaining we grinded it up to make garlic powder. Love making homemade seasonings in the oven? Check out my homemade onion powder, adobo seasoning, tomato powder, Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried parsley, and dried oregano too!
How many heads do you need to make garlic powder?
12 heads of garlic will equal about 1 cup of garlic powder. 6 heads of garlic will equal about 1/2 cup of garlic powder. 3 heads of garlic will equal about 1/4 cup.
As you can see, you can make lots or a little depending on how much garlic you have!
How long does garlic powder take in the oven?
Garlic powder takes between 3-7 hours to dry in the oven depending on your oven temperature and properties of the garlic (how thin it’s cut, how dry/wet it is to begin with).
On average I find that our garlic takes about 6 hours at 170 degrees F. I always recommend checking it at every hour and seeing how brittle it is. You want garlic that you can easily snap and break with your fingers. If it’s still flexible (doesn’t snap), it’s not ready yet.
How to Make Garlic Powder in the Oven
Preheat your oven to 170 degrees F. I find that anything between 150-190 degrees F is acceptable as all ovens are different. If you are using a lower temperature, the garlic will take longer, and a higher temperature means shorter time. Separate the cloves from the head of garlic, and then peel each clove. Tip: To easily peel garlic cloves, slice off a thin piece from the root ends first. The skins should easily then peel off. Slice each clove into thin pieces. Try to slice them equally so the baking time is more even. The thinner you cut them, the less time they will need to dry in the oven. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Arrange the sliced garlic on the parchment paper, ensuring that they are not overlapping. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the garlic slices until they become crisp without getting burnt. The goal is to achieve a level of crispness that allows you to snap them in half. This generally takes anywhere from 3 to 7 hours. Keep a close eye on the garlic during this process to ensure they reach the desired crispness. I check my garlic every hour, and then when it gets closer, every 30 minutes. Remove garlic from the oven and allow to cool down. Transfer garlic to a coffee or spice grinder. Depending on the quantity of garlic you’ve dried, you may need to grind them in batches. Grind the garlic until you obtain a smooth garlic powder. After grinding, it’s a good practice to sift the powder to remove any larger pieces that may not have fully ground up. Add powder into a spice jar and then store in a dark cabinet. These spice jars hold close to 1/2 cup powder which works perfectly for us.
How to Store Garlic Powder
Store garlic powder in an airtight jar in a dark, cool cabinet. If stored properly garlic powder will stay good for up to 3 years.
Garlic Cloves to Garlic Powder Conversion
One clove of garlic equals 1/8th teaspoon of garlic powder. I like to add it to the dish, taste and then adjust depending if I think it needs more or not. Pin for later:
