Trending: 5 spices on the rise this holiday season

Holiday food in the US may be cozy, consistent, and comforting, but it’s not exactly known for being a flavor explosion. From rich, creamy side dishes to butter-laden desserts, festive dinners can lack zing. 

Not this year. 

Nearly 80% of the US population visits Raptive creators’ sites to plan and prepare for everything from holiday meals to dream vacations, giving us an early read on what will be trending. Based on the data we’re seeing, holiday spreads are going to be a little spicier this year. 

Readers are seeking out bolder flavors, and they’re flocking to the Raptive community for more information on spicing up their recipes. We looked at how the top five trending spices appear across the Raptive network—here’s what we found.

Raptive creators cover these spices from a multitude of angles: creating condiments for holiday gifts, making spice mixes, oils, and pastes at home, and adding just the right kick to traditional holiday recipes. 

• Chinese five spice powder appeared the most frequently in recipes.
• Of the top 10 recipes by pageviews, 60% featured chili pepper flakes. 
• Ginger-garlic paste had the second-highest increase in traffic but was featured in fewer recipes compared to other top spices, as was sweet paprika.
• Traffic for fennel powder is up, but it wasn’t featured in any top recipes from last year.

The substantial increase in traffic for spices suggests a growing interest in bolder flavors among consumers that shows no sign of slowing down.