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Cloves
Cloves
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Single Ingredient

Cloves

SweetWarmTingly

The compelling flavor of cloves is hot and tingly, and leaves a lingering aftertaste. Native to the spice islands, demand for these buds helped fuel the Age of Discovery and they remain just as popular today.

Cloves should always be used with a very light hand, whether alone or in combination. The intense flavors can easily overpower a dish, but are lost quickly when cloves are ground.Keep only a small quantity on hand and grind as needed.
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  • Vegan, gluten-free, and filler-free
  • Love it or we'll replace it
  • Orders over $59 ship free
  • Produced in small batches, shortly before shipping
Filler-FreeVeganGluten-FreeEstablished 1995Small Batch

Spice 101

Cloves, the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the Myrtle family, are known for their hot, sweet, and slightly numbing flavor, with a lingering aftertaste that can easily overpower a dish if not used sparingly.

Cloves have a rich history that dates back to ancient times, with their use recorded as early as 200 BC in the Chinese Han dynasty court where they were chewed to freshen breath during audiences with the emperor. The spice is native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, often referred to as the Spice Islands. Cloves have been used not only in cooking but also in medicine and preservation. In India, cloves are a key component in garam masala and are used to flavor rice, meats, and sweets. In the Middle East, they are often incorporated into spice mixes for stews and rice dishes.

Cloves have an assertive, penetrating warmth and an ability to add a deep, aromatic complexity to both sweet and savory dishes. We often use cloves in our baking projects, especially during the holiday season, to infuse cookies, cakes, and mulled beverages with their distinctive, festive flavor.

In the culinary arts, cloves are sometimes used to create a visually appealing and flavorful garnish for ham, studded into the surface before baking. This not only adds a burst of flavor but also makes for a striking presentation.

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Recipes with Cloves

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Customer Reviews

Overall rating: 4.4 / 5 from 13 reviews.

These arrived way sooner than I expected--tracking said 5 - 8 business days, but it arrived in 2. Grateful for the prompt service. I have been a World Spice customer for a long time, and I have recommended them to co-workers and friends for the product quality and customer service. Thanks!

Cloves

Decided I did not like clove in my tea as was recommended in a book for restoring micro biome. I’ve tried multiple times to reach customer service, e-mail, on site chat and phone call over the past 6 days. Absolutely no response from the company.

Cloves

Great aroma and quality

Cloves

Store owner replied: Cloves are definitely one of those spices that freshness is key for great flavor. We're lucky to have found such a great supplier.

Nothing like the aroma of fresh whole cloves! It's Christmas on a bottle. Beautifully large as well.

Cloves

Store owner replied: Thanks so much, Lisa! We couldn’t agree more—whole cloves really do bring that festive magic. So glad you’re enjoying them!

I use this in my dog’s food and it makes his breath smell nice.

Cloves

Store owner replied: Thanks, Morgan! What a clever way to use cloves—your pup must be the freshest dog on the block! 🐾✨

So fresh

Cloves

Store owner replied: 🌿✨👏

They are the perfect way to keep clove flavor and scent on hand long term. No need to worry about the amount of time between purchase and final use. Of course I don’t grind until I need them, when not using them whole.

Cloves

Store owner replied: You’ve got the perfect system! 🌿✨ Keeping cloves whole locks in that rich flavor and scent. Whether whole or freshly ground, they’re a timeless kitchen essential. 👩‍🍳🌟

Adds zing to many dishes I am enjoying adding cloves to my savory dishes these days

Cloves

Incredible! Fresh and pungent, you can smell it

Cloves

Fantastic! A basic spice to have in the house. And fresh!

Cloves

No thanks. I ordered two large bags of whole cloves and your customer service apologized but sent me one small bag of whole cloves??? I’m no longer a customer!

Cloves

Excellent! So fresh, spicy, fragrant and perfect for fall baking!

Cloves

Big bag Got way more than I expect, very fragrant and spicy

Cloves

Short of a recipe

Spice tips

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Since 1995 we've sourced and blended the finest flavors we can find. Nearly all of our spices are available whole or ground, and we grind in small batches shortly before shipping.

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Cloves
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