11 Unexpected Ingredients You Can Crush In A Pepper Grinder

As far as spices go, you can't go wrong with freshly milled pepper. It's hot, piney, and delightfully sharp, adding a punch of flavor to myriad dishes. Freshly ground pepper is also tastier than the pre-ground variety, making the pepper grinder an indispensable kitchen tool. But despite the name, a pepper grinder — also known as a pepper mill — isn't just for different types of peppercorns. The device is surprisingly versatile, and can be used to pulverize varied ingredients.

To use this device in more innovative ways, note that you'll want your grinder to be clean and pepper-free before crushing other ingredients with it. Start by disassembling the grinding mechanisms, then washing the parts with warm water and soap. This is key for removing bits of peppercorns that might be stuck inside. Then thoroughly rinse and dry everything, before reassembling the components. If you start regularly using a pepper grinder for other ingredients, consider picking up an extra mill just for that purpose. This is especially helpful if you enjoy grinding sweeter foods, as a second mill will limit the risk of ground pepper sneaking into the mix. You might also be able to get away with using a cheaper pepper grinder, depending on the ingredients that you want to crush. 

To learn more about clever ways to use a pepper grinder, we chatted with food professionals for their expert insight. Ann Ziata is a chef and faculty member at the Institute of Culinary Education. Traci "Grace" Weintraub is a chef and the founder of Gracefully Fed, a meal-based delivery service and Los Angeles eatery. Christiane Matey is a chef, dietitian, and the founder of Mint Nutrition. Keep reading to discover the many alternative uses for your pepper grinder. 

If you don't always have dried mushrooms in your kitchen, you'll want to change that soon. Dried mushrooms are packed with deep umami flavor, making them an excellent ingredient for elevating your dishes. Dried mushrooms are even easier to add into recipes in powdered form, as you can mix this seasoning into liquids or use it as a garnish. Mushroom powder is available in stores, but if you have a pepper grinder, you can quickly make this useful seasoning from scratch. This method also lets you mix and match different types of mushrooms, allowing you to create custom blends.

The first step is to break up the dried mushrooms into smaller pieces; this will ensure that they can fit in the grinder. The resulting seasoning can be added to a variety of recipes. "Dried mushroom powder is fantastic in broths and soups to add depth," says Ann Ziata, who also recommends using it in dry rubs, or for enhancing breadcrumbs for fried dishes. "Dried mushroom enhanced vegetable tempura is an absolute treat," she adds. Even sweet treats like brownies and cookies can benefit from the umami notes of mushroom powder. 

Did you know that it's possible to make fruit powder with a pepper grinder? The key is to use freeze-dried fruit. The freeze-drying process removes moisture from varied fruits, resulting in a shelf-stable treat. And while you can buy ready-made fruit powder, preparing it yourself with freeze-dried fruit and a pepper grinder is more rewarding. For starters, you'll be able to prepare just enough freshly ground powder for your needs. You could even combine different types of freeze-dried fruits for a delicious blend. "Milling freeze-dried fruit is a fun way to add color, flavor, and a different texture" to many foods, according to Christiane Matey.

Once you've created the fruity powder, use it as a colorful dusting for oatmeal, ice cream sundaes, or brownies. If you're an avid baker, swap food coloring for fruit powder to dye buttercream frosting. As a bonus, this ingredient will infuse the frosting with a natural flavoring without adding extra moisture, which is a common problem when using fruit purees or jams for this purpose. This will ensure that your frosting holds its shape and prevent it from becoming runny.

If you have leftover fruit powder, store it in a sealed container in a cool, dry place, like the pantry. Make sure the container has an airtight lid, as this will keep moisture out and help your fruit powders last longer. It's also a good idea to label the container so that you'll be able to identify the contents later. 

Flaxseed is packed with nutrients. This ingredient offers gut-friendly fiber, satiating protein, and essential omega-3 fatty acids. You can buy flaxseed whole or ground, though the latter variation has a shorter shelf life. That's because once flaxseed is ground, it's no longer protected by the seed hulls and become exposed to air, which speeds up spoilage. So, instead of purchasing pre-ground flaxseed, use a pepper grinder to grind the whole version as needed. This way, you can prepare just enough freshly ground flaxseed — also known as flaxseed flour — for whatever you're making.

"Ground flaxseeds are amazing to add to smoothies, baked goods, and oatmeal for a blast of nutrients," says Christiane Matey. It also imparts a delightful nutty flavor, which works well in chocolate chip cookies and banana bread. You can fold ground flaxseed directly into batter, or sprinkle it on top just before cooking, which will add a rustic texture. If you end up with leftover flaxseed flour, Matey recommends keeping it in an airtight container. It's best to store the ingredient in a cool, dark place such as the pantry, but it will last even longer in the refrigerator. 

In certain baked goods, ground flaxseed also serves as an excellent egg substitute. All you need to do is combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water in a bowl. Stir the ingredients together, then let the mixture sit for 15 minutes until it thickens into a gelatinous consistency. The resulting concoction, known as a flax egg, can be used in recipes like pancakes, brownies, quick breads, and waffles.

Oat flour, like ground flaxseed, can be bought by the bag at stores. But if you don't use it often or only need a small amount, try pulverizing oats in a pepper grinder. The resulting ingredient can be useful for many recipes, according to Traci Weintraub. "Oat flour works well in pancakes, banana bread, [and] waffles," Weintraub says. Additionally, consider using oat flour to thicken sauces, such as gravy, brown butter sauce, or béchamel. Not only will oat flour bulk up these sauces, but its nutty taste will complement their ingredients.

To make your smoothies more filling, add a few tablespoons of freshly ground oat flour. This ingredient is an excellent source of fiber, a nutrient that increases satisfaction and reduces the sensation of hunger. Oat flour will also make the smoothie thicker and more enjoyable to drink. 

Likewise, you can add oat flour to oatmeal cookie batter, where the ingredient will enhance the thickness and chewiness of the finished treat. However, if you want to use oat flour as a complete replacement for all-purpose flour in baked goods, you may want to skip the pepper grinder. For these recipes, you'll need a larger amount, so grinding oat flour in a food processor or coffee grinder will be more convenient.

When making seasoning blends, most people combine dried spices and herbs in a bowl and use the mixture as is. But if you want to ensure that the ingredients are thoroughly blended, run everything through a pepper grinder. This technique will pulverize the spices and herbs together into a powder, helping bring out the flavors of each ingredient — but make sure to check the mill's settings first. "You may need to adjust the coarseness of the grind to make sure everything doesn't slip right through the gears," says Ann Ziata. "The best fit will depend on what ingredients are being used."

When it comes to homemade seasoning blends, there are endless possibilities, so don't be afraid to experiment. The key is to mix and match ingredients with varying flavor profiles for a balanced mixture. For example, try grinding toasted coriander seeds or allspice berries with peppercorns to add a little sweetness and nuttiness, as Ziata suggests, or combine white peppercorns and dried lemongrass pieces to make a refreshing blend for lighter dishes. "For desserts, mix dried mint or dehydrated grapefruit peel with pink peppercorns for a lovely finishing touch for pastries and sundaes," Ziata adds.

Another option is to create homemade versions of popular seasoning mixtures found in stores, like five-spice blend. To do this, add small pieces of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, and peppercorns into the grinder, according to Ziata. Once ground, the ingredients will combine into a powdered mixture of intense flavor and fragrance. If the resulting powder isn't fine enough for your liking, simply run it through the mill one or two more times. 

Thanks to a pepper grinder, you can make DIY sprinkles out of candy. Tiny hard candies like Nerds are best for this hack, as these are already the same approximate size as peppercorns, and they're easy to crush and break. Alternatively, if you'd like to try grinding larger hard candies — like Jolly Ranchers or Lemonheads — you'll want to break them into smaller pieces first. To do this, place the candies in a resealable plastic bag, then carefully crush them with a rolling pin, hammer, or another heavy object. From there, you can run the candy pieces through your pepper grinder to make instant sprinkles.

You're not limited to fruit-flavored hard candies, though. Chocolate options like M&M's and Reese's Pieces are also fair game, though you might want to freeze them first so that they grind more cleanly. However, avoid using candies like caramels or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, as their thick and sticky consistency will gum up the grinder. Additionally, if you've already used the pepper grinder to crush fruity hard candies, be sure to clean it out before using it with chocolate candies to avoid accidentally mixing flavors. 

Regardless of the type of candy you use for homemade sprinkles, the result can be used as an ice cream topping, or to garnish milkshakes, coffee drinks, or whipped cream. Christiane Matey suggests using this technique for "seasonal baked goods like chocolate muffins with mint candy sprinkles." It can also be added to the top of cookies and brownies for a burst of color and flavor. 

As classic pantry ingredients, onion powder and garlic powder are mainstays of seasoning aisles at supermarkets. But if you want to get the most of out of these flavorings, make them yourself using a pepper grinder. The key is to use minced onion and garlic flakes, which are essentially dried pieces of onion and garlic. You can also use granulated onion and garlic, which are partially powdered. When milled in a pepper grinder, these ingredients will transform into a fine powder, and that "helps extract the flavors when used in cooking," says Christiane Matey. The result is a more robust, fresh taste that will liven up your dishes.

Whether you're starting with flaked or granulated onion and garlic, pick a good-quality product. This will ensure that the powdered versions offer the best flavor and texture. You can also grind onion and garlic on their own, mixed together, or with other dried spices and herbs to make customized powdered seasonings. 

Another creative way to use a pepper grinder is to pulverize cookies. The resulting crumbs can be used as a garnish for myriad treats, including ice cream, brownies, or cupcakes. If you love sweet treats for breakfast, try sprinkling cookie crumbs on your morning oatmeal or cottage cheese. They'll also add a crunchy texture to parfaits, where they'll contrast nicely with yogurt and fruits.

Keep in mind that not all cookies are appropriate for this pepper grinder hack. "Unfortunately, when using a pepper grinder to crush cookies, any cookie with nuts can actually damage the grinder," says Traci Weintraub. With that in mind, you'll want to avoid cookies with nuts, as well as any other additions that are chunky and hard. Better options include gingersnaps and sugar cookies.

You can also crush Oreos in a pepper grinder, as long as you remove the cream first to prevent clogging up the device. But rest assured, the filling won't go to waste, because you can blend it into milkshakes, frosting, or cream cheese for a unique dessert. 

The next time you finish a bag of chips, don't be so quick to toss it in the trash. The leftover bits of chips at the bottom of the bag can be crushed in a pepper grinder, creating smaller pieces that can be used just like breadcrumbs. For example, try adding them to ground meat for burgers, meatballs, or meatloaf as a binder and flavor booster. As a topper, chip crumbs will add a delightful crunch and salty flavor to dishes like soups, stews, and casseroles. You can also use crushed chips to elevate plain breadcrumbs by mixing them together, then using the mixture to coat proteins like baked chicken breast or tofu.

Plus, with so many types of chips to choose from, the possible flavor pairings are endless. Stuck with broken pieces of tortilla chips? Run them through a pepper grinder for the perfect topping for taco bowls or chili. Potato chip crumbs are delicious in chocolate chip cookies or brownies, where the saltiness will complement the sweetness of the treats. They'd also work well on top of creamy soups, such as broccoli cheddar or cream of mushroom.

For a simple and sweet garnish, run sugar through a pepper grinder to make a fine powder. You can use this technique with many types of sugar, such as white granulated sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, or raw sugar crystals. However, keep in mind that raw sugar crystals can be quite large, so you may need to adjust the pepper grinder accordingly. You can use your mill to turn white sugar into a form of powdered sugar, though it likely won't be as fine as powdered sugar that's been prepared in a high-powered food processor or coffee grinder. 

"Sugar that's been ground in a pepper mill makes a pretty garnish, and feels more elegant on the palate than table sugar," says Ann Ziata. Use this ground sugar for dusting cookies, brownies, oatmeal, or yogurt. "It's also a lovely dramatic contrasting garnish for dark chocolate desserts that could use a little sweetness," adds Ziata. Alternatively, the next time you're making cinnamon sugar, run ground cinnamon and sugar through a pepper grinder to ensure that the ingredients are thoroughly combined. 

If you're looking for a truly unconventional way to use a pepper grinder, turn to your breakfast cereal. For example, cornflakes can be milled into a crunchy coating for a crispy ranch chicken recipe, or to enhance other proteins like salmon and tofu. Crushed cornflakes can also be used instead of breadcrumbs in meatballs or veggie burgers, where they'll act as a binder and flavor enhancer. Similarly, crispy rice cereal can be used in the same way, as it has a neutral flavor and crunchy texture.

Alternatively, if you're craving something sweet, crush and grind a sugary cereal like Frosted Flakes, Fruity Pebbles, or Froot Loops. These options will create a colorful mixture that can be used just like sprinkles, whether you're serving an ice cream sundae or topping a milkshake. Ground cereal crumbs will also work well on top of frosted cakes or cupcakes, as they'll add satisfying crunch against the richness of the frosting. However, cereal crumbs will eventually soften at room temperature, so consider milling the cereal on baked goods just before serving. This will ensure that the crushed cereal maintains its delightful crispiness.