• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop

Chili Pepper Madness logo

  • Recipe Index
  • RECIPES BY TYPE
    • BBQ/Grilled
    • Burgers
    • Chicken Wings
    • Chili
    • Curry
    • Dehydrator
    • Game Day
    • Hot Sauce Recipes
    • Jalapeno Poppers
    • Marinades
    • Pickling
    • Preserving
    • Quick and Easy
    • Salsas
    • Sauces
    • Seasonings
    • Stuffed Peppers
    • Tacos
  • COOKING TIPS
  • Pepper Info
    • Chili Pepper Types
    • The Scoville Scale
    • Hottest Peppers in the World
    • Growing Chili Peppers
    • Preserving
    • Health Benefits
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Buy Plants & Seeds
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • All Recipes
  • Pepper Info
  • Chili Pepper Types
  • The Scoville Scale
  • Growing Chili Peppers
  • Preserving
  • Chili Pepper Health Benefits
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Cooking Tips
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • About Us
×

Home » Preserving » How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes

by Mike Hultquist · Sep 27, 2017 · 58 Comments

Jump to Recipe Save Saved!
Homemade Spicy Chili Flakes

Use your dehydrator (or oven) to make your own chili flakes at home. They’re perfect for dashing over pizza or any other food for a bit of zing and flavor. A great way to preserve your pepper harvest.

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes – Recipe

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes

If your garden is exploding with chili peppers, a great way to preserve them is to make your own Homemade Chili Flakes. It's surprisingly easy, and yields the freshest, most vibrant chili flakes you'll ever have.

All you need, aside from your fresh chili peppers, is either a dehydrator or an oven. I prefer my dehydrator, as it is the most foolproof method.

I usually pick many, many pounds of peppers from the garden each year and preserve as much of them as I can. See my Preserving Chili Peppers section for other methods, though homemade chili flakes are one of my favorites.

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes – Recipe

Why I Love Chili Flakes

Chili flakes are great to have around. They're a super seasoning. You can sprinkle them over anything you'd like for a nice pop of heat and flavor. And, the great thing about making them at home is, you can make any type you'd like.

When you purchase them from the store, you're basically limited to the singular crushed red pepper flakes usually made from cayenne peppers, the same stuff you get at every pizza place across America.

I've never understood why there isn't more crushed pepper variety. Don't get me wrong. I love the stuff served with my pizza, but as a chili pepper aficionado, I like a bit of variety. Don't you?

So let's make our own!

I HIGHLY recommend using a dehydrator for this, my friends. You CAN use your oven to dry your peppers, but the process is so much smoother and easier with a dehydrator. And yes, that is basically all we have to do is dry some of our favorite peppers.

So let's get drying.

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes – Recipe

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes - the Recipe Method

First, wash and dry your preferred chili peppers. I used Squash Red peppers that I grew this year, as they have a nice medium level of heat, but this will work with ANY mild or hot peppers.

I often make crushed scorpion peppers for a crazy heat blast. You can even make them with bell peppers for a no-heat version.

Next, slice each pepper in half lengthwise for smaller peppers, or into rings for thicker walled peppers. It is best to cut them into 1/4" or smaller pieces for ease and uniformity of drying.

Set them into your dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 130 degrees F for 12 hours, or overnight. You may need to dehydrate longer, depending on the air conditions.

If oven drying, you need to keep the heat at the lowest setting possible. Most ovens won't go as low as 130 degrees.

If not, spread the peppers out on baking sheets and crack the oven door so keep the temps down and some air flow moving. Air flow is important to dry the peppers evenly.

Learn more about How to Dry Chili Peppers, and also How to Dry Chili Peppers to Make Your Own Seasoning Blends.

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes – Recipe

When the peppers are completely dried through and brittle, place them in a plastic baggie and seal. Crush them with your hands, or with a towel if your skin is sensitive, as some of the powder may leak through.

Like so...

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes – Recipe

Finally, pour the crushed peppers/chili flakes into a shaker and use as needed.

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes – Recipe

You can also use a spice grinder or food processor to make more of a chili powder to make your own spice blends.

Making Chili Flakes - a Great Preserving Method

It really is a great way to preserve a large chili pepper harvest. I have crushed chili flakes all over the house, at our breakfast table, at the bar in our basement, tucked away in drawers. You never know when you're going to need them.

Actually, you DO know when you're going to need them. When you're eating!

Recommended Products

If you don't have a dehydrator, this is one that I recommend:

Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator - It's an affiliate link, FYI. I started with a Nesco and still use it today.

Also, if you enjoy dehydrating, check out my cookbook - The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook: 95 Incredible Recipes to Turn Up the Heat on Jerky, Hot Sauce, Fruit Leather and More.

I hope you enjoy your homemade chili flakes!

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes – Recipe

Safety Advice

When working with hotter peppers, including superhots, it is important to wear gloves when handling the peppers both in raw and dried forms. The oils can get on your skin and cause burning sensations. See above.

Need help? How to Stop the Chili Pepper Burn On Your Skin.

Also, the fumes from the chili peppers and/or the fine powders may get into the air if you are not working in a well ventilated room, so you may want to wear a mask and goggles. Superhot chili peppers, truly, are called superhots for a reason.

Check Out Some of My Other Homemade Seasoning Blends

  • Homemade Seasonings/Powders Recipes
  • Homemade Cayenne Powder
  • Homemade Ghost Powder (from dry red ghost peppers)
  • Steak Seasoning Mix
  • Homemade Cajun Seasoning Blend
  • Homemade Fajita Seasoning
  • Homemade Taco Seasoning
  • Homemade Rib Rub
  • Chili Crisp

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes - Recipe
Print

How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes - Recipe

Use your dehydrator (or oven) to make your own chili flakes at home. They’re perfect for dashing over pizza or any other food for a bit of zing and flavor. A great way to preserve your pepper harvest.
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 hours hours
Total Time: 12 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Calories: 22kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 32
Tap or hover to scale
5 from 13 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces chili peppers of choice

Instructions

  • Clean and dry your chili peppers.
  • Slice each in half lengthwise for smaller peppers, or into rings for thicker walled peppers.
  • Set them into your dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 130 degrees F for 12 hours, or overnight. You may need to dehydrate longer, depending on the air conditions.
  • When the peppers are completely dried through and brittle, place them in a plastic baggie and seal. Crush them with your hands, or with a towel if your skin is sensitive, as some of the powder may leak through.
  • Pour into a shaker and use as needed.
  • The crushed chili flakes will last indefinitely, though they will lose color and potency over time. They’re best used within a year.

Notes

Makes about a cup or so of crushed chili flakes.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 22kcal   Carbohydrates: 4g   Sodium: 6mg   Potassium: 132mg   Fiber: 2g   Sugar: 2g   Vitamin A: 1875IU   Vitamin C: 2.2mg   Calcium: 3mg   Iron: 0.4mg
How to Make Homemade Chili Flakes - Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Mike says

    September 21, 2024 at 8:31 pm

    I know how to dehydrate peppers, no problem. But when I grind them, in a coffee grinder, sometimes they come out smaller than I want. Do you have any tricks to make the flakes come out at the desired size?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 22, 2024 at 7:31 am

      Mike, I usually just crush them by hand for that exact reason. I place the whole dried pods in a baggie and hand crush. You can also use a large mortar and pestle or molcajete. Let me know if this helps.

      Reply
  2. Jeannie says

    March 02, 2024 at 4:24 pm

    5 stars
    I had been wondering and researching what variety of chili peppers are used in the standard crushed chili flakes available at the grocery store and in pizza shops for close to a year. Thank you so much for answering that.

    In the meanwhile I was out of hot sauce and made a batch with all the homegrown dried chili peppers I had on hand based on your recipe and info about using dried chili to make sauce. Thanks for all the awesome info and recipes on your site!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      March 03, 2024 at 7:38 am

      Thanks so much, Jeanne! Glad to be helpful!

      Reply
  3. Rhonda Kent says

    October 23, 2023 at 5:41 pm

    I will definitely be trying this. We have a large garden and grow many peppers including jalapenos, serrano, Anaheim, and will be trying Brazillian Starfish peppers this next year. I will let you know how it turns out. Love your blog, by the way.

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      October 24, 2023 at 4:43 am

      Thank you so much, Rhonda! Please do - I am keen to hear how it goes!

      Reply
« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

ALL. SPICY. RECIPES. Hi, I’m Mike and I LOVE Spicy Food! Say goodbye to bland and boring food with my easy-to-follow recipes. Let’s get cooking!

More about me →

Mexican Cajun Sauces Seasonings
Order The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND / BOOKS A MILLION

Order The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND

Footer

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Receive my "5 Essentials for Spicy Cooking" email series & new recipes

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

↑ back to top

About | Contact | Travel-Food | Ingredients | Stories | Privacy | Disclaimer | © 2024 Chili Pepper Madness

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER OF MEDIAVINE FOOD