Chipotle Chili Pepper Powder

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Homemade chipotle pepper powder is simple to make and packs a major kick of heat and flavor. Add chipotle chili powder to all your Mexcian and Tex-Mex dishes for tons of flavor and just the right amount of heat.

Closeup photo of a bowl full of homoemade Chipotle Pepper Powder with a wooden spoon. The bowl is sitting on a cutting board next to a kitchen cloth.

I love a nice kick of heat in my Mexican dishes. I'm a fan of both chipotle and jalapeno peppers for that reason. They add a healthy dose of heat, but it's nothing that makes me feel like the skin of my mouth is peeling off.

That's why I love this powder. It's the perfect combination of heat and the best flavor profile whether you bake or smoke your peppers!

We started making our own powder years ago and love adding it to anyhting and everything we want. We used to add garlic powder and some different herbs spices seasoning but found over time we didn't need to add any of it.

Now, we are in total control of how much heat is added to every dish.

Homemade Chipotle Chili Powder (Chipotle Chilli Powder)

This recipe is similar to my jalapeno powder recipe that I make with homemade dried jalapenos. They both have about the same level of heat so you get flavor along with a kick.

If you like recipes with a kick like this, then check out these smoked jalapenos. Smoke dried peppers have such a wonderful smoky flavor too.

Chipotle powder is a classic ingredient in almost all Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, and this recipe makes a great addition to any of your Mexcian dinner recipes.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

It's incredibly easy to make.
It's a classic ingredient in almost any Mexican cuisine or Tex-Mex recipe.
It's hot but not TOO hot.

Ingredients

It doesn't get much simpler than this. This recipe only has one - ONE - ingredient.

Chipotle Peppers: The one and only ingredient in this recipe.

Find the exact quantities for this recipe in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Chipotle peppers sliced on a cutting board.

How to Make Chipotle Chili Powder

This is an incredibly simple recipe to make. I'm covering the broad strokes here, but you'll find the complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.

1. Slice each chipotle chile and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

2. Bake at 200 degrees until completely dried.

3. Place dried chipotle in a spice or coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder.

Closeup photo of a bowl with Chipotle Pepper Powder and a small wooden spoon. The bowl is sitting on a cutting board.

Substitutions and Variations

Any Hot Pepper: You can use this recipe to make powders of your favorite dried chili peppers from mild chilis to blazing hot ghost peppers.
No Hot Peppers? Use smoked paprika or ancho chili powder (made from poblano peppers) instead as an easy substitute.

What to Serve with Chipotle Chili Powder

This hot and flavorful powder makes a great addition to any main Mexican dish like beef tacos, and they add a nice blast of heat to sides like Mexican corn casserole.

Equipment

Knife
Cutting board
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Coffee or spice grinder

Storage

Store this in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place for up to a year.

Tips

Wash your hands after working with hot peppers.
Never touch your face when working with hot peppers.

FAQ

What are chipotle peppers?

Chipotle peppers are ripe jalapeno peppers.

How hot are chipotle peppers?

They range between 2,500 and 8,000 Scoville units. So they're about as hot as a jalapeno.

What do chipotles taste like?

Of course, they're hot, but underneath that is a smoky sweetness, as well.

What is chipotle powder?

Chipotle powder is ground up dried and/or smoked ripe jalapeno or chipotle peppers.

Overhead photo of a bowl full of Chipotle Pepper Powder with a small wooden spoon., The bowl is placed on a cutting board.

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