Stored

Ground cayenne pepper in its dry, loose powder form — the way it reaches most kitchens.

Shows the ingredient exactly as purchased and used, teaching color, texture, and fineness.

Spices

Cayenne

Fiery ground chili for a clean, sharp heat

Pure heat — a pinch of cayenne adds a clean, sharp burn to sauces, rubs, and stews without much other flavor. Add it cautiously and taste. Keep it airtight and dark.

Cayenne is ground dried red chili — almost pure, clean, sharp heat with little other flavor — used to add a precise burn to sauces, rubs, stews, and spice blends. It's far hotter than paprika or chili powder, so it goes in by the pinch and you taste as you build. Because its heat is straightforward, it's the spice of choice when you want to dial up burn without changing a dish's flavor profile. It blooms in fat and disperses well in liquids. Handle with care: the powder irritates eyes and skin, and a heavy hand is hard to undo.

Measured in: g
Storage: Airtight

Find it in

Spices Seasoning

Types & varieties

Pure cayenne powder

Single-chili heat with minimal extra flavor.

Ground red pepper

Often sold as a synonym; heat can vary by brand.

How to use

Add cayenne a pinch at a time, tasting as you build, since its heat compounds and is hard to remove once in. Bloom it in oil for rubs and sauces, or whisk it into spice blends to set their burn. Use it when you want heat without altering flavor.

Start with a tiny pinch and taste up
Bloom in fat to distribute the heat
Use to raise heat without changing flavor

Cayenne vs chili powder

Cayenne is single-chili, mostly heat; chili powder is a milder blend that includes cumin, oregano, and other spices for flavor. Don't substitute one for the other by volume — cayenne is far hotter.

Common uses

Cajun and Creole seasoningBuffalo and hot saucesSpice rubs for meatChili and stewsDeviled eggs and dips (a pinch)Curries and dalsHot honey and spicy glazes