7 Surprising Uses For Old Bay Seasoning You Never Tried Before

Born on the Chesapeake Bay over 75 years ago, Old Bay earned its fame as the ultimate seasoning for seafood. But as any Marylander will happily remind you, Old Bay Seasoning is capable of so much more. It's salty and a little spicy, and somehow manages to play nice with both sweet and savory dishes.

There are plenty of ways to use Old Bay Seasoning beyond seafood. You've probably tried it on fries by now (and if not, please treat yourself immediately). So instead of french fries, we'll look at French toast. Instead of buttermilk biscuits, we'll look at buttermilk frosting. 

From breakfast to dessert, our list aims to explore some of the more surprising ways to use Old Bay — at least surprising for those of us outside of Maryland. Whether you're a longtime Old Bay loyalist or someone just looking to shake things up in the kitchen, these ideas will have you reaching for that iconic yellow canister a lot more often — and not just when seafood's on the menu.

Bring Old Bay to the breakfast table by adding the seasoning to your classic French toast recipe. We promise this isn't about making French toast taste like seafood. Try just a pinch of Old Bay into your French toast custard, right alongside the usual cinnamon. 

Cinnamon and Old Bay work so well together. While no one outside a very secretive circle knows the exact makeup of Old Bay's 18 herbs and spices, many chefs suspect cinnamon and other warm spices are in the mix. That means when Old Bay and cinnamon combine in French toast, the cinnamon pops even more.

Along with that cozy cinnamon flavor, you'll get a subtle savory something — the kind that makes people wonder what secret you're harboring. And unless you tell them, no one will ever guess. They'll just drown their Old Bay French toast in syrup and devour it like it's a weekend miracle, which it just might be.

Making homemade refrigerator pickles is one of those kitchen projects that feels impressively crafty, even though it's basically just a jar, some veggies, and a bit of patience. This project does invite creativity, especially as you customize the spices. The recipe may politely suggest you use ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, but feel free to color outside the lines. You could even toss in a little Old Bay seasoning into the pickle brine. Do keep in mind that since Old Bay already comes with salt, you may want to dial back the added salt so you don't end up with pickles that taste like they've been brined in the Chesapeake Bay itself.

Or, just skip the brine altogether. You can make quick, brineless pickles that still get a punch of flavor from Old Bay. Slice your cucumbers thin, lay them in a single layer on a paper towel, and give them a dusting of Old Bay Seasoning. Leave them for 30 minutes. When you come back, the cucumbers will have released a bit of water and picked up that salty-spicy-savory flavor. Blot them dry and sprinkle on a little sugar to taste. Just like that, you have unique quick pickles to bring a little zing to things like sandwiches, salads, and burgers.

Move over sea salt — Old Bay Seasoning is ready for its cookie moment. And no, we're not talking about savory cookies best served with soup. We're talking about using Old Bay to give classic sweet cookies, like chocolate chip or snickerdoodle, an unexpected flavor boost.

There are plenty of unusual chocolate chip cookie ingredients to try if you want to expand your recipe repertoire, everything from avocado to zucchini. Old Bay should absolutely be on your list of experiments to shake up your cookie jar. Just mix a teaspoon into your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough and bake as usual. The result is not as chaotic as it sounds: Old Bay's warm spices perfectly complement the brown sugar and melty chocolate chips, making for a delicious cookie.

Snickerdoodles are another perfect candidate. Stick with your usual recipe, but give the sugar coating an upgrade — mix the sugar, your trusty teaspoon of cinnamon, and add a teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning. Roll your dough balls in this mix and bake as usual. The first bite delivers a sweet–savory spark from the seasoned coating, followed by that soft, buttery snickerdoodle center you know and love.

Invite Old Bay Seasoning to the pizza party, whether you're making your own, enjoying takeout, or heating up something frozen. For homemade pizza night, start with any easy pizza sauce recipe, dial back the salt a bit, and toss in a pinch of Old Bay. It'll add just the right amount of seasoning zing that'll have people fighting over the last slice.

But Old Bay isn't only for the sauce. For a tasty upgrade, make a buttery Old Bay crust. Par-bake your dough for a few minutes, brush the crust edges with melted butter, and sprinkle on Old Bay Seasoning (and perhaps a little parsley or garlic). When you finish baking the pizza, that seasoned butter seeps in, creating a golden crust with a mildly spicy, herby taste.

Staring at an already-baked pizza? It's not too late for an Old Bay flavor infusion. Sprinkle a bit over your cooked slice the same way you'd add parmesan or red pepper flakes. A dedicated fan on the Reddit thread r/oldbayseasoning reminds us that you "can kick any frozen pizza up a notch or three" with a light dusting of Old Bay.

Old Bay in classic buttercream frosting sounds odd at first, but it actually spices things up in the sweetest way possible. The tiny bit of salt enhances the overall flavor, the butter softens Old Bay's other spices, and the sugar balances the rest. Suddenly, a savory spice is a dessert spice.

Start with just a bit, maybe a teaspoon or less, mixed into your buttercream frosting. Go extra light for a sophisticated frosting on a vanilla cake. Or lean a little more into the Old Bay to frost a homemade spice cake. Old Bay contains several spices already found in spice cake, so the pairing works deliciously well.

As a bonus, Old Bay doesn't just enhance the flavor of buttercream frosting — it also adds flair with a delicate speckled effect. Swirl it onto cake or pipe it onto cupcakes for a unique, rustic appearance that'll taste as good as it looks.

On the one hand, vanilla ice cream is delightful in its pure simplicity. On the other hand, it's a blank canvas begging for some color. So why not add a few streaks of Old Bay?

Rich, creamy ice cream is the perfect place to play with flavors. Its high fat content acts like a flavor sponge, soaking in all sorts of deliciousness — including Old Bay. Just go easy at first. In cold desserts, flavors can sometimes seem to intensify as they freeze, so a little seasoning can go a long way. But don't let that stop you from giving it a try because Old Bay Seasoning works surprisingly well in vanilla ice cream. The savory notes balance the sweetness, and the slight spice adds a subtle kick without hijacking the entire scoop.

Try sprinkling a little Old Bay onto a good brand of store-bought vanilla ice cream, or sneak a pinch into an easy no-churn vanilla ice cream you make at home. Either way, top it with caramel sauce and you've just discovered a unique ice cream sundae you'll want to enjoy every day of the week.

If you're a fan of salted caramel, you might fall hard for caramel sauce with a hint of Old Bay. Just a touch of the signature seasoning adds a subtle, savory spice, much like the salt does in salted caramel — but with a mysterious something extra. Simply swap out the usual pinch of salt in your go-to salted caramel recipe and prepare to top everything.

The result is still sweet and creamy, making it perfect for all the usual caramel suspects. Dunk in some apple slices or salty pretzels. Drizzle it over brownies or vanilla ice cream (or, better yet, over brownies topped with vanilla ice cream). Toss Old Bay caramel sauce with popcorn to create that snackable sweet-savory crunch we love.

Or if you're looking to fall in love with a warm beverage, Old Bay caramel sauce can help you out. To enjoy a cozy twist on salted caramel hot chocolate, stir in Old Bay-spiked caramel sauce instead.