How I Make Garlic Powder from Dehydrated Home Grown Garlic

 Our weather is all over the map. One day it was sunny and 65°F, the next dreary and rain all day, and then the next?  Cold and snow.  Yep.  That's how it's been.  Now we roll into a a cold snap.

I have had some later than usual work.  I filled the dehydrator with parchment lined paper, and got busy with about 10 heads (or bulbs) of home grown garlic.  I apologize to those who have already read posts about making garlic powder. 

Back in 2020 I hosted an online Pampered Chef party to help out a friend.  Never in my life did I think so many people would order, and I ended up with lots of free items.  Two items were the garlic peeler and slicer.  The above is the "peeler" for the garlic cloves.  You do separate the head of garlic, then place a few cloves inside the tube, and roll it back and forth in with the palm of your hand.  The dried peeling will crack and very easily come off the clove of garlic.

I use disposable latex gloves for this job.  Garlic will make your hands smell for days if you do not.  

The slicer unit top comes off, and you insert the peeled cloves into both sides of the inner compartment.  Place the top back on, and using both hands, twist the top, and the slices come out the bottom onto your pre-lined trays for the dehydrator.

Dehydrate according to the dehydrator instructions.  

I use a coffee grinder, used solely for grinding dehydrated foods, and grind the pieces into powder.  I store it in my pantry and use for all things delicious, and homemade dry mixes.

I have heard that some newer ovens, and some air fryers have options for "dehydrating" foods, if you do now own a dehydrator. 

How I Make Garlic Powder from Dehydrated Home Grown Garlic  ©  January 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

How to Make Garlic Powder (Ground/Powdered Garlic) and Minced Garlic

First, if you are new to dehydrating, a book or booklet typically comes with one.  It has directions, times, temperatures, maybe recipes (depending on brand you buy), to guide you as well.  I apologize to all of you who already know how to do this.

Here is the one that came with mine.

 (This one is loaded with recipes on what to make with all your dehydrated goodies)

I also have these two books on my homesteading bookshelf as well, but plan to add more.

How to make garlic powder:

I chose a larger variety of garlic (Russian Giant) for this project.  Peel and slice the garlic thin and lay on the dehydrator trays.  I use gloves to do the slicing.  I follow the directions that came with my dehydrator, and dry until crisp.

Cool a bit after the dehydrator is turned off.

I use a small coffee grinder, place the dried garlic into it and grind it up to a powder.  Simply store in an airtight container with your other spices (out of light).

(dried)

To make minced garlic, mince fresh garlic onto parchment paper lined dehydrator trays.  Dehydrate, cool, and break it up.  Store in an airtight container.

The plan is to come back and share more books that you may find helpful with dehydrating in general.  If you do not grow a garden, most farmer's markets sell organic garlic. 

Fall Garlic Planting ~ Garlic Powder ~ Recipes that Use It

We worked on barn wood all day Sunday.  We are very tired and sore.  I took photos, but will load them later to share.  As soon as we finished removing boards so we could load up a trailer, a stranger pulled in wanting the metal hay rail.  We now know why the other guy wanted it - money.  Each little metal piece (photo to come later) is worth $10.00.  Not including the rail.  So this stranger, after we did all the work, just drives on in and asks for it for free.  I'm going to put signs up for those types of people. Oh, and the stranger immediately asked for the pulleys.  Hm.  The nerve of people. 

So, without photos of the barn clean up, I'll share my garlic.  A frost is possible in a week or so, and I wanted this job done.

Last year I planted about 175 cloves of garlic.

This year? 

I planted 70 cloves of Moroccan Creole, 56 cloves of Russian Giant, and 100 cloves of our regular variety (so far - we have no idea what type it is, as we were gifted it to start our first garlic bed years ago). 

Grand total so far:  226 cloves of garlic

In the fall I also dehydrate a lot of our current garlic, and grind it into garlic powder.  Pure home grown, chemical free, no fillers, no anti-caking agents, goodness.

Many of my recipes call for fresh, but some call for powdered.  These recipes are listed using what I grow or make, so you can adapt and of course reduce for smaller families.

Here are a few recipes (and links to recipes) I use my home ground garlic powder in: