That is if they want their desserts(cookies, cupcakes, pies) to smell and taste exquisite.īut, sometimes it happens to the best of us to just run out of essentials in the house just before you really really need them.ĭon’t worry, there are plenty of substitutes for a vanilla extract that I’m sure you already have around the house so don’t just run out to the store yet. They are pretty versatile and are easily added to cake and muffin batters as well as to bread dough and ice cream.Vanilla extract is something that every baker or dessert enthusiast should have in their pantries. Vanilla beans are the source of the vanilla flavor in vanilla sugar and all other forms of vanilla flavoring. Regular refined sugar will provide everything that you would get from vanilla sugar except for the vanilla flavor, but that may not be a problem if your recipe calls for a separate source of vanilla or if you can add it separately. It is perfect for sprinkling onto baked goods and for making simple syrup. One of the main purposes of vanilla sugar is to provide sweetness, which is what plain refined sugar will do. The drawback of vanilla extract is that you can’t use it as a topping, which is one of the main uses for vanilla sugar. For example, vanilla extract will blend more easily into frostings and icings than vanilla sugar. Vanilla extract may actually be a superior option in recipes where the grainy nature of vanilla sugar would pose a problem. It won’t have the sweetness of vanilla sugar but you may not need it if the recipe has other sweeteners. Homemade or commercial vanilla extract by itself can provide the vanilla flavor in cake batters, cookie dough, and other similar applications. Shake thoroughly and use it as you would any other kind of vanilla sugar. Simply combine homemade or commercial vanilla extract with sugar. You can use this vanilla sugar right away.Īn alternative to using vanilla beans is to use extract. Placing the seeds directly into the sugar will give you vanilla sugar more quickly (one or two weeks instead of three), but your sugar will be tan or brown depending on your ratio of sugar to vanilla beans.Ī third method is to place the sugar into a blender and scrape the seeds into it then add the empty pods. Shake every other day or so just like the previous method. This will give you flavorful, white sugar crystals that look like regular sugar.Īlternatively, you can scrape the vanilla seeds from the split bean pods into the sugar along with the empty pods. Shake every few days to help the flavor infuse throughout the sugar.

One is to split the vanilla beans and place them along with the sugar in an airtight container and leave for no less than three weeks. There are a couple of different ways that you can combine the vanilla and sugar. Keep in mind that the longer you wait to use your vanilla sugar, the more of the vanilla flavor the sugar will take on. You can adjust this according to taste or what your budget allows. The ratio of vanilla to sugar is up to you. In the classic version of this ingredient, the vanilla flavor comes from vanilla beans and not from an extract. Vanilla sugar contains two ingredients, and they are both described in its name. Your best bet: Make your own vanilla sugar If you need a fast replacement, the vanilla sugar substitutes below can work. It is not always easy to find in United States grocery stores. It is a convenient way to add a strong vanilla flavor without any additional liquid. Vanilla sugar is a commonly used ingredient in many German desserts. Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest

Vanilla extract substitute