Vanilla is the backbone of almost every American dessert. Its floral, caramel-like flavor is the focus of desserts like crème brûlée and Pound cake. In something like a chocolate sheet cake with brown butter frosting, vanilla extract highlights the deep flavors of the cocoa while enhancing the nutty flavor of the frosting. In our Summer Berry Stovetop Crisp, it gives the spicy fruits a warming taste.
There is a lot to consider when choosing vanilla variety Buy: Should you use vanilla paste, powder, or extract—maybe even a whole bean or the lesser-known ground vanilla? Madagascar, Tahitians, Mexicans? Single or double fold? Should you make your own vanilla extract?
Each format and geographic origin has its own unique characteristics. The origin of the vanilla beans (and their correspondingly unique variety) determines part of their taste. Ground versions have a more intense flavor by volume than extract – as do vanilla pastes, although to a lesser extent. Double vanilla is twice as concentrated as single vanilla, resulting in extracts that are darker in color and more intense in flavor and aroma.
In a pinch, vanilla extract can be used as a substitute for paste and powder (and vice versa), says Shilpa Uskokovic, vanilla paste evangelist and Test Kitchen editor-in-chief. A key difference, she says, is that vanilla paste leaves vanilla bean flecks in the finished product. The sight of these vanilla bean flecks can sometimes fool Jedi humans into thinking they are tasting more vanilla flavor. Of all these options, vanilla extract is usually the cheapest (which is why this format is often specified in recipes). Imitation vanilla, made from synthetic vanillin, is even cheaper and can be used as a 1:1 replacement, but does not offer the same rounded taste as a pure extract.
So in a grocery store full of options, which pure vanilla extract is best for baking? We conducted a blind test of 13 brands to determine the most flavorful and aromatic vanilla extract you can buy in stores or online.
How we chose the products
We began our search for the best vanilla extract by asking Bon Appétit staff about their favorite brands. Not surprisingly, the question sparked a flood of responses and a lively debate. We also picked out well-known grocery brands like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods’ 365 and scanned other vanilla extract taste tests to see which brands are commonly included and which are overlooked.
We excluded double and alcohol-free vanilla extracts because their formulations would differ significantly from the standard extracts commonly used in most recipes. We didn’t test multiple single-origin vanilla varieties from brands that made several because we assumed the generics would be cheaper and easier to find. Finally, we’ve also ruled out imitation vanilla, which — while it has its place in recipes like Confetti Cake — is ultimately a different ball game than real, pure vanilla extract.
Here’s how we set up our taste test
Supposedly you could taste vanilla extract straight – but that’s not really advisable. It is much easier to recognize the unique aromas and flavors of a vanilla extract when it is diluted in a flavorless base, such as whole milk or a sugar-water solution. To do this, we tried each vanilla extract in a glass of chilled whole milk at a 2 percent dilution: 1 teaspoon of extract in 1 cup of milk.
