Vanilla is the backbone of almost every American dessert. Its floral, caramel-like flavor is at the center of desserts like crème brûlée and pound cake. In something like Chocolate Sheet Cake With Brown Butter Frosting, vanilla extract underpins the deep flavors of the cocoa while enhancing the nutty flavor of the frosting. In our Summer Berry Stovetop Crisp, it adds a warming flavor to the tangy fruit.
There’s a lot to consider when choosing what type of vanilla to buy: Should you go with vanilla paste, powder, or extract—maybe even a whole bean, or the lesser-known ground vanilla? Madagascar, Tahitian, Mexican? Single or double-fold? Should you make your own vanilla extract? (And where does vanilla come from, anyways?)
Each format and geographic origin has its own unique characteristics. The provenance of the vanilla pods (and their correspondingly unique variety) will determine some of their flavor. Ground versions have a more intense flavor by volume than extract—as do vanilla pastes, to a lesser degree. Double-fold vanillas are twice as concentrated as single-fold, making for extracts with a darker color and more intense flavor and aroma.
In a pinch, vanilla extract can be used as a substitute for paste and powder (and vice versa), according to vanilla paste evangelist and senior test kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic. A significant difference, she says, is that vanilla paste will leave flecks of vanilla bean in the finished product. Seeing those vanilla bean flecks can sometimes Jedi mind-trick people into thinking they’re tasting more vanilla flavor. Of all these options, vanilla extract is usually the most affordable (which is why it’s the format often specified in recipes). Imitation vanilla, made from synthetic vanillin, is even more affordable and can be used as a 1:1 substitute, but it won’t provide the same roundness of flavor as a pure extract.
Plus, how do they extract it—and what’s the deal with the imitation stuff?
So, in a grocery store rife with options, which pure vanilla extract is the best for your baking? We conducted a blind taste test of 13 brands to determine the most flavorful, aromatic vanilla extract you can buy in stores or online.
How we picked the products
We started our search for the best vanilla extract by polling Bon Appétit staff for their preferred brands. Unsurprisingly, the question sparked a flurry of responses and lively debate. We also scoped out familiar grocery store brands, such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods’ 365, and scanned other vanilla extract taste tests to see which brands are often included and which get overlooked.
We excluded double-fold and alcohol-free vanilla extracts, as their formulations would be markedly different from the standard extracts commonly used in most recipes. We didn’t test multiple single-origin vanillas from brands that made several, reasoning that the generics would be more affordable and easier to find. Finally, we also excluded imitation vanillas, which—although they have their place in recipes like confetti cake—are ultimately a different ball game than true, pure vanilla extract.
How we set up our taste test
Ostensibly, one could taste vanilla extract on its own—but that’s not really advisable. It’s much easier to detect the unique aromas and flavors in a vanilla extract when it’s diluted in a neutral-flavored base, like full-fat milk or a sugar-water solution. To that end, we tasted each vanilla extract in a glass of chilled whole milk at a 2% dilution: 1 teaspoon of extract in 1 cup of milk.
Tasters began by noting the aromas they detected in each sample, before taking a couple of sips to determine which flavors were present. We narrowed down our potential favorites to five contenders, each of which we baked into a batch of the Easiest Vanilla Birthday Cake. We then evaluated each cake on its vanilla aroma and flavor.
How we evaluated
One of the most important factors in great vanilla extract, our tasters agreed, is its potency. It should have a robust aroma and a toasty flavor reminiscent of creamy caramel, with a mellow woody and floral backbone. Beyond that, our tasters said they wouldn’t mind tasting some complex notes of tropical fruit or other secondary flavors, like smoke and warm spices, that could push a vanilla extract from good to remarkable. Across the board, tasters agreed an artificial, overly sweet vanilla extract was a dealbreaker.
Finally, we considered price. Although this variable doesn’t always come into play in our taste tests (an incredible anchovy is an incredible anchovy), the prices for pure vanilla extract vary widely. Even the less expensive options are, ounce for ounce, among the most costly ingredients you can buy for your pantry. With that in mind, we found three superlative options for every price range.
The budget pick: Trader Joe’s
Although it’s called Bourbon vanilla, Trader Joe’s vanilla extract (and others that call themselves Bourbon vanilla) isn’t made using whiskey. The “Bourbon” on its label—as on most Bourbon vanilla labels—refers to its country of origin. Before 1848, the island now known as Réunion, located off the coast of Madagascar, was called Île Bourbon.
In 1841, an enslaved 12-year-old named Edmund Albius, working on the island, developed a method for hand-pollinating the vanilla orchid, leading to a huge increase in vanilla production and a rise in the ingredient’s popularity. Albius’s precise and labor-intensive hand-pollination technique is still used today.
Why it won us over: While some vanilla extracts overindex on heady top notes, Trader Joe’s version impressed us with its luxuriously rich flavor. Food director Chris Morocco compared its lush, toasted sugar notes to French vanilla ice cream. Senior test kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk said he detected a floral almond taste—a perfect foil to the swashbuckling caramel-like base flavor.
We’d love it in: Vanilla is a necessary foil to the richness of classic cheesecake, but TJ’s would also be great in Tiramisu Cheesecake, which features an entire tablespoon of extract.
The step-up: Nielsen-Massey
Although Nielsen-Massey offers single-origin vanilla extracts from Madagascar, Indonesia, Tahiti, Mexico, and Uganda, we only tested the brand’s “pure vanilla extract,” which, in addition to being cheaper than its location-specific brethren, is made from “a proprietary blend of select vanilla beans,” according to the company’s website. The website also claims that a tablespoon of the company’s pure vanilla extract can be substituted for a single whole vanilla bean.
Why it won us over: Although we tasted each vanilla extract blind, there were cries of delight when it was finally revealed that Nielsen-Massey was among the top three. It was by far the most recommended by Bon Appétit staffers, and is a long-standing test kitchen favorite. In our taste test, our panel praised the contender’s brightness. Chris was impressed with its beautifully pure taste, which he dubbed “light and clean.” Senior editor Joe Sevier lauded the gentler white flower aromas and flavors. Tasters agreed this well-balanced vanilla extract had a robustness and complexity that outperformed nearly all of its peers.
We’d love it in: a big batch of Conchas De Vainilla, where it would shine in the pastry’s sweet, lightly aromatic shell. Or, use it to make Blackberries and Vanilla Cream With Crispy Puff Pastry, and then invite me over for dessert.
The splurge: Heilala Pure Vanilla Extract
Vanilla beans for commercial production are commonly grown in a few specific locales, such as Madagascar, Tahiti, and Mexico. However, Heilala’s beans are sourced from Tonga, an island in Oceania. These beans are a bit harder to come by, but are said to have intense and unique aromas and flavors. Their rarity is part of why Heilala is the most expensive of our winning picks, but, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and Heilala’s Tongan vanilla packs quite a punch.
Why it won us over: “Whoa” was the first word out of Chris’s mouth after his first sip of milk infused with Heilala’s vanilla. Pleasantly surprised that the flavors here went beyond the expected creamy, toasty notes we know and love, Chris picked up first on florals, and then “something funkier—on the edge of fruit.” Other tasters were similarly gooped. Joe compared its taste to the dusky notes of dried fruit, “like a prune,” he said. With a notably vivacious aroma and flavor, Heilala bowled over tasters with layered complexity.
We’d love it in: a dessert where you’re going to really taste this special vanilla—it’s too expensive to waste! Could there be a more perfect application than Shilpa’s Lush Vanilla Berry Pudding? No. Not really.
- 365 Organic Vanilla Extract: Tasters loved the full, round flavor, but ultimately, our winners outperformed 365 in complexity.
- Beanilla Organic Vanilla Extract: Beanilla’s organic offering was a bit too mild for our tastes.
- Beanilla Madagascar Vanilla Extract: Although this contender had a pleasant aroma, tasters said that the strength didn’t carry through on the palate.
- Beyond Good Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract: Another mild vanilla extract, this entrant didn’t make a significant impression on our editors.
- Burlap and Barrel Vanilla Extract: A strong contender with well-articulated spice notes, tasters praised this one’s quality. However, when we saw that its price was higher than comparable vanilla extracts, it fell out of the running..
- Costco Pure Vanilla Extract: With a distinctly woody flavor—more reminiscent of pencil shavings than barrel-aging—tasters agreed that this vanilla didn’t quite meet expectations.
- Frontier Co-op Pure Vanilla Extract: Although tasters called this extract balanced, it lacked character. And at nearly $23 for a four-ounce bottle, we felt others offered better value for flavor.
- McCormick All-Natural Pure Vanilla Extract: “Bog standard” was one phrase tasters used to describe McCormick’s vanilla extract—neither good nor bad, but not excellent.
- Simply Organic Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract: With toffee and banana notes, Simply Organic received positive feedback in our tasting but was ultimately deemed too mild in flavor.
- Spice House Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract: “I taste nothing,” Chris said of this vanilla extract. Other tasters agreed.