8 Best Vanilla Extracts, According to Bakers
Whatever you’re baking, chances are you need vanilla extract. It’s a staple in everything from cookies and cakes to frostings and sweet breads, but not all brands deliver the same flavor. There’s a lot of options for the must-have ingredient, but to highlight the best ones, Eat This, Not That! asked bakers which vanilla extracts they reach for most. Here are the ones they say are worth keeping in your pantry.
Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
Nielsen-Massey received more recommendations than any other brand from bakers. Experts praised its rich, consistent flavor, as well as its range of vanilla varieties and other vanilla products. “My favorite vanilla extract brand is Nielsen-Massey,” says Kareem “Mr. Bake” Queeman, a James Beard Award semifinalist, pastry chef and founder of Mr. Bake Sweets. “The flavor is incredibly rich, bold and consistent.” NYC pastry chef Katherine Sprung, founder of Squish Marshmallows, also appreciates the brand’s variety, including its vanilla bean paste and powder. “They just have an excellent product, with a variety of types of vanilla extract, from different regions,” she says. Award-winning pastry chef Kristina Lavallee, AKA, The Cake Girl, is another fan, saying Nielsen-Massey has “the best flavor profile” of the vanillas she has used throughout her career.
Simply Organic Madagascar Vanilla Extract
Simply Organic Madagascar Vanilla Extract offers the familiar vanilla flavor many bakers look for, and the brand also makes a vanilla bean paste for recipes that call for a more concentrated vanilla flavor. “I do prefer using a vanilla bean paste, and Simply Organic offers either an extract or a paste,” says Erin Fletter, founder and CEO of Sticky Fingers Cooking. “Their extract is made with Madagascar vanilla, which is the classic flavor profile we all recognize.”
Taylor & Colledge Organic Vanilla Bean Extract
Taylor & Colledge is another option for bakers seeking a vanilla extract that works with a wide range of desserts. Mark McShane, chef and food safety expert with Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate, recommends the brand for both baked desserts and recipes that don’t require heat. “I think this is important because while some extracts may be ideal for creating certain desserts, no matter what type of dessert you make with this product, you get a great vanilla flavor,” he says.
Prova Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
For desserts where vanilla plays a starring role, Prova Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract is a favorite of Burhan Demirci, the baker at Red Beard Coffee & Bakery in NYC. “It has a beautiful, rounded vanilla aroma with warm, almost caramel-like notes, rather than just adding sweetness or a generic vanilla flavor,” he says. He especially likes it in pastry creams, cakes, cookies and buttercreams.
Sonoma Syrup Co. Vanilla Bean Crush Extract
Sonoma Syrup Co.’s Vanilla Bean Crush Extract stood out to cooking and baking expert Daniel P. Craig, founder of Kitchendeets.com, across several types of recipes. “Sonoma Syrup Co.’s Vanilla Bean Crush shone brightly across every test I threw at it: custards, frostings, straight cookie dough,” Craig says. “Most extracts flatten out under heat or get lost next to other flavors. This one doesn’t.”
Singing Dog Organic Vanilla Extract
For bakers with food allergies or restricted diets, Singing Dog Organic Vanilla Extract offers an option that stands out for its ingredient sourcing. Kathlena Rails, The Allergy Chef & Owner, , says the brand was the only truly corn-free vanilla extract she had found. “The corn-free nature isn’t the only reason I love their vanilla. The quality is simply superior,” Chef Kathlena says. “The taste is smooth, and you can use this product in all of the ways you’d expect.”
Deluxe Vanilla
For those looking beyond larger national brands, Deluxe Vanilla has earned a recommendation from Sara Brook, founder and pastry chef of Dessert Gallery. “What’s great about the vanilla extract? Manufactured right here in Houston, Texas, this husband-and-wife team brews the best-tasting vanilla I have found anywhere,” she says. Chef Sara also praises the product for being fresh and made with care and quality ingredients.
Trader Joe’s Bourbon Vanilla Bean Extract
Trader Joe’s offers another accessible option for home bakers. Olivia Colt, CEO and founder of Salt and Honey Catering, specifically recommends the chain’s Bourbon Vanilla Bean Extract. “Trader Joe’s Bourbon Vanilla Bean extract [is great because] you can’t beat the price for the quality,” Colt says.