Feb 10
2013

DIY Vanilla Sugar

Want to know a secret?  Well here it is:  Vanilla Sugar!

It’s every baker’s secret weapon.  Just like homemade vanilla bean paste, homemade vanilla sugar is yet another ingredient that sets yourself apart from all the other bakers out there.  It’s what makes your cupcakes, cakes, muffins and breads that much better than the competition’s.

But, this vanilla sugar has a secret.  It has far less calories and carbs that vanilla sugar, for the same great taste.  So add it to your coffee, sprinkle some in your tea, and use it as a 1:1 replacement for sugar for a more flavorful baked good!

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DIY Vanilla Sugar

Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

• 4 cups Granulated Erythritol
• 3 Vanilla Beans

Instructions

1. Put the erythritol in a pretty, sealable jar.
2. Slice the vanilla beans in half, lengthwise, and scrape out the beans with a knife. Add to the erythritol.
3. Chop the vanilla bean pods into 3" chunks and add to the jar. Shake the jar well, so that the beans are mixed throughout. Let sit for 1 week.
4. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and strain the jar mixture. Gather the vanilla bean chunks and add to a food processor, along with 1/2 cup of the erythritol. Grind the mixture until the beans are completely ground up, then add back to the sugar jar.
5. Add the rest of the erythritol to the jar and shake again. It's now ready to use!

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Can you believe the difference?  Can you believe how many calories you would save if you used this homemade vanilla sugar in place of the typical vanilla sugar (or any processed white sugar, for that matter)?  Not to mention, you will save yourself from a terrible sugar-rush and sugar-crash.

So, make this homemade vanilla sugar ASAP!  It’s incredibly delicious, shelf-stable and will make everything you bake worth it’s weight in gold!  Seriously.

Labels: 5-Ingredients-or-Less, DIY, Erythritol, Fat-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Nutrition-Label, Sugar-Free, Vegan

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Comments (6)

1. marlies: February 10, 2013

   I know sweeteners like aspartame have a lot of bad effects, but do you know if there are any known problems with erythritol or sucanut? I tend to cluster all sugar substitutes together, and I figured you must have a good reason for using these, but I’d love to hear your opinion! Thanks!

2. Dayna: February 10, 2013

   I’ll have to try this, if only so I can give me (slightly one-dimensional) brownie recipe a nice vanilla-y undertone!

3. dessertswithbenefits: February 11, 2013

   I have done quite a bit of research on erythritol and I have not found one conclusive study proving that it has any negative side effects. I experience problems when I consume aspartame, Splenda and other artificial sweeteners, but erythritol is natural and I feel perfectly fine when I have it. Erythritol has far less calories than xylitol, too, so it’s good for making lower calorie desserts
   And sucanat is just unprocessed sugar, so it contains the natural molasses, vitamins and minerals of the sugar cane. Hope I answered your question!

4. Angela @ Canned Time: February 11, 2013

   So pretty Jessica. Never saw sugar looking that good and healthy! And your new layout is just beautiful

5. Annie @ Natural Sweet Recipes: February 11, 2013

   What a brilliant idea to add real vanilla beans to a natural sweetener! I still have yet to try erythritol… is it similar to xylitol? How does it compare with sugar in baked goods? PS- I am in love with those tea cups!!

6. dessertswithbenefits: February 12, 2013

   Erythritol is very similar to xylitol, just with much less calories. It depends what baked good it’s used in, for cakes and cupcakes I feel like it works like a perfect sugar replacement, but in brownies and some difficult baked goods (like meringues, marshmallows, etc), it does not work as the only sugar replacement, it works best when paired with something else (like sucanat, coconut sugar, etc)