Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste
Want to know every good baker’s secret weapon? It’s Vanilla Bean Paste! This 3-ingredient Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste is way healthier than storebought versions and so much more flavorful.
Vanilla paste is far more flavorful and luxurious than vanilla extract. While both have great uses in baking, vanilla bean paste adds something special.
Unlike Vanilla Extract, which is a smooth and consistent brown liquid made from soaking vanilla beans in vodka for 8+ weeks (which you can make at home too!), Vanilla Paste is made from grinding the actual vanilla bean pods. Vanilla Paste is thicker than Vanilla Extract, provides a more intense vanilla flavor, and is full of those fancy luxe vanilla bean flecks that you’ll see in expensive, sophisticated desserts.
This Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste recipe does take some prep work, but it is SO so worth it. It’s much more potent in flavor than plain old vanilla extract and doesn’t contain any of the refined sugar or corn syrup typical to storebought brands (their first ingredient is usually sugar, not vanilla).
I know, you probably think I’m crazy. When 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Paste is spread out over an entire cake batter or marshmallow mix, that teaspoon of sugar is basically negligible! You’re right. But I still try to avoid processed white sugar whenever I can. The days of eating three Hersheys bars and a Snickers on a daily basis are over… so here I am, having made this AWESOME Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste and could not be happier!
Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste
Ingredients
- 30 Vanilla Beans
- 6 tbs Vanilla Extract (I used homemade!)
- 1⅔ cups Agave Nectar (or Vegetable Glycerine for a sugar-free version)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth (you can chop up the vanilla beans if you want to save some time).
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture inside.
- Press on the vanilla bean "pulp" to get as much liquid out. Pour the strained vanilla paste liquid into a jar and seal tightly (discard the pulp, or you can reuse it to steep in homemade vanilla extract). Store the vanilla paste in the fridge.
I am pleasantly surprised by the end result of this recipe. It looks and smells exactly like the storebought brands, but tastes soooo much better.
I love knowing exactly where my ingredients are coming from and how the final product is made. Get peace of mind knowing that you’re adding this quality vanilla paste to your baked goods, not a corn syrupy mix, along with the satisfaction of making such a great recipe at home!
If you’ve already made my Homemade Vanilla Extract and don’t know what to do with the leftover vanilla bean pods, DON’T THROW THEM AWAY! They are precious, precious gold. Use them to make this Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste!
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– Jess
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Indulge − no strings attached!
Your site gives me so much inspiration! I went to school for pastry and love applying all that I learn from you to the classic pastries I love so much. Thanks!
nielsen massey vanilla is pure heaven…i can’t imagine how amazing this stuff is!
I recently just bought my first pack of vanilla beans and baked “the ultimate vanilla cupcake” right now. They’re delicious c; I know i wont be able to get enough of these beans! I’ll be so grateful if i win this awesome ass prize. Yes i said ass. Btw, here’s the link to the recipe i mentioned earlier: http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2011/09/ultimate-vanilla-cupcake-test-baked-by.html free vanilla beans for-the-win ;D
I am so incredibly happy that I have discovered your blog! Yum, homemade vanilla paste!
Ah, vanilla. Love it. Never thought of making vanilla paste. Sounds great.
Vanilla beans! I love and need vanilla beans, please!
Amazing idea! First tima I read about it!
I like this recipe. My MoM always had a vanilla bean in the sugar container.
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I would love these!
YOU ARE MY IDOL! I love your recipes and it is so nice to know that there is someone else out there that cares about nutrition and does it as a hobby! So glad I am not the only one. I follow your pinterest too.
I love vanilla! This looks amazing!
I love anything vanilla-y! 🙂
I am following you on Pinterest. So excited to checkout all your recipes, they look amazing!
I’ve been following your blog for over a year now and truly enjoy your recipes and posts. Your positive and enthusiastic personality comes through in your blog. Having to eat gluten and dairy free as well as always watching my weight has me looking forward to your next post.
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I love vanilla extract–I put it in EVERYTHING so this will be fantastic!
I can’t wait to try the recipe! Super excited to look through all your recipes 😉
I want to try this and your other homemade vanilla items. Also I follow you on Pinterest
I love vanilla beans but they’re sooo expensive! This paste looks amazing!
Yum! Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try!
VANILLA…simply the best essential ingredient for baking!
I love using vanilla beans for making ice cream.
Yum! I still haven’t tried vanilla beans in my baking yet (can’t afford them),but this looks soooo amazing!
I’ve never used whole vanilla beans before, but I’d love to try!
I love your blog! The new site looks great, can’t wait to try more recipes!
Thanks for this baking secret! I think a little bit of vanilla makes everything better, and this looks like a great recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
I am in love with all things vanilla bean!
I love the new blog! So great!
I’ve been drooling over the photos you’ve posted to FoodGawkers for a while now, and I finally subscribed to your blog by email. I wish I could eat each and every post — they all look so delicious!
The vanilla bean is where all the flavor is! Extracts just aren’t the same.
That looks amazing. I am also experimenting with homemade vanilla extract.
I’ll have to try making this soon. I’ve seen a few recipes that called for it, but didn’t want to buy it. Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve always wanted to try working with vanilla beans!
Hi,I love,love,love vanilla!Thank you for the easy recipe, although I have a quick question. Do you blend the whole vanilla, pod and all?Or do you remove just the seeds?
Thank you
Yup, you blend the entire vanilla bean, pod and all! 🙂
This seems like a great recipe and I am about to try it, but I am curious, why add vanilla extract? What does that add to the mix?
William-
I needed extra liquid in the food processor and I didn’t want to add more agave and water might detract from the overall flavor 🙂
outstanding – just made this using 8 beans, 1/2 C agave, and 1 T maple syrup (instead of vanilla extract).
William-
Mmmm the extra 2 vanilla beans sounds delicious! Glad you liked the recipe 🙂
this tastes amazing ! :O
Any suggestions for an alternative sweetener? Agave and I don’t mesh well.
LaKiesha-
Any liquid sweetener should replace the agave just fine! Honey, pure maple syrup, vegetable glycerine (for a sugar free vanilla paste), date syrup and brown rice syrup should work just as well.
Hope you like the recipe!
-Jess
As vanilla farmer that I love vanilla bean, thank you so much for the article, last that I make own vanilla bean paste recipes use vanilla bean, ground vanilla powder, water, sugar and lemon as ingredients.
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This is great! So as not to let the “pulp” left in the strainer go to waste, I put it in a jar with some homemade kombucha. I’ll let it steep for a day or so and then strain it out.
SarahJaneB-
Oh wow, GENIUS, what a great idea!! I always wonder what I can use the pulp for when I make this but I always end up throwing it out… I hope it flavors your kombucha so it’s mighty tasty 🙂
Love Vanilla and Love this easy to make Vanilla paste! 🙂 We don’t have vanilla paste in stores in Sweden (not yet at least), but even if we did I would prefer homemade. Do you have any idea how long it will keep in the fridge?
SarahJaneB: Sounds great with vanilla flavored Kombucha! I don’t know how to make my own Kombucha but maybe it will work to buy a big bottle of Kombucha drink and flavor it with the left over vanilla pulp.-?
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Hello! Thanks for sharing this recipe, but can I just use vanilla caviar and mix it with agave instead? Please reply asap as I’m very interested in making this.
Christie-
Mixing vanilla beans with agave will result in a much sweeter and less vanilla-y Vanilla Paste… which isn’t necessarily a problem, but you might need to use double the amount asked for in recipes.
So, if a cake asks for 1 tsp of Vanilla Paste, try using 2 tsp 🙂
Hope this helps!
-Jess
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Can you use Honey instead of agave nectar or would the taste be too different ?
Sarah-
I used agave because it has a very neutral flavor, but if you prefer honey you can use that too 🙂
It might change the flavor a little bit but most recipes only call for 1 tsp so you probably won’t taste the honey in the end. I hope you like the recipe!
-Jess