What can I make with vanilla extract?
Wondering what to make with vanilla extract? Below are recipes from our library that use it, followed by practical cooking, storage, and substitution notes for vanilla extract.
12 recipes with vanilla extract
Chia Pudding
Silky pudding of chia soaked in milk overnight.
American5m2Overnight Oats
No-cook oats soaked overnight in milk and toppings.
American5m1
Horchata
Cold rice-cinnamon drink sweetened with condensed milk.
Mexican10m4Dutch Baby Pancake
Puffed oven pancake with lemon and powdered sugar.
German-American25m3
Chocolate Lava Cake
Individual cakes with molten chocolate centers.
French-American27m4
Brownies
Fudgy chocolate squares with a shiny crackly top.
American38m16Vanilla Cupcakes
Moist and delicious vanilla cupcakes topped with creamy buttercream frosting
American38m12Sticky Toffee Pudding
A moist date cake topped with a layer of sticky toffee sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
British50m6
Tres Leches Cake
Sponge cake soaked in three milks with whipped cream topping.
Mexican50m12French Toast Casserole
Overnight bake of custard-soaked bread with cinnamon streusel.
American60m8Moist Chocolate Cake
A rich, decadent chocolate cake perfect for any occasion.
American60m12Belgian Waffles
Crispy and fluffy Belgian waffles made with a yeast-raised batter, perfect for a delicious breakfast or brunch.
Belgian60m4
How to cook with vanilla extract
- 1Start with aromatics - onion, garlic, or ginger softened in fat - then add the vanilla extract.
- 2Season early and taste as you go rather than salting only at the end.
- 3Give it enough heat and enough space; a crowded pan steams instead of browning.
- 4Finish with acid and fresh herbs, the two things that make a simple dish taste deliberate.
What goes well with vanilla extract
Vanilla Extract is at its best with onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon, herbs and black pepper. Any two or three of those, plus vanilla extract, is already a dinner rather than an ingredient list.
Storing vanilla extract
Store vanilla extract sealed and cool, and use the oldest stock first. If it is close to turning, cook it rather than throwing it out - roasting, soup, and a quick sauce all forgive slightly past-peak ingredients.
Substituting vanilla extract
If you are out of vanilla extract, look for something that behaves the same way in the pan rather than something that tastes the same. Match the moisture level, the cooking time, and the richness, and adjust the liquid slightly if your substitute releases more water. When in doubt, describe what you actually have in the chat and Mr. Chef will rewrite the recipe around it.
Vanilla Extract recipes: common questions
- What can I make with vanilla extract and not much else?
- Plenty. With vanilla extract plus an onion, garlic, oil, and salt you already have the base of a skillet dinner, a soup, or a simple sauce. Add a starch - rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes - and it becomes a full meal. The recipes above are ordered so the ones needing the fewest extra items come first.
- What is the quickest vanilla extract recipe?
- Look for the entries above marked 20 minutes or less. As a rule, anything cut small and cooked in a hot pan beats anything roasted whole, and one-pan recipes save more time in cleanup than in cooking.
- Can I substitute vanilla extract?
- In most recipes yes, as long as the replacement plays a similar role - similar moisture, similar cooking time, similar richness. Swapping across roles (a watery vegetable for a starchy one, for instance) usually needs a change in liquid or cooking time too.
- How do I use up leftover vanilla extract?
- Fried rice, a frittata, a grain bowl, a soup, or a quesadilla will absorb almost any leftover vanilla extract without a recipe. If you want something specific, tell Mr. Chef exactly what is in the fridge and it will build a recipe around it.