Is Vanilla Bean Paste Worth the Hype?

In the world of baking there is lots of talk about vanilla in all its forms. I definitely have opinions and favorites. Keep reading to the end as I am including a fantastic resource for fresh vanilla beans and my easy steps to making extract.

I have followed serious bakers who use only whole vanilla beans, some who love paste, and others  who use nothing but vanilla extract.  Christine says that America’s Test Kitchen chose Simply Organic Vanilla Extract as the winner in their taste test. Paste is generally a 1-1 exchange for extract. The only difference noted was a stiffening of melted chocolate in a recipe I recently made…I am going to need time to figure that out though. 

This vanilla paste tasting came about casually. It is fun to try new options, which is opposite of how Christine rolls. She finds a favorite and will never deviate. I wanted to add paste to my pantry and grabbed a jar of Simply Organic Vanilla Bean Paste from Whole Foods. While Christine and I were shopping, Trader Joes had a big display of it. Naturally, I grabbed it too. Finally, my last trip to Costco found me standing in next to the Nielsen • Massey Vanilla Bean Paste, which is the one I typically use. Three makes a tasting, right?

You will note in the photos that each brand had a distinctive appearance along with other attributes. I can identify taste of each, blindfolded, at this point. 

In experiencing each brand, I noted color and texture, along with top, middle, and bottom notes where applicable.

1) Nielsen and Massey Vanilla Bean Paste  $19.99 for 10oz. at Costco

Texture: least gummy of the three and the color was a lovely vanilla bean brown, beans are clearly visible.

Color: color was a lovely vanilla bean brown

Tasting notes: I noticed alcohol and sweetness the least of the three, it has all of the beautiful, bold, vanilla notes in the middle and it linger long on the palette. 

Conclusion: Clear winner by far for intensity and complexity of flavor. Perfect for a yellow cake with vanilla buttercream and these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. 

2) Trader Joes Vanilla Bean Paste  $4.99  4.oz

Texture: thick and gummy, I had to work to pick it up with my tiny spoon

Color: Most transparent, you can clearly see the beans, slightly yellow

Tasting notes: I first noticed the sweetness and alcohol, it has fruity, vanilla notes in the middle and it lingers.

Conclusion: 2nd choice and probably a good value for the price. If you are doing a rustic vanilla buttercream where you want to see the beans, this would be a good option.

3) Simply Organic Vanilla Bean Paste  $8.99 2oz. at Whole Foods

Texture: somewhat gummy

Color: very brown and slightly opaque, the tiny beans are not as noticeable

Tasting notes: This paste has a very strong alcohol flavor. The sweetness is similar to Trader Joes. Unlike the other two, the vanilla was harder to detect. This was surprising as I am a fan of their extract. The flavor that lingered was the alcohol.

Conclusion: Sadly, this was the only one that I wouldn’t choose again. Although, ATK is correct, their vanilla extract is excellent.

Making these comparisons was interesting. While the favorite was not surprising, it does surprise me that so many people swear by paste over extract. I really like it but believe that a great extract is equally delicious. I easily made my own extract off and on for years. You can do this with grocery store vanilla beans and this jar. This also makes a great gift!

When I stumbled upon Indri Vanilla Bean Group on FB, it changed the game for me. I placed a group order and was shocked! There is no comparison for freshness or quality. The beans are plump and fragrant. You can order from their retail store here and there are options for group orders as well. The facebook group page is a wealth of knowledge if you want a deep dive. Bake on friends, beans, paste or extract- in the end it is all yum! -A 

ANGELENA’S SIMPLE VANILLA BEAN EXTRACT
double-fold
2 oz. vanilla beans
6 oz. vodka, 70-100 proof

Equipment
Jar with airtight lid

Method
Split vanilla beans to enhance extraction. Cut if necessary to ensure beans are covered by vodka. Add correct proportion of vodka to clean, dry jar. Seal and store in dark cabinet.

Extractions can be ready in 6 months or left for longer to achieve a deeper flavor. You can smell and taste to determine if it is ready to use. I recommend removing the beans and starting a mother jar by adding more vodka to cover the beans. To this you can add more fresh beans for another extract. You can also allow the beans to dry and add them to sugar for a fragrant topping or sweetener.