
Also, to be considered pure by law, the vanilla extract must have at least 35% alcohol while maintaining a minimum of 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon. It mainly contains water, alcohol, and vanilla beans from orchids that grow only in tropical climates. Pure Vanilla ExtractĪs its name suggests, pure vanilla extract is the real deal. It just won’t be as complex or deep as its pure counterpart. Imitation vanilla extract can still add that addictive floral and sweet taste to any dessert. Added ingredients such as lignin, sugar, emulsifiers, and other chemical compounds are used in the manufacturing process to help boost the vanilla taste.ĭon’t get us wrong. It is a synthetic product that mimics the aroma and flavor of vanilla beans but does not come directly from them. In a nutshell, imitation vanilla is, well, imitation vanilla. So without further ado, let’s delve into the two main different types of vanilla extract - imitation and pure. The word “vanilla” alone is enough to make any sweet lover’s taste buds tingle, but did you know that there is not just one type of vanilla extract? That’s right! If you think all vanilla extracts are the same because all the bottles look pretty much the same, plot twist, they are not. Have a favorite recipe that uses vanilla extract? Share it below! Types Of Vanilla Extract.


Glycerine is essentially a sugar alcohol and is used as a stable preserving agent. It may also be used in antifreeze because of its ability to lower the freezing point of water. It is also used in pharmaceutical and personal care products. Propylene glycol is used as a solvent and preservative in food and for tobacco products, as well as being a big ingredient in the liquid used in electronic cigarettes. Vanilla flavor is made with propylene glycol or glycerine instead of alcohol. The first thing you want to make sure of is that you are actually getting vanilla extract and not vanilla flavor. Food and Drug Administration requires that the solution contains a minimum 35% of alcohol and 100g of vanilla beans per litre.” In the United States, in order for a vanilla extract to be called pure, the U.S. Pure vanilla extract is made by macerating and percolating vanilla beans in a solution of ethyl alcohol and water. Wikipedia states that, “vanilla extract is a solution containing the flavor compound vanillin as the primary ingredient.
Does pure vanilla extract have alcohol free#
Should vanilla have alcohol? What is the alcohol free version made from? What is the best vanilla if you are trying to eat whole foods? I thought this was a great question and if we were thinking it maybe other were too.

We could not explain how REAL FOOD vanilla extract is made. You can get some that are alcohol free and wondered what the difference was is an alcohol free version vs. She posed a questions about picking out vanilla in the store.

She was talking about buying organic vanilla extract and I told her that I had been making my own with vanilla beans and vodka. I was having a conversation with a fellow foodie the other day and we were talking about vanilla extract.
