Vanilla bean paste has become a staple ingredient for bakers looking to add intense vanilla flavor and aroma to desserts and other sweet treats. With its starchy consistency and vanilla bean flecks, this versatile paste can be used in diverse ways. But you may find yourself wondering, “What are some creative ways to use up my jar of vanilla bean paste?”
Whether you enjoy baking, cooking mixing drinks or making breakfast, there are many possibilities for putting vanilla bean paste to work. In this article, I’ll share my top 10 suggestions for using up vanilla bean paste to its full potential.
Infuse Your Baked Goods with Vanilla
Baking is one of the most obvious uses for vanilla bean paste. You can swap it in for vanilla extract in cakes, cookies, pies, pastries, and other baked goods. The paste adds delightful specks of vanilla seeds and a more complex, pronounced vanilla taste.
Some specific baked goods that benefit from vanilla bean paste include:
- Cupcakes – Swirl it into buttercream frosting.
- Sugar cookies – Knead it into the dough before cutting shapes.
- Crepes – Mix it into the batter for ultra-thin pancakes.
- Banana bread – Add it to the mix for moist texture and flavor.
- Vanilla custard – Use it to make easy homemade vanilla pudding.
Boost the Vanilla in Your Ice Cream
Homemade ice cream is infinitely better with vanilla bean paste mixed into the base. It provides more intense vanilla flavor compared to extract, along with eye-catching flecks of real vanilla bean throughout.
You only need 1-2 tablespoons of paste for a quart of ice cream. Try flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or caramel swirl. The vanilla bean paste uplifts any recipe.
Flavor Your Coffee Drinks
Stir a teaspoon of vanilla paste into your morning latte, cappuccino, or coffee for a deliciously aromatic vanilla coffee drink. The paste dissolves easily without a gritty texture.
You can also use it to make specialty drinks like:
- Vanilla bean Frappuccino
- Iced vanilla latte
- Vanilla cold brew
- Vanilla bean mocha
Add some vanilla sweetness to offset the natural bitterness of coffee.
Make Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
For an easy upgrade to regular whipped cream, just add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste per cup of heavy cream before whipping.
Fold the vanilla-infused whipped cream into fruit tarts, pies, cakes, waffles, ice cream sundaes, and more. You’ll get soft peaks with wonderfully intense vanilla flavor.
Mix Up a Vanilla Protein Smoothie
Blend vanilla bean paste into your morning protein shake or fruit smoothie. Just 1/2 teaspoon is enough to impart pronounced vanilla taste that enlivens basic smoothie recipes.
The paste combines especially well with flavors like banana, berries, mango, peanut butter, and chocolate or vanilla protein powder. Sweeten up your breakfast routine with this easy addition.
Stir It into Yogurt or Oatmeal
For a simple breakfast, stir 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla paste into a bowl of plain yogurt or overnight oats. The specks of vanilla bean add visual flair while enhancing the vanilla notes.
You can also use it to jazz up chia seed pudding, quinoa porridge, or hot cereal like cream of wheat. A little vanilla paste goes a long way to make breakfast more exciting.
Make Vanilla Bean Paste Sugar
If you have excess vanilla bean paste, here’s a neat idea: mix it with granulated sugar to create flavored vanilla sugar. Use a ratio of 1 tablespoon paste per 1 cup of sugar.
Store the vanilla sugar in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Then use it to add vanilla kick to coffee, tea, oatmeal, baked goods, and more.
Flavor Sauces, Dressings and Dips
In small amounts, vanilla bean paste can be used to impart sweetness and aroma in savory sauces, salad dressings, marinades and dips.
Stir it into hummus, fruit dip, caramel or chocolate sauce, salad dressing, bbq sauce, or simmer it in tomato sauce for pasta. A little paste goes a long way in savory dishes.
Make Vanilla Bean Butter
For an easy flavor infusion, mix 2 tablespoons of vanilla bean paste per 1 cup of softened butter. Chill it in the fridge to let the flavors meld.
Use the vanilla bean butter on toast, waffles, pancakes, biscuits, or cornbread. You can also bake or sauté with it. The vanilla bean flecks look beautiful in the butter.
Craft Vanilla Bean Drinks
Finally, don’t forget you can add vanilla bean paste when mixing cocktails or mocktails!
Shake it into vanilla martinis, margaritas, daiquiris, or coladas. Or create fun cream sodas, Italian sodas, lemonades, or milkshakes with a touch of the paste.
Let your creativity run wild with the many ways you can use vanilla bean paste. It’s an endlessly versatile ingredient that livens up both sweet and savory recipes. With this paste in your pantry, you’ll never run out of ways to put it to delicious use.
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Vanilla paste is also called vanilla puree. It is a blend of pure vanilla extract, sugar syrup, and vanilla bean seeds in a convenient product. The sugar syrup holds the vanilla bean seeds in place, so you can easily add their appealing look without having to cut open the vanilla pod.
Vanilla bean paste is often used in dairy recipes like vanilla cheesecake, vanilla frosting, vanilla crème brulee, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream. The tiny black seeds stand out against the creamy white mix for an appetizing vanilla bean look. Add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of Pure Vanilla Bean Paste to your favorite recipe to use it in any of these ways. Or, if pure vanilla extract is an ingredient, substitute paste for extract at a 1:1 ratio.
Other traditional uses are cream fillings, custards, mousses, and vanilla sauces. Vanilla paste is a dream for all of these recipes too!
You can also bake with vanilla bean paste! For example, you can use vanilla puree in white and yellow cakes, shortbread, and sugar cookies. The vanilla bean seeds will make these treats look fancy. The same substitution rule applies to these recipes.
How To Make Vanilla Bean Paste & 3 Ways to Use It
FAQ
What can I use vanilla bean paste in?
Is vanilla bean paste better than vanilla extract?
Can you use vanilla paste in coffee?
Can you use vanilla bean paste in baking?
One of the most common ways to use vanilla bean paste is in baking. It can be used in place of vanilla extract in most recipes, and it adds a more intense and complex vanilla flavor to baked goods. To use vanilla bean paste in baking, simply substitute it for the amount of vanilla extract called for in the recipe.
What is vanilla bean paste used for?
Vanilla bean paste can also be used to flavor beverages. Whether you’re making a latte, a smoothie, or a cocktail, a small amount of vanilla bean paste can add a delicious and aromatic vanilla flavor. You can stir it into hot or cold beverages, and it dissolves easily, so you don’t have to worry about it leaving a gritty texture in your drink.
Can you use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract?
Yes, vanilla bean paste can be used in place of vanilla extract in most recipes. However, keep in mind that it has a more intense flavor, so you may need to adjust the amount you use. Is vanilla bean paste gluten-free?
Where can I buy vanilla bean paste?
Vanilla bean paste is available in most well-stocked grocery stores, as well as specialty baking supply stores. It can also be purchased online from various retailers. How many calories in sugar-free vanilla syrup Starbucks?