- Equal vanilla bean paste, or ½ tsp vanilla powder per 1 tsp extractVanilla bean paste leaves visible seed flecks (nice in custards, ice cream, frostings). Vanilla powder is for recipes where additional liquid would change texture.
- Equal maple syrup, dark rum, or bourbonLast resort — flavor changes noticeably. Maple is the closest substitute in baked goods; rum or bourbon adds warmth that suits chocolate, caramel, and fruit desserts.
Vanilla extract substitutes
Tested swaps for vanilla extract, with ratios and sources.
Measure substitutes by weight where you can. The Vanilla extract converter gives the grams.
Note: our substitutions are direct, not chained — we don't recommend substituting a substitute.