How to Make Vanilla Bean Paste At Home

If you love using vanilla extract for baking, you’re also going to love vanilla bean paste. Vanilla paste is an excellent ingredient to use in recipes you want to highlight the vanilla flavor. This paste will also add beautiful flecks of vanilla beans.

Why make vanilla bean paste? 

Vanilla bean paste is perfect for highlighting the beautiful vanilla flavor. However, it can become quite expensive to use a lot. If you make vanilla extract, you can make a lot of paste very inexpensively. If you make vanilla extract, you may as well make this recipe.

With just a few ingredients, this recipe is quick to make. The final product will provide amazing flavor and beauty to all your vanilla flavored baked goods and desserts. 

How to use vanilla bean paste? 

Vanilla paste is perfect in many sweet treats and the like. You may enjoy using vanilla paste in ice cream, homemade icing, smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, pudding, whipped cream or coffee.

Using Vanilla Beans from Vanilla extract 

After making vanilla extract, you can reuse the vanilla beans to make more vanilla extract, however, that vanilla extract will not be as strong and potent as the first batch. 

Instead of trying to make more vanilla extract with the same beans, you can make this vanilla paste! The vanilla flavor will be more potent in this paste than if you were to reuse the beans for more extract. 

Looking for more ways to use vanilla paste? Try this vanilla bean ice cream! 

Where to find vanilla beans

There are many vendors that offer vanilla beans. In many cases, the most affordable place to find vanilla beans is Etsy. You may also find good options on Amazon, Azure Standard or a company specializing in spices. 

How to Store Vanilla Bean Paste

Vanilla paste needs to be stored in an airtight container. I’ve found small canning jars are best. 

Since this recipe includes vanilla extract that has alcohol, the vanilla paste can be stored in the pantry as long as it’s in an airtight container. 

If stored properly, this vanilla bean extract will be good for about a year. 

Ingredients and Tools

3 tablespoons Vanilla extract

6 Vanilla beans – fresh or previously used for vanilla extract

4 tablespoons Sugar

A pint glass jar 

An Immersion Blender

Directions

Chop vanilla beans into small pieces (appropriately ½ – 1 inch long) 

Add chopped vanilla beans, can sugar and vanilla extract to your glass jar. 

Using an immersion blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

FAQ:

Why make vanilla paste? 

Vanilla bean paste is perfect for highlighting the beautiful vanilla flavor. However, it can become quite expensive to use a lot. If you make vanilla extract, you can make a lot of vanilla paste very inexpensively. If you make vanilla extract, you may as well make this recipe.

Can I use vanilla beans from making vanilla extract? 

Yes! To get the most value from your vanilla beans, it’s a great idea to first make vanilla extract and use the spent beans to make vanilla paste. 

Can I use fresh beans in this? 

You can definitely use fresh vanilla beans in this recipe.

How to use vanilla bean paste? 

Vanilla bean paste is perfect in ice cream, homemade icing, smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, pudding, whipped cream or coffee.

How should vanilla bean paste be stored?

Vanilla paste needs to be stored in an airtight container. I’ve found small canning jars are best. 

Since this recipe includes vanilla extract that has alcohol, the vanilla bean paste can be stored in the pantry as long as it’s in an airtight container. 

What is the shelf life of vanilla paste? 

If stored properly, this vanilla bean extract will be good for about a year. 

Did you try this? Share your creations in the comments or by tagging @MissysHomestead on Instagram.