Vanilla Extract Prices $$$$

[SheilaAnn]

Holy scha-moley, vanilla is stupid expensive now. I recall my Penzey’s clerk warning me a few years ago. She was not kidding.
Vanilla Double Strength
I use this in all my cookies. So good. But may need to rethink!
Nielsen Massey Madagascar Vanilla
I have used this brand repeatedly at various jobs. Solid ingredient.
Then I am thinking of making my own.
Heart & Harvest Madagascar Vanilla (Amazon)
Madagascar Vanilla Beans
Bakers of Sweets, what say you?
@Ernest
@gboss
Richard Chrz
skipsdaughter
Dr. Pepper

[Huskee]

My wife wants to get into making her own vanilla extract, she tells me it's rather easy but we've not tried it yet. Once she mentioned vodka I got sidetracked....

[jfmorris]

The issue is that high quality vanilla beans are not cheap either. At The Spice House, one vanilla bean for $8.99, or 3 for $22.99:

https://www.thespicehouse.com/products/madagascar-vanilla-beans

[noeltjen]

We've been making our own for years. A few good beans split almost to the top and some vodka. In a month or 2 you'll have your own extract. We have 2 bottles going, both with vanilla beans and use out of one. When that gets about half gone, I top it off with the 2nd bottle, then top that one off with vodka. Change the beans every year or 2 (depending on how fast you use it) and your good to go.

[UncleSpike]

We did it. Made one bottle with Vodka and one with Bourbon. Well worth it, and simple to do.

[jfmorris]

I get the 12 ounce bottles of McCormick pure vanilla extract at Sam's Club, and those are currently what I thought was high at $20ish. I was buying it for like $8 a few years back.

Lately I've seen stuff for same (cheap) called Molina Mexican Vanilla Blend. Not sure what's in it, but I've seen it several places on the cheap. The label said it had vanillin (whatever that is) as an ingredient before vanilla, so I skipped past it.

[texastweeter]

Vanillin comes from wood and is typically made for the waste product of papermills.. the feds say it is safe...

[smokin fool]

My wife was looking at VE last week shopping, couldn't believe the prices.
We passed for now, time will tell if that was a good or bad idea..

[Wedunne]

Apparently most of the world's vanilla is grown in Madagascar. They've had several destructive storms in recent years that have destroyed a lot of crops. Probably that plus the whole worldwide supply chain thing.

https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/vanilla-so-expensive.htm

[grantgallagher]

I was trying to remember where but that was my first thought too.

[JoeSousa]

I have seen vanilla extract prices drop considerably here. A few months back the bottles of Costco vanilla extract were pushing $30 but when I looked last week they were $15. Not sure if they changed something or not. Didn't look that close.

[Bkhuna]

I'm gonna' start running vanilla bean pods across the border.

[Jerod Broussard]

If someone can utilize Extract of Llama, surely a wild vanilla animal can be captured and utilized as well.....plus that would be organic.

[texastweeter]

Kinda like beaver gland extract in vanilla ice cream? Yea, that is a real thing.

[latenight71]

Maybe it's come to this SheilaAnn . . .

[WillTravelForFood]

Is there a Dislike button on this forum?

[texastweeter]

Hail no.

[WillTravelForFood]

SheilaAnn agreed about Penzey vanilla pricing this year, had to buy a gift bottle for a neighbor and was shocked (shocked, I say) at the $$$$. But because it was a gift, we went with it.

for our own purposes, we’ve been using the Giant Costco vanilla (it’s not "double vanilla", so we just use more if we feel like it. ). The price is decent for the amount you get. Costco also sells whole vanilla bean, which was also at a reasonable price this year . As others have said, vodka and bourbon are in our future.

[DavidNorcross]

I highly recommend these fine folks https://www.southernflavoring.com/pr...anilla-extract I know the owner personally and they provide a great product. Their ground pepper is awesome as well.

[Donw]

https://www.mounthopewholesale.com/product/extracts-flavorings/vanilla-extract-quart/

[SheilaAnn]

Thanks for the links and advice. I am going to try my hand at the homemade version. Picked up the vanilla beans I listed above. Picked up this vodka. It was highly recommended from my Total Wine guy. Super clean taste. He said that this vodka will be good for this project. About $21 for the bottle.

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

My wife does the homemade stuff and she has been happy with her bottles to date.

[jfmorris]

So which beans are you getting? There was a link that was 10 beans for $14.99 and another that was 3 beans for $24? I know on the spice places I've checked, its closer to the 3 for $24 pricing for Madagascar beans.

[SheilaAnn]

https://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Premium-Madagascar-Vanilla-Flavoring/dp/B09MKQBP13/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=S9RBX4MPPVH6&amp&keywords=mad

25CT

[tamidw]

It might be cheaper to make a vacation trip to Mexico and get a bottle there. When we were in Mexico last May, we all grabbed a bottle to bring home.

[SheilaAnn]

I love the Mexican Vanilla. This is my brand of choice. I use it when I bake with white chocolate.

https://www.globalgoods.com/mexicanvanilla.html

[tamidw]

Thanks for the link!

[JustKyle]

I am not a baker of sweets so my knowledge is fairly limited. I use vanilla for home made ice cream and I’ve tried a couple of different extracts and found most of what is at the supermarket lacks flavor. I only use La Vencedora vanilla. My grandparents live right at the border of Mexico and have been getting it for years for the family. My mom moved down there and gets it for me now, I think the last time she bought it for me it was about $3. If I don’t have that vanilla, I won’t make ice cream. I have found it in some local supermercados, but here it’s about $15 for the same bottle.