Is There Any Difference Between Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Essence

The baking world is incomplete without vanilla extract and vanilla essence. But the thing that confuses many people is if pure vanilla extract and vanilla essence are the same thing. Many beginners who just stepped into the baking world also get confused about these. If you are here, you must have this confusion, too, right? After today, you won’t have this confusion anymore. Today, we will discover the difference between vanilla extract and vanilla essence. So, if you want to learn about these flavorsome aromatic fluids, stay tuned. 

What is Vanilla Extract?

Vanilla extract is made from vanilla beans. Soak them in a mixture of water and ethyl alcohol. Keep them for two to three months until they get the signature flavor of vanilla. Pure vanilla extract taste can vary from country to country. Must add at least 35% alcohol to the mixture to obtain pure vanilla extract. Some add sweeteners to the mixture in a minute amount for the taste. These include sugar syrup and corn syrup. Vanilla extract is added to multiple baking items like cakes, cookies, etc. Do you love ice cream cakes? Must try Marble Slab ice cream cakes to satisfy your sweet cravings. 

What is Vanilla Essence?

Vanilla essence is not pure vanilla extract. It is artificially produced with various ingredients. Water, ethanol, propylene glycol, emulsifiers, and artificial colors are used to produce vanilla essence. It is not pure but tastes just like vanilla extract. It is the synthetic form of vanilla extract. As they taste similar, many of you must have thought of using vanilla essence in place of vanilla extract. Well, it can be used in bakery items like vanilla extract. Both give flavor richness to the bakery items. Vanilla extract and vanilla essence enhance the flavor and aroma of sweet dishes.

Vanilla Extract Vs. Vanilla Essence

No matter how similar they sound, they are not the same products. You can use them in place of each other, but that does not mean they are the same. Let’s have a look at the main difference between the two. 

• Vanilla essence is a synthetic product. Whereas, vanilla extract is 100% pure. It is a liquid extracted from vanilla beans by soaking them in water and ethyl alcohol for months. 
• Artificial flavors and colors are added to prepare vanilla essence. No addition of artificial food colour or flavour while manufacturing vanilla extract.
• Vanilla extract has a strong aroma and flavour. Whereas vanilla essence’s flavour is not as strong as vanilla extract.
• Vanilla extract is more expensive than vanilla essence because it is pure.

The main difference between vanilla extract and vanilla essence is the manufacturing process. All other differences come with the manufacturing process. Be it their difference in taste or the price. 

Should I Use Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Essence?

Both have similar tastes. This confuses many people when using vanilla extract and vanilla essence. There is no harm in using them in place of each other. However, one can choose according to the flavour and taste requirement. Here are some tips for those who love baking and making desserts. Don’t confuse vanilla extract and vanilla essence. 

• Choose vanilla extract when making desserts like cakes, pudding, icing, and custards. It is rich in taste and aroma. It can enhance the flavour of the dessert to many folds. So, when you want a strong taste of vanilla, go for vanilla extract.
• But for baking, vanilla essence is a good choice. You need a very mild taste of vanilla in the cookies. You can get the desired taste and flavour with a few drops of vanilla essence. Wherever you don’t need a significant taste of vanilla, you can go with vanilla essence. It gives a mild taste and flavour of vanilla. 

Do you love baking? Our recipe guide on chipits chocolate chip cookies is of interest to you. 

Recommended Dishes

Are you still confused about when you should add vanilla extract and vanilla essence to a dish? Read ahead. I have prepared a short list of food items that we all make to help you remember the use of both ingredients. 

Vanilla Extract

• Vanilla Cake
• Iced Coffee
• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Homemade Frosting or Icing
• Vanilla Pudding

Vanilla Essence

• Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cheesecake
• Chocolate Pudding

Vanilla essence is an affordable replacement for a pricey ingredient like vanilla extract. No doubt, it is affordable, but it does not give the same taste, depth, and flavour to the food. You should add vanilla essence in a higher quantity for flavour richness. Whenever choosing between vanilla extract and vanilla essence, you only need to consider two things:

• Desired flavour profile 
• Authenticity of vanilla in your dish

If you are making a dish where you need an authentic rich flavour of vanilla, what will you choose? Yes, vanilla extract. For authentic and rich flavour in dishes, always choose vanilla extract. For food items where you need only a mild flavour or aroma of vanilla, go with vanilla essence. 

Conclusion

Many get confused between vanilla extract and vanilla essence. They are often referred to as the same thing, but this is not true. Vanilla extract is 100% pure, whereas vanilla essence is an artificially sourced vanilla. It has a mild taste and flavour of vanilla, while the vanilla extract is stronger. Vanilla extract is expensive because it is purely from the vanilla beans. 

FAQs

Can you substitute vanilla essence for vanilla extract?

Yes, you can use vanilla essence in place of vanilla extract. Vanilla extract is stronger, so you may need to add a higher quantity of vanilla essence to the dish. 

Is vanilla extract healthier than vanilla essence?

The nutritional value of vanilla extract is more than vanilla essence because of the purity and healthier ingredients. However, vanilla essence is easily available and an affordable option as compared to vanilla extract.