Discover over 30 delicious recipes using vanilla bean paste, from classic baked goods to creamy desserts and drinks with rich flavor.
Vanilla bean paste is one of those ingredients that instantly transforms a recipe. Made simply from vanilla beans and glycerin, this vanilla paste gives you all the tiny vanilla caviar specks and the deep, rich vanilla bean flavor far more intense than any store-bought version.
If you’ve ever made my homemade vanilla bean paste recipe you know that all you need is a blender or food processor, no cooking required.
And once you have a jar of vanilla bean paste, the question becomes:
How do you use vanilla bean paste?
Below, you’ll find over 30 recipes using vanilla bean paste – simple, cozy, sweet, creamy, or festive. From cakes and cookies to drinks, sauces, and even whipped cream, these ideas show precisely how to use vanilla bean paste in place of vanilla extract in any recipe. A little goes a long way, and the flavor is unforgettable.
What Is Vanilla Bean Paste?
Homemade vanilla paste is made by soaking whole vanilla beans (I used Madagascar vanilla beans) in glycerin. It has an intense vanilla flavor and a thick, dense consistency, unlike vanilla syrup, which is runny and more fluid. Because it includes the entire bean pod, the flavor stays concentrated and pure.
Some recipes use light corn syrup because it adds sweetness, creates a more syrupy paste and prevent crystallization. When you make homemade vanilla bean paste, you can control the ingredients and avoid additives like xanthan gum, which is often found in store-bought versions to help thicken them.
Vanilla Bean Paste vs Vanilla Extract (Quick Substitution Guide)
You can use vanilla bean paste in place of vanilla extract in nearly any baked goods or dessert recipe.
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste = 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The paste has a stronger flavor, a sweet vanilla aroma, and beautiful specks that show up in whipped cream, puddings, sauces, and ice creams.
30+ Best Ways to Use Vanilla Bean Paste
Cakes & Baked Desserts
Vanilla bean paste adds a warm, real vanilla flavor to any cake. You can use it in a vanilla bean cake, light vanilla cupcakes, or in a vanilla bundt cake, where the paste gives the batter a deep aroma and those pretty vanilla specks. Baked custard like flan tastes even better with it, and it works well in shortcakes, or a cozy bread pudding too.
Cookies & Bars
Vanilla bean paste is perfect in Vanilla Bean Caramel Blondies, which use paste in both the batter and caramel glaze. The Bourbon Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies are another great option if you love buttery, crumbly cookies with bold vanilla flavor. You can also bake chewy vanilla blondies, where vanilla bean paste makes the bars soft and fragrant.
Creamy Desserts: Puddings, Panna Cotta, Crème Anglaise
Vanilla bean paste melts softly into cream or milk and gives them a deep vanilla flavor with tiny specks. One recipe I like is Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta – this recipe even suggests using vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract for “that extra gourmet vanilla flavour.”
Another my favorite is Chef John’s Classic Rice Pudding, where stirring vanilla paste into warm milk and rice gives the pudding a gentle vanilla aroma.
If you prefer something lighter, you can make a soft Vanilla Mousse, which gets its flavor from real vanilla beans or paste. And for a classic option, the Vanilla Bean Custard full of pure vanilla specks.
Ice Creams & Frozen Desserts Using Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste
Try a classic vanilla bean ice cream by adding the vanilla paste after cooking the custard so the flecks stay visible and the flavor stays rich. For a lighter, refreshing treat, you could make a simple vanilla bean frozen yogurt, which mixes vanilla paste with yogurt, milk, and half-and-half before freezing.
Recipes using vanilla bean paste in Sauces, Syrups & Spreads
This vanilla simple syrup from fresh beans is fragrant and ideal for drinks, desserts, or breakfast toppings. Or go for the cozy homemade vanilla liqueur for a festive treat. And if you want something thicker this smooth vanilla bean sauce is perfect for pouring over cakes, puddings, or fruit. And don’t forget the easiest vanilla butter recipe from scratch that adds that subtle sweet vanilla note even to savory breakfast spreads or warm breads.
favorite vanilla Drinks
Vanilla bean paste is wonderful in warm, cozy drinks, and two of my favorites are my vanilla chai tea and vanilla milk tea. The paste melts right into the warm milk and spices, giving each sip a soft, sweet vanilla flavor. For a coffee option, the vanilla latte tastes great as well as this vanilla bean milkshake that you can have for breakfast too.
make vanilla Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
A cozy option is the Vanilla Bean Latte Oatmeal, which warms oats with milk, coffee, and vanilla paste. For something fun and fluffy, the Vegan Vanilla Bean Funfetti Pancakes are a great choice. And if you want an easy weekend treat, the Vanilla Bean French Toast is soaked in a simple vanilla custard mixture and turns golden and sweet in the pan.
Whipped Creams, Frostings & Fillings
A great place to start is the Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting, which uses vanilla paste to make a rich, fluffy frosting for cakes and cupcakes. A lighter option is the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream, where the paste blends beautifully into cold cream. And for something a bit richer, the Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting makes a thick, creamy filling with a warm vanilla aroma.
make Vanilla bean paste Pantry Staples
Vanilla bean paste is also wonderful for making simple homemade staples you can keep in your pantry. One of the easiest is my vanilla sugar which adds a warm vanilla flavor to oatmeal, baking, and tea. You can also make vanilla salt great for sprinkling over cookies, or even in marinades.
Savory Recipes With a Vanilla paste
Vanilla bean paste can also be used in savory dishes, especially in seafood and buttery sauces. A lovely example is the Vanilla Bean Butter Sauce for Fish – a light, silky sauce that pairs beautifully with white fish like cod or halibut. Another option is Vanilla Poached Lobster, where lobster is gently cooked in a vanilla-infused butter that brings out its natural sweetness. You can also try Vanilla Saffron Risotto, a creamy, delicate risotto that uses vanilla to balance the richness of saffron.
This Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste is made of two ingredients and delivers a concentrated vanilla flavor far more intense than any storebought version.
Learn how to make vanilla bean sugar with just two simple ingredients, perfect for baked goods, vanilla simple syrups, or a cozy vanilla milk coffee.
This Vanilla Butter recipe is made of vanilla bean, and cream is a perfect sweet treat or spreads on toast or vegetables.
This homemade vanilla liqueur recipe, made of fresh vanilla beans and vodka, is perfect for cocktails or desserts. Infused for a month and packed in a decorative bottle, this homemade liqueur makes a thoughtful gift.
This simple lavender sugar is a flavored sugar with a floral hint of lavender, perfect for baked goods, lavender simple syrups, or beverages.
Learn how to turn dandelion flowers into Delicious dandelion honey. This floral honey is the perfect honey substitute for vegans.
This wild blackberry simple syrup recipe is easy to make and perfect for cocktails or drinks like ice tea. It is a great way to preserve blackberries when in season.
This sugar-free lavender syrup adds a sweet floral flavor to ice cocktails or desserts. Made of dried lavender and stevia, this keto-friendly lavender simple syrup recipe brings vibrant colors and a palette of flavors to any culinary creation.
