Short on vanilla sugar? Don't worry, I've got you covered with easy, tasty substitutes to keep your baking sweet and simple!
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- These kitchen staples are great in place of vanilla sugar—I'll show you exactly how to work with each of 'em!
- You can use vanilla sugar substitutes in everything, including your baked goods, desserts, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and cocktails.
- With 14 tasty options on this list, you're likely already to have the perfect alternative right in your pantry.
Just got home from the store, only to realize you forgot to buy some vanilla sugar and there's no time to make it?
Don't worry, it happens to the best of us—just use one of these simple, delicious swaps instead!
What is vanilla sugar
Vanilla sugar is a blend of aromatic vanilla beans and regular white sugar. It’s a common baking ingredient in German recipes and other European recipes, too.
It's used in a variety of ways, like in baked goods, sprinkled on top of desserts for garnish, and even in beverages like coffee and cocktails. The subtle blend of sweet sugar and the delicate, lightly floral flavor of vanilla is mouthwatering!
Vanilla sugar substitutes
Although a traditional vanilla sugar recipe uses white sugar and vanilla pods, you don’t need a fresh vanilla bean to make vanilla sugar. Check out some of the best vanilla sugar substitutes below!
Vanilla powder
Vanilla powder is a fine powder made from ground whole vanilla beans. Regular sugar mixed with vanilla powder is the best substitute for vanilla sugar.
Since it has a dry texture and strong vanilla flavor, you can use it in almost any recipe—it's delicious!
Vanilla extract
Vanilla extract is made by soaking vanilla beans in a mixture of water and alcohol to draw out the flavor of vanilla. Add one teaspoon of vanilla extract for every cup of sugar in your recipe and mix it with the wet ingredients.
Vanilla bean paste
Vanilla paste is a sweet, thick mixture of blended whole vanilla beans, vanilla seeds, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar.
It’s an excellent substitute for store-bought vanilla sugar because it already contains vanilla bean seeds—no need to scrape them out of a pod by hand!
Vanilla syrup
Vanilla syrup is a simple syrup (made with vanilla extract) that you can use as flavoring for coffee and cocktails. Substitute one tablespoon of vanilla syrup for one and a half tablespoons of vanilla sugar.
However, you'll have to reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe accordingly. See my chart in the next section for more details!
Brown sugar
Brown sugar is a blend of granulated sugar and molasses. You can use light brown sugar in place of vanilla sugar, but it will taste a bit more like caramel or toffee than pure vanilla.
Maple sugar
Maple sugar is made by boiling the liquid out of maple syrup until granulated sugar remains. It’s a great natural sweetener to use instead of vanilla sugar, but it obviously tastes like maple instead of vanilla.
Maple sugar adds a lovely flavor to fall and winter bakes, like your favorite holiday pies and Christmas cookies! Though, it's tasty all year 'round.
Coconut sugar
Coconut sugar is made by boiling the sap of the coconut palm tree in water until the syrup forms dry crystals. If you want your coconut sugar to taste like vanilla, you’ll need to add one teaspoon of vanilla extract for every cup of sugar.
Rosewater
Rosewater is exactly what it sounds like—water infused with the flavor of rose petals. Since rosewater has a more floral flavor and a stronger taste than vanilla, you should use a light hand when adding it to your baked goods. Otherwise, it can start to taste a little soapy.
Almond extract
Pure almond extract is a concentrated mixture of bitter almond oil, alcohol, and water. It has a similar flavor profile to vanilla extract but is much more potent.
Here's a good rule of thumb: use a quarter teaspoon of almond extract for every cup of sugar that's in your recipe. This will give you the proper balance of flavor.
Vanilla milk
Vanilla milk is sweetened milk with a subtle vanilla flavor that comes in both dairy and non-dairy forms. You can replace the liquid in your recipe with vanilla milk, but the vanilla flavor will be less pronounced than that of vanilla sugar. However, it's an easy solution in a pinch!
Xylitol
Xylitol is a low-calorie, sugar-free sweetener that’s naturally found in plants. It’s a healthier alternative to ordinary sugar.
Just mix one teaspoon of vanilla extract with one cup of granulated xylitol and use it in place of vanilla sugar. Voila!
Erythritol
Another plant-based, sugar-free sweetener, erythritol has even fewer calories than xylitol. Plus, science experts say that it doesn’t affect blood sugar at all.
Simply mix erythritol with vanilla extract to create vanilla sugar for use in your favorite baking or beverage recipes.
Do not use
- Honey
- Corn syrup
- Maple syrup
Vanilla sugar substitute comparison
| Type | Measurement | Texture | Notes |
| vanilla powder | 2 tbs vanilla powder to 1 cup granulated sugar | powdery | mix well |
| vanilla extract | Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for every cup of sugar | liquid | mix in with the liquid ingredients |
| vanilla bean paste | 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste added for every cup of sugar | firm & crisp | blend in with the butter or eggs - blend well because it may clump |
| vanilla syrup | 1 tablespoon syrup equals about 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla sugar | liquid | decrease other liquids by 1 tablespoon for each tablespoon of syrup. Do not use if there is no liquid in the recipe! |
| brown sugar | cup for cup | granulated | gives more flavor than granulated sugar but won't taste like vanilla |
| maple sugar | cup for cup | granulated | gives more flavor than granulated sugar but won't taste like vanilla |
| coconut sugar | cup for cup | granulated | gives more flavor than granulated sugar but won't taste like vanilla |
| rosewater | ½ teaspoon for every cup of sugar | liquid | was used for decades as a flavoring. Use sparingly. |
| orange blossom water | ½-1 teaspoon for every cup of sugar | liquid | adds a slight sweet citrus flavor |
| almond extract | ¼ teaspoon for every cup of sugar | liquid | almond flavor is delicate |
| vanilla milk | use in place of the liquid in the recipe | liquid | less pronounced vanilla flavor. You can use non-dairy or regular dairy vanilla milk. |
| turbinado sugar | cup for cup | granulated | no vanilla flavor but has a sweet flavor similar to toffee. |
| Xylitol | cup for cup | granulated | sugar free sweetener. Mix with vanilla extract. |
| Erythritol | cup for cup | granulated | sugar free sweetener. Mix with vanilla extract. |
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup are not good substitutes for vanilla sugar. They’re thick, overpowering, and will add too much moisture to your recipe—that could have catastrophic results!
- Vanilla paste tends to clump, so you need to blend it well with the butter or eggs in your recipe.
- If you use brown sugar in place of vanilla sugar, stick with light brown sugar. The extra molasses in dark brown sugar will overpower the flavor of any vanilla extract that’s in your recipe.
- When baking, use a food processor to blend coarse sugars like coconut sugar or turbinado sugar. The fine texture of smaller sugar granules makes them more absorbent and better suited for most baked goods.
- Don’t use vanilla syrup if your recipe doesn’t have any liquid ingredients—the extra moisture can ruin the texture!
- Almond extract and rosewater are very potent, so they aren’t a 1:1 substitute for vanilla extract in homemade vanilla sugar. Less is more!
👩🍳 FAQs
No. Vanilla extract is a natural product with concentrated real vanilla flavor, while vanilla essence (imitation vanilla) is made with artificial flavoring. Always use pure vanilla extract as a vanilla sugar substitute.
Nope! Powdered sugar doesn’t work well in vanilla sugar because it clumps up too much when you mix it with wet ingredients.
Whether you make vanilla sugar with Grade B vanilla beans or vanilla extract, store it at room temperature in an airtight container. It’s best to store vanilla sugar in a sealed glass jar, not plastic.
📚 Related recipes
- Peppermint Blossoms are Christmas sugar cookies that taste like candy canes and buttery vanilla! Roll 'em in vanilla sugar for extra festive flavor.
- Dense and moist, this Buttermilk Pound Cake is an old-fashioned, simple recipe full of tangy and sweet vanilla flavor.
- Vanilla extract and a fresh vanilla bean make these Vanilla Bean Scones extra flavorful! If you love vanilla (or Starbucks' scones), you'll adore these.
📞 The last word
Running out of vanilla sugar doesn't have to halt your baking adventures!
With handy substitutes, like vanilla extract, maple sugar, or even a homemade blend, you can still whip up delicious treats for your family. Remember, the key is to experiment and find what works best for your recipes.
So go ahead, give these alternatives a try and keep the magic of baking alive in your kitchen. Happy baking, y'alll!
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