Best Vanilla Beans for Extract

Vanilla Extract is a wonderful way to add the unique taste of vanilla to your food or beverage. Many of you are looking into creating your own, and you’re searching for the best vanilla beans for extract. You’ve come to the right place, this post contains our Top 3 List to help you create delicious extract that will enhance your desserts with the powers of vanilla.

If you want to learn some other factors, you can check out our detailed Top Vanilla Extract post.

Vanilla Extract Kit

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of finding all of the individual ingredients/items necessary to make homemade vanilla extract, you should check out our Pure Vanilla Extract Kit. We use the top choice vanilla beans and include detailed instructions.

Top 3 Best Vanilla Beans for Extract

Your individual choice might vary depending on the situation, but you can’t go wrong with any of these choices:

1. Grade A Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans
2. Grade B Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans
3. Tahitian Vanilla Beans

#1 – Grade A Madagascar Vanilla Beans

Our top choice for the best vanilla beans for extract is definitely Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans. The habitat of Madagascar provides a unique flavor profile that cannot be matched anywhere else in the world. All of the harvests are weather dependent, but fortunately the last several have been excellent. All vanilla beans are broken down into different grades based upon appearance, moisture content, etc. The top (and most expensive) vanilla beans are earn the powerful title of Grade A. This is the grade that we currently use for our vanilla extracts, and it has helped set us apart. If you want your vanilla extract to be on the same level, click the picture or link above to check out our Grade A Madagascar Vanilla Beans.

#2 – Grade B Madagascar Vanilla Beans

Not all beans earn the title of Grade A, and that’s ok! Another great option for those on a budget is Grade B Madagascar Vanilla Beans. These beans do not meet all of the qualifications of Grade A beans. Perhaps they have a lower moisture content, or a slight crack. Maybe they just aren’t as big & plump as Grade A. Either way, you are getting the great taste of Madagascar vanilla for a more reasonable price. A majority of companies selling natural or “pure” vanilla extract utilize these Grade B beans. They might not have the same powerful flavor as Grade A, but they are still a great option.

We feel that the Madagascar Vanilla Beans go great with the flavor of Brandy Vanilla Extract.

#3 – Tahitian Vanilla Beans

Although Madagascar is the home to the best vanilla beans for extract, there are plenty of other places that grow some excellent vanilla. We have tirelessly tried vanilla sources from all over the world. My wife & I both agree that Tahitian Vanilla Beans have earned their place in the #3 position on this list. They have a well-rounded flavor that isn’t as distinct as Madagascar, but you can usually find Tahitian beans for a cheaper price. Once again, the higher graded beans will be more expensive. I would always try to stick with Grade A or Grade B Tahitian Vanilla Beans. Hopefully, we should be adding Tahitian beans to our product page in the near future. Check it out or message us to find out!

Our Take

Taste and flavor can both be subjective, and each of you will have unique preferences. The options I have mentioned above will all make excellent vanilla extract with a potent natural vanilla flavor. All of these are WAY above the chemical vanillin that is artificially added to many cheap vanilla “flavored” products. Choose these natural options mentioned above, and you will be happy you did!

Conclusion

This post should’ve helped clarify some great choices for the best vanilla beans for extract. Any of the choices mentioned above can be used to make delicious vanilla extract. If you have any other questions regarding the creation of vanilla extract, leave a comment below or send us a message via the Contact Page.

Overwhelmed???

If you would like to have the quality of homemade vanilla extract but you feel overwhelmed with making it yourself, no worries! You can have the same premium taste by checking out our Pure Vanilla Bean Extract. Since it is “Pure,” it contains only vanilla beans and the extracting alcohol.

Comments

Do you have a special type of vanilla beans that you like to use in your vanilla extract? Please share your questions and comments below. Your unique perspective enhances this baking community and make it a more valuable resource. We read and appreciate all comments!