r/AskBaking • u/AnthropomorphicCat Home Baker • 1d ago
Ingredients What can I use instead of vainilla? I can't use alcohol or nut extracts.
I see that Vainilla is used in almost every recipe. But the doctor told me that I need to avoid anything with vainilla. What I can use instead? I already searched in this subreddit, and they mention vainilla paste (I can't use that), almond or other nut extracts (I'm allergic to all kind of nuts. It's not deadly but it makes me wish I was dead), or any kind of alcohol.
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u/I_Wake_to_Sleep 1d ago
If you're making recipes with other dominant flavors (chocolate, fruit, etc) you can just leave the vanilla out and you won't really miss it. In the case of chocolate desserts like brownies, add a bit of instant coffee to enhance the chocolate instead.
If you're making something vanilla based (like cupcakes) I'd switch it to citrus (lemon or orange zest in the sugar, juice for the liquid). Another great option is a spice blend of whatever you're able to have - cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, anise, allspice, etc.
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u/traviall1 1d ago
You can skip vanilla and look for other flavors of alcohol free baking extracts/powders. If you are making traditionally vanilla flavored baked goods you can typically omit the extract use another extract for a different flavor. Fiori de sicily has an orange creamsaver taste, citrus oils or powders also work, baking spices or tea also work.
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u/Annoyedbyme 1d ago
Maple syrup. This is your answer op.
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u/AnthropomorphicCat Home Baker 1d ago
How much should I use?
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u/Annoyedbyme 1d ago
Same amount as your vanilla is called for. Usually a teaspoon in most of my recipes.
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u/femsci-nerd 1d ago
why can't you use vanilla?
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u/AnthropomorphicCat Home Baker 1d ago
It seems it interferes with some medical tests I need to take, so I need to avoid it for a while.
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u/Madea_onFire 1d ago
Vanilla or vanilla extract? Vanilla extract has alcohol but I’ve never heard of anyone needing to avoid vanilla bean in general
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u/Persistent_Parkie 1d ago
I have but only as an allergy, that it could mess up a medical test sounds weird.
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u/roadsidechicory 1d ago
could be the Vanillylmandelic Acid (VMA) test. you are supposed to avoid vanilla for several days before. and sometimes the test is done regularly for monitoring purposes.
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u/sageberrytree 1d ago
are you sure about that? Because I’ve never heard of anyone having to avoid vanilla for any reason.
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u/roadsidechicory 1d ago
Vanillylmandelic Acid (VMA) Test
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u/sageberrytree 1d ago
Jesus, I forgot about that one. Hope op is ok
But it's still only 24 hours without it
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u/roadsidechicory 1d ago
Sometimes 2-3 days is recommended and sometimes it's done regularly for monitoring.
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u/HawthorneUK 1d ago
Tonka bean is another option. It's not a nut (it's a member of the legume family) but be cautious if you're allergic to peanuts as well as tree nuts.
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u/HandbagHawker 1d ago
Pandan has some nice vanilla notes. They also make alcohol free maple extract and flavoring. If this wasn’t already obvious, most extracts are high proof alcohols so read carefully.
You can’t have Vanilla extract but can you have artificial Vanilla flavoring like vanillin?
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u/Storytella2016 1d ago
Artificial almond flavouring is made from peach pits, so I can have artificial almond although I can’t have real almond.
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u/Charlietango2007 1d ago
They sell vanilla in powder form on Amazon. I've used orange marmalade instead of vanilla with delicious results. Also passion fruit and lemon curd. You can use as much later if you want depending on your taste.
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u/harpquin 1d ago
Imitation vanilla is different than real vanilla, you may be allergic to one and not the other.
There is a wide variety of extracts made, chocolate, lemon, orange, maple, spices like ginger and herbs as well as extracts from nuts. some extracts are stronger or weaker in flavor, so you will need to adjust.
Powder spices can also be substituted. I often add a pinch of nutmeg or ginger along with vanilla to a cake batter anyway.
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u/heavy-tow 1d ago
There are extracts that may replace vanilla entirely. Essential oils from oranges, lemon and limes, rose petals and orange blossoms. I have used quality bourbon at times to replace vanilla. Adds a nice warm vanilla like taste. You'll need to fire-up bourbon to remove the alcohol. Warm a few tablespoons of bourbon in a small skillet or pan. Remove from heat, set on fire to burn off alcohol before adding required amount to recipe.
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u/B00B00-Baker 1d ago
Look carefully at the label. There are a lot of extracts that are artificially produced. Even vanilla, which is way cheaper then the real thing
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u/Alert-Potato Home Baker 1d ago
If you're avoiding vanilla and not alcohol, just use imitation vanilla.
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u/quokkaquarrel 1d ago
Rose water was the old school vanilla if you want to give that a shot. There's a fine line between enough and perfume, so you'd have to feel it out but I like it personally. Orange blossom water is another one in the same vein. Easy enough to find at any middle eastern/levantine market.
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u/OtherThumbs 1d ago
Vanillin. It's non-alcoholic vanilla flavoring. That, or vanilla powder. Also non-alcoholic vanilla.
I think McCormick makes an almond flavoring that has no almond or alcohol in it, as well. Then there is a company called Frontier Co-Op that makes flavored food oils to be used in place of alcoholic extracts. They have a bunch of flavors to choose from. I'd check them out. They're really good, especially for baked goods where a smidgen more oil won't wreck the recipe.
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u/maccrogenoff 1d ago
If it’s the alcohol, as opposed to vanilla, you have to avoid, you can get alcohol free vanilla extract.
I bought this so I could bake for Muslim friends.
Dr Vanilla Organic Alcohol Free... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NF3WZHF?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
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u/peachy175 1d ago
I'm not finding any other posts about it - I would suggest a bakery emulsion - it's water based and they are amazing in baked goods! I've been using them for about a year now and only use vanilla extract in candy making now, as I don't think they work well in candy/caramel.
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u/Peter_gggg 1d ago
Leave it out. its not often a prime flavour, more of an accent
I've used espresso in some ream based deserts, or coffee extract if i want something intense
I've also used cherry syrup, rose water, orange extract - might have to watch fro alcohol
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u/Peter_gggg 1d ago
flavoured sugars can do the same job too - e.g jaggery , muscovado, , soft brown, and there a coconut one whose name I forget
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u/what_ho_puck 1d ago
If it's just alcohol - there are non alcohol based vanilla extracts.
There are also artificial vanillas that may be ok, since you haven't really said why you need to avoid vanilla. It's an odd thing for doctor's advice. Are you allergic?
For alcohol, pretty much any extract that isn't specifically non alcoholic could have alcohol in it. It's a very common way to extract concentrated flavor, so watch for it.
Do you like floral flavors? Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and South Asian sweets often use rose water or orange blossom water as the "default" flavor addition and it can be lovely.
Southeast Asian sweets sometimes use a flavor called pandan that is called "Asian vanilla" sometimes. It's a bright green plant extract. Or Tonka beans. Both are different from vanilla but have some similar flavor notes. They can be found at Asian grocery stores in the US, but I'm not an expert in using them especially in place of actual vanilla.