Vanilla sugar is a fairly popular baking ingredient used in several European countries. However, looking for vanilla sugar substitutes can be necessary in other nations as this can be rather difficult to find.
Luckily, this is one of those situations where substitution isn’t difficult or restricted by availability. It’s possible to whip up the substitute in minutes and most homes probably have the ingredients already at hand.
The simplest vanilla sugar substitute is vanilla extract combined with sugar (you can choose the vanilla extract or sugar of your choice), plain sugar could also work, and if you want something without vanilla, you could use almond extract, orange zest, and cinnamon.
Let’s talk about these choices and see how they work.
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Quick Note On Vanilla Sugar And Its Characteristics
Put simply, Vanilla sugar is plain sugar infused with the flavor of vanilla beans over some time.
This gives it a subtle vanilla flavor. This subtle flavoring is partially the reason vanilla sugar maintains its popularity. Besides, this infusion of flavors is a simple, natural process. You can make this sugar at home if you want, though it takes some time. The active time you spend on it though, is barely a few minutes.
DIY Vanilla Sugar Recipe
Here’s a quick vanilla sugar recipe. This recipe is a demonstration of the convenience of making vanilla sugar at home. In a way, it also displays how the substitute option of sugar and vanilla essence is a viable and convenient option. Anyways, let’s get on with the recipe.
Here’s what you will need:
- An airtight jar
- Granulated sugar – 3-4 cups
- Two vanilla pods
And here’s the recipe:
- Put the granulated sugar in the airtight jar.
- (Optional step) Cut the vanilla pods vertically in half. Carefully remove the seeds.
- Add the vanilla seeds and/or pods to the sugar.
- Shake the jar well. Now let it sit for two to six weeks.
And that’s it, your vanilla sugar is ready. As you use this sugar, you can also top it off with regular sugar. Since the vanilla pod and seeds remain active for several months, you can use this sugar as needed and top it off with plain sugar for a fairly long time.
Best Vanilla Sugar Substitutes – Here’s What Works
1. Sugar And Vanilla Extract (Can Vary By Choice Of Sugar And Extract)
This has to be the simplest and most convenient way for a vanilla sugar substitute. Take some sugar and add a little bit of vanilla extract. And just like that, you have a pretty good substitute for vanilla sugar.
A general ratio for this substitution utilizes 2 cups of sugar with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. You can obviously change this in proportion to the amount of vanilla sugar your recipe demands. When baking, it’s also possible to add sugar and vanilla extract at different steps, so you can work with whatever method is preferable to you.
It’s possible to use several types of sugar for this purpose depending on your choice. Generally, the type of sugar you use does not widely alter the recipe. Some notable sugar types are:
- Regular sugar
- Demerara sugar
- Brown sugar
- Icing sugar
- Coconut palm sugar (brings additional flavor)
Similarly, there are several vanilla flavoring options to use as well. It might be necessary to change the amount of vanilla flavoring used depending on the type of vanilla chosen.
- Vanilla extract
- Vanilla powder (conventional ratio: 2 cups of sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla powder)
- Vanilla syrup (use as sweetener, not suitable for baking recipes)
- Synthetic vanilla extract/vanillin (use as directed on label)
Technically, it is possible to use vanilla syrup in baking recipes, but it would require significant adjustments to the sugar, vanilla, and liquid content. It’s just better to use a conventional sugar and vanilla extract combination.
2. Plain Sugar
Plain sugar, or for that matter, any suitable sugar would work just fine as a substitute for vanilla sugar. While the subtle flavors of vanilla would be missed, skipping vanilla entirely isn’t a dealbreaker for many recipes.
This substitution can work in a simple 1:1 ratio. Simply replace vanilla sugar with an equal amount of plain sugar.
3. Almond Extract
Using almond extract presents an alternate path, rather than being a substitute for vanilla sugar. This extract adds something of a nutty aroma to the food, though the flavor can remain relatively muted.
When using the extract as an alternative, remember that it adds flavor to balance what vanilla sugar would have added. It is still necessary to add additional sugar to complete the substitution.
In most cases, for a substitution, 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar equals ¼ teaspoon of almond extract along with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
4. Orange Or Lemon Zest
Much in the spirit of using almond extract, using orange zest or lemon zest is an alternative path to consider in place of vanilla sugar. In fact, you could also use a little bit of orange zest with almond extract in this substitution. The zest adds a flavorful brightness that balances the muted flavor tones and bitter aftertaste of almond extract.
The use of zest adds a wonderful aroma along with the flavor. While it is an enjoyable combination, it’s worth remembering that it’s fairly different from the original vanilla sugar recipe.
For a substitution, 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar equals 1 tablespoon of orange zest (or lemon zest) with ½ tablespoon of sugar.
5. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a very interesting flavor alternative to vanilla, or as relevant to our current discussion, vanilla sugar. Ground cinnamon is a better choice for the alternative and also easier to work with when dealing with baking recipes. It adds a warm spicy aroma and flavor that is different from vanilla, but very likeable in its own right.
When substituting cinnamon for vanilla sugar, the usual ratio is 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar equals ⅓ teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar.
Picking A Superb Vanilla Sugar Substitute
As we see in the discussion here, there is generally no need to pick specific or specialized vanilla sugar substitutes. Simply using granulated sugar with a little bit of vanilla extract should work just fine. Or, pick your choice of sugar and vanilla flavor! Even making vanilla sugar at home isn’t difficult.
That said, I have discussed other ideas and substitutes as well, should you decide to move further away from vanilla flavoring. But generally, it’s not necessary when working with a recipe that wants vanilla sugar, since the substitute is quite easy to procure.