How To Make Amazing Vanilla Sugar For Baking And Sugar Scrubs Recipe

I’m sharing a Vanilla Bean Sugar Recipe using only whole vanilla beans and granulated sugar so you can add a simple baking secret to cookies and cakes.

I never expected granulated white sugar and whole vanilla bean to change how I bake, but it did. I make a jar that smells like a bakery and I catch myself stealing spoons of it, no shame.

When people type How To Make Vanilla Sugar into search they expect fuss, not this simple little thing that lifts cookies and cakes. It feels like one of those secret pantry hacks, almost bordering on Infused Sugar you’d pay extra for.

I kept testing it, messing up, learning tiny tricks, and now I reach for it more than plain sugar.

Ingredients

• Granulated white sugar: almost all carbohydrate, no fiber or protein, gives pure sweet taste.
• Uses sugar in baking: helps browning, texture, and moisture retention in cookies and cakes.
• Whole vanilla bean: fragrant seed pod, adds floral aromatic notes and tiny black flecks.
• Nutrition vanilla bean: negligible calories, small trace minerals and antioxidants, adds flavor not bulk.
• Skin scrub use: sugar exfoliates gently, vanilla scent makes scrub feel luxe and comforting.
• Tip: split vanilla pod and scrape seeds, they punch way above their size for flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
• 1 whole vanilla bean (about 6 to 8 inches, roughly 1 bean per 1 cup sugar — use extra beans for a stronger vanilla flavor)

How to Make this

1. Place 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar in a clean, dry bowl or directly into a wide mouthed airtight jar.

2. Take 1 whole vanilla bean (about 6 to 8 inches) and split it lengthwise with a sharp knife, keeping the pod intact so you can reuse it later.

3. Use the back of the knife to scrape the tiny seeds from the split bean and scrape them right into the sugar.

4. Mix the seeds thoroughly into the sugar with a fork or whisk, rubbing the seeds between your fingers or palms to help them break up and disperse evenly.

5. Tuck the scraped vanilla pod into the sugar, pressing it down so it sits completely buried in the jar.

6. Seal the jar tightly and store in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar or stir the sugar once a day for the first week to speed infusion.

7. Let the sugar infuse at least 1 week before using, for best flavor wait 2 weeks or longer; if you want a stronger vanilla taste use extra beans, roughly 1 bean per cup of sugar.

8. For a finer dusting or for sugar scrubs pulse a portion of the vanilla sugar in a food processor or coffee grinder until slightly powdery. Keep the rest sealed, keep it dry, and it will stay fragrant for months.

Equipment Needed

1. Measuring cup for 1 cup sugar or kitchen scale (200 g), either works
2. Wide mouthed airtight jar or a clean, dry bowl to mix and store the sugar
3. Sharp knife (paring or small chef knife) to split the vanilla bean
4. Cutting board to work on
5. Fork or whisk to mix and rub the seeds into the sugar
6. Spoon or small spatula to tuck the scraped pod into the sugar
7. Funnel for transferring sugar into the jar neatly
8. Coffee grinder or small food processor to pulse a portion finer, optional

FAQ

How To Make Amazing Vanilla Sugar For Baking And Sugar Scrubs Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar as a 1:1 swap for granulated sugar. Adds warm molasses notes and makes scrubs more moisturizing, but it’ll darken baked goods and it’s a bit moister so break up any clumps before using.
• 1 cup coconut sugar as a 1:1 substitute for granulated sugar. Less sweet with caramel/coconut tones and a coarser texture, so it might not dissolve fully in delicate batters, but great for rustic cookies and body scrubs.
• 1 to 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste instead of one vanilla bean. Stir into the sugar and spread thin to dry overnight so it won’t clump; paste gives those pretty little black flecks.
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon pure vanilla powder (ground vanilla bean) in place of a whole bean. It’s concentrated and keeps the sugar dry, perfect when you want strong flavor without adding moisture.

Pro Tips

1) Save the pods after the sugar’s gone, dont toss them — stick a few in a small bottle of vodka or rum and you’ll have a quick vanilla extract in a month, or simmer them in equal parts water and sugar for a fast vanilla syrup.

2) For a super fine, dustable vanilla sugar, dry the pods until brittle (low oven or dehydrator), then pulse a portion with sugar in a coffee grinder or spice mill, it makes pastries look pro and mixes easier.

3) Keep moisture away, always use a clean dry jar and store somewhere cool and dark, not the fridge; if the sugar ever starts clumping, spread it on a tray to dry then break it up with a fork.

4) Try different bean types and small blends, Madagascar is classic, Tahitian is floral, Mexican is spicy, mix beans or jar them separately so you know what flavor fits cookies vs coffee, and label jars with bean type and date so you dont forget.