How To Make Vanilla Sugar With Vanilla Beans Easy DIY Recipe

I turn spent vanilla beans into pantry-ready vanilla sugar in my Vanilla Bean Recipes post, a simple way to add real vanilla flavor to baked goods, coffee, and cookies without adding liquid.

I never throw out spent vanilla beans (from making vanilla extract). I scrape them sometimes, but lately I just bury them in granulated sugar and wait.

The result is quietly powerful, a simple swap that turns plain coffee, cookies or donuts into something you can’t quite name but notice. It’s not fancy, its just patience and a few pantry tricks.

If you like clever shortcuts you’ll wanna try this Diy Vanilla Sugar idea. I’ll walk you through easy tips for using those spent beans and how to get real vanilla flavor without adding liquid, even when you think you’ve used up every last bean.

Ingredients

• Granulated sugar: pure carbs, no fiber or protein, makes things sweet and tender.
• Spent vanilla beans: tiny flavorful seeds and aromatics, kinda little nutrition, great aroma.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 spent vanilla beans (from making vanilla extract)

How to Make this

1. Gather 2 cups granulated sugar and 2 spent vanilla beans plus a clean airtight jar, spoon and knife.

2. Split each vanilla bean lengthwise with the tip of a knife and scrape out the tiny seeds with the back of the knife, fingernail or spoon, try to get as many little black specks as you can.

3. Chop the emptied pods into 1 inch pieces or smaller so they fit easily in the jar, you want surface area for more flavor.

4. Put the scraped seeds and chopped pods into a mixing bowl with the sugar and stir well until the seeds are evenly distributed.

5. Pack the sugar mixture into the jar, pressing down to remove air pockets, then seal the jar tightly.

6. Let the sugar infuse at room temperature for at least 1 week, shaking the jar vigorously once a day; you can wait 2 weeks for stronger vanilla flavor.

7. For a faster, stronger result pulse the sugar, seeds and pod pieces in a food processor for 20 to 30 seconds before jarring, it makes the sugar finer and spreads the flavor quicker.

8. When you use the sugar keep the pods in the jar and just top up with fresh sugar, the same beans will flavor several batches until nearly spent.

9. Once the pods are truly spent, dry them in a low oven or air dry and grind to make a vanilla powder or add to a new jar of sugar; store finished vanilla sugar in a cool dark place up to 6 months or longer, label with date.

Equipment Needed

1. 2 cup measuring cup for the sugar
2. small sharp knife for splitting beans and scraping seeds
3. cutting board to work on
4. mixing bowl to combine sugar and seeds
5. spoon or small spatula for scraping and stirring
6. clean airtight jar with lid for storing the vanilla sugar
7. funnel or small scoop to pack the sugar into the jar
8. food processor or mini blender for pulsing the mix faster (optional)
9. baking sheet for drying truly spent pods and a permanent marker to label the jar

FAQ

How To Make Vanilla Sugar With Vanilla Beans Easy DIY Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Quick swaps you can try if you dont have the exact ingredients

• Superfine caster sugar (for granulated sugar) — same volume, finer texture so the vanilla infuses quicker and the sugar feels less gritty.
• Turbinado or demerara sugar (for granulated sugar) — coarser crystals and a light caramel note, great on baked goods, use same volume but expect darker color.
• Coconut sugar (for granulated sugar) — gives a caramel like flavor and lower glycemic index, measure by weight if you can cause density is different.
• Vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract (for spent vanilla beans) — paste gives the little black flecks like real beans, extract works too; use about 1 to 2 teaspoons of extract or 1 tablespoon of paste for the batch.

Pro Tips

– Toast the pods very briefly in a dry skillet till they smell stronger, then let them cool before using, it really wakes up the oils but dont let them burn or it tastes bitter.
– Match sugar type to how you plan to use it: superfine or caster for dissolving in drinks and batters, coarse for sprinkling on cookies or crusts, so you dont end up with gritty drinks.
– If the jar ever looks damp or smells off, dry the pods in a low oven or on a rack before resealing, moisture is the main thing that ruins a batch.
– Write the bean variety and date on the jar and keep it in a dark cool place, that way you know if your Madagascar beans are still kicking or if its time to refresh.