How to Make Homemade Vanilla Powder – find out how easy it is to make your own vanilla powder for all your delicious sweet creations.

I talked to a cousin of mine from Sweden about cutting sugar in our diet. She told me she used vanilla powder to make her food seem sweeter. I wondered what vanilla powder is, since I’ve never heard of it before. So she sent me a small jar of it.
It is very interesting that, since it is pure vanilla (no alcohol, no sugar), you need only 1/2 tsp of powder for every tsp of vanilla extract.

Even though you only need a small amount of the powder, after some time I realized the powder will be gone. So I searched the internet to see whether there is a way to make it at home. Luckily, there is a way and it is very simple one. You dry vanilla beans (pods) and grind them in your coffee grinder (spice grinder). Some people have even used food processor for it.
My small research showed that vanilla beans can be dried in several ways:
– dry vanilla bean by leaving it on your counter for 3 weeks (for raw vanilla powder)
– dry vanilla beans in your oven on 65 C (150 F) for about 1 hour
– dry vanilla beans in your oven on 170 C (350 F) for 4-5 minutes
– dry vanilla beans in your microwave for about 10 seconds (I’m not entirely sure about the time)
Since I’m pretty impatient, I decided for third option.

To clean out my coffee grinder, I ground up a some powdered sugar and got my own “vanilla sugar”. I remember my mom would grind granulated sugar in a coffee grinder, place it in a container and then stick a vanilla bean inside. That way she always had vanilla sugar on hand when she needed it.
Keep your Homemade Vanilla Powder in an airtight container for 3-6 months (or until they lose flavor).

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Powder – find out how easy it is to make your own vanilla powder for all your delicious sweet creations.
- 4 whole vanilla beans
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Preheat your oven to 170 C (350 F).
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Slice your vanilla beans lengthwise (no need to scrape the seeds, you will use whole beans) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 4-5 minutes in a fan oven (regular oven might need a minute longer). Vanilla beans will still be a little soft (but will harden after cooling).
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Let cool completely. Cut each vanilla strip into small chunks. Put them in a coffee grinder (spice grinder) to pulverize. Store the powder in an airtight small glass jar.
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HOW TO USE HOMEMADE VANILLA POWDER: In any recipe that calls for liquid vanilla extract or vanilla paste, use 1/2 tsp vanilla powder for each teaspoon of vanilla extract or paste.





Vanilla beans are never really quite “gone”. If they seem to have lost their zip, give them a quick re-grind, or smash with a mortar and pestle. That will open new oil sources in the beans.
My frugal “Wisewoman” grandmother would simmer old vanilla and also old sweet spices such as cinnamon, clove and cardamom in water for teas, in milk to use in baking and as a subtle treat for nitey-nite. I remember the bit of rock sugar and spice residue at the bottom of the cup as a nibble that left fresh breath and a soothed tummy.
Our grandmothers were so wise, weren’t they?
I too am a vanilla fan, I loved reading your technique concocting yummy things with vanilla beans! Creamed honey with homemade vanilla & the caviar of two beans is a must “on hand” for my coffee ! The vanilla sugar is awesome to always have in the pantry, like your grandmother said, you just keep recharging it with added extra fine sugar and split beans. ! Thanks for sharing !
I will be going over to my local World Market to pick up some Vanilla beans so I can make this powder. I can put some in with my coffee while it is brewing and have Vanilla Bean coffee. Yum
Great idea!
Have interest in supplying PNGs best vanilla for you ,right from my small farmers, I buy and sell to middle man
Dear Kitchen Nostalgia,
Thank You for sharing Your kitchen secrets with us. This one is great for all those cutting sugar in the diet.
Keep on cooking and posting as well,
2pots2cook
Thank you very much, 2pots2cook!
Hello. what about if i have already some dried pods will that work too? the other day I opened the jar and found the pods all dried can I just grind them?
Thanks
Yes, they should work, too. You just grind them.
Hello – this vanilla powder is actually the grounded vanilla bean after the seeds is removed/used, so this is a win-win for us bakers. I just let the “empty” vanilla bean dry on the counter to next day, then grind it to powder and use it. You can make you own real “vanilla sugar” by mixing – vanilla powder + confectioners sugar + pinch corn flour (to avoid clumping) -this vanilla sugar is really good to use when baking,in syrups, just everything.. It has a strong vanilla taste. Now we buy small vanilla-grinders with dried bits of vanilla beans to… Read more »
Vanilla-grinders? Haven’t seen them yet, but it sounds so good!