A bowl of vanilla powder beside fresh vanilla beans.

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Bean Powder (Sugar-Free)

Recipe By : Michelle McCowan

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Turn your baked goods and beverages into a gourmet experience with Homemade Vanilla Bean Powder! Free of sugar and alcohol, it offers a pure, heat-stable flavour that’s bold enough to make a statement.

Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 10

Dietary DF, GF, Nut Free, Sugar Free

Season(s) All Seasons

Difficulty Moderate

Yield ¼ Cup

Equipment

Oven
Baking Sheet
Personal-Sized Blender (See Instruction & Notes)

Ingredients

▢ 25 grams Vanilla Beans (B Grade)

Instructions

First, weigh out your beans according to how much vanilla powder you'd like to make. To make about ¼ cup of powder, you will need about 25 grams of fresh Grade B vanilla beans.
To oven-dry the vanilla beans, preheat your oven to 170 to 200 degrees ferenhieght.
Spread the vanilla beans evenly on a baking sheet. Avoid overcrowding them to ensure they dry evenly.
Place them in the preheated oven and bake for 1 to 4 hours, depending on how plump they are. The fresher and larger the beans, the longer they will take to become Brittle.
If your vanilla beans are really fresh and plump, they may take longer than 4 hours to dry.
That's why I recommend using Grade B beans, as they are typically smaller and drier.
When they are fully dried, they should snap apart with ease. If they are uneven in size, some may dry more quickly than others.
Once dried, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool before grinding.
To naturally dry the vanilla beans, place them in a dry, well-ventilated spot where they can be safely exposed to air. This could take weeks or months, depending on how fresh the beans are. This is why I typically dry them in the oven.
Once the vanilla beans have fully dried, use a personal-sized blender, mini food processor, coffee grinder or spice grinder to turn them into a fine powder.
I have tried many different methods and blenders. The ones that work best run off a 400 Watt motor or higher (the higher the better). They also have small containers that hold about 16 fluid ounces or less.
Despite its extremely high wattage, I have never had success using my Vitamix for a single batch of vanilla powder.
It is great for making multiple batches at once! But I have always ended up with chunks instead of powder when trying to make smaller amounts.
If using a high-powered personal-sized blender, coffee or spice grinder, the beans should blend into a powder fairly quickly.
I should also note that when using a coffee grinder, it's best to use a separate one that doesn't get used for coffee. If that isn't an option, make sure it's thoroughly cleaned to prevent coffee grounds or flavour from getting mixed into your vanilla.
When using a lower-wattage blender or food processor, it can take a little patience to get a super-fine powder.
I find it helpful to pulse the blender or processor in 10 to 15 second bursts. This helps to shake up all the little bits that get stuck spinning at the top.
Finally, if you have nothing else, you can use a mortar and pestle. Although I find this works best if you are just grinding one or two beans.
It would take quite a while to grind 25 grams by hand. It's also a little more difficult to achieve a fine powder.
If needed, you can sift out the larger bits and pieces to get a finer powder.

Notes

Tips

Use Grade B vanilla beans since they are typically smaller, drier and much less expensive to buy in bulk.
Allow the pods to fully dry before grinding. The vanilla beans should be dry enough to snap apart with ease. If they are too moist, they will be too tough to grind and may result in a stringy or uneven texture.
Use a high-wattage personal-sized blender for the finest and quickest results. A coffee grinder also works great! Just make sure it's thoroughly cleaned to avoid coffee grounds in your vanilla powder.
Use within 12 months for the strongest flavour. The aromatic compounds can degrade over time.

How to Use Vanilla Powder

Use vanilla powder in any recipe that calls for vanilla.
Replace vanilla extract with powder by using half the amount. So, if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, use ½ teaspoon vanilla powder.

How to Store Vanilla Powder

Store your vanilla powder in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months.
To best preserve the flavour, store your homemade vanilla powder in an airtight glass jar. Plastic can leach undesirable flavours and toxins.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5teaspoon | Calories: 2kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.3g | Fat: 0.2g

Total Servings : Servings