Myth: Clear Vanilla Extract is Real Vanilla

Not even close! Real vanilla is an extract of vanilla beans, while clear vanilla is a synthetic product.

Genuine Vanilla Extract

Real vanilla extract starts with the seeds of Vanilla planifolia, a species of orchid that is native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Brazil but is now cultivated world-wide. The seeds, or beans, are soaked in in an alcohol solution until the flavor comes out into the alcohol which is then filtered and bottled. The resulting extract contains vanillin, the source of the vanilla flavor, and small amounts of other flavoring agents that provide complexity. Real vanilla extract is unavoidably brown.

Clear Vanilla "Extract"

Clear vanilla is not an extract at all because its flavor is chemically synthesized, not extracted from natural seeds. The flavor comes from the same compound, vanillin, as in natural extract, but clear vanilla lacks the subtlety and complexity of flavor that the natural extraction process provides. Clear vanilla can be useful when you want vanilla taste without tinting, for example in white frosting, royal icing, or pale cake batter.

Clear vanilla is a lot cheaper than real extract, sometimes by a factor of three or four. This may not matter given the small amounts used. But it is true that for strongly flavored recipes, such as double-chocolate cookies, the taste difference between real extract and clear is not likely to be noticed.

What About Tonka Beans?

You may have heard of tonka beans in relation to artificial vanilla flavor These beans, produced by a tree native to the northern part of South America are very fragrant and have been used as flavorings and perfume additives over the years. They do not contain vanillin but high concentrations of coumarin, which has a strong pleasant fragrance. After being synthesized in the 1940s, artificial coumarin was used as as a vanilla substitute and became one of the first artificial flavoring agents (the first of many!). Coumarin is toxic in high doses and is banned for food uses in the United States although tonka beans are used in other countries. So, while there is a distant connection you're not getting tonka seeds or their extracts in your clear vanilla.