Best Vanilla Beans of 2026
* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
Vanilla beans are a popular ingredient in many desserts and baked goods. These long, thin pods contain small black seeds that have a sweet, floral flavor. They are often used to flavor ice cream, custards, and cakes. Vanilla beans are also a key ingredient in making vanilla extract. They are grown primarily in Madagascar, Indonesia, and Tahiti. Vanilla beans can be quite expensive, but their unique flavor and versatility make them a worthwhile investment for any home baker or chef.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 10 Vanilla Beans
Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans Extract Exclusive Grade B
Fitnclean Vanilla's 26 organic Madagascar vanilla beans are extract exclusive grade B, USDA certified organic, dry, aromatic, and bourbon conditioned for a rich aroma. These beans are perfect for making your own vanilla extract, with more vanilla for lower cost and quicker extraction. However, they are not ideal for caviar or seed scraping. Fitnclean Vanilla is committed to customer satisfaction and offers the best vanilla beans possible.
Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans for Baking and Extract
These Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans are sustainably sourced from Malagasy farmers at fair market prices. They are fresh gourmet beans from the late 2021-2022 crop, with an average moisture content of 33%, making them soft, pliable, and filled with millions of tiny vanilla seeds. These beans have a rich and creamy flavor, along with an intense heavenly aroma. The triple inspection process ensures only the highest quality beans are sent out. These beans are perfect for adding flavor to your baking, cooking, and brewing.
Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans
Vanilla Bean Kings Madagascar Vanilla Beans are fresh gourmet vanilla beans sourced from Malagasy farmers at fair market prices. These beans are approximately 5-7 inches long with a soft and pliable texture, filled with millions of tiny vanilla seeds. They can be used in a variety of recipes as flavoring or ingredients, including homemade vanilla extract, baking, cooking, and brewing. The Madagascar bourbon beans have a rich and creamy flavor, along with an intense heavenly aroma. With a triple inspection process to ensure the highest quality, Vanilla Bean Kings offers beans that are of superior size, smell, aroma, and appearance. Elevate your culinary creations with the convenience and exceptional taste of Vanilla Bean Kings Madagascar Vanilla Beans.
Cook's Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans
Cook's Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans are Grade A vanilla beans that are hand-selected from village cooperatives in Madagascar to assure quality and fair prices to farmers. These beans are certified organic by CCOF and are great for various uses including cooking, baking, desserts, and vanilla extract. As a family-owned business with over 100 years of experience, Cook's are vanilla specialists.
Organic Grade A Madagascar Vanilla Beans
FitnClean Vanilla provides 50 organic grade A Madagascar vanilla beans, which are about 5" long and have a rich aroma, moist freshness, and dense seeds. They are Bourbon vanilla, NON-GMO, and ideal for all culinary purposes, such as baking, brewing, desserts, ice cream, beverages, and coffee. Don't refrigerate the beans; instead, store them in an airtight bag in a cool dry place to maintain freshness for a longer shelf life (~1yr). FitnClean Vanilla guarantees 100% quality and will resolve all issues if the pods fail to meet your expectations.
Native Vanilla Bean Paste - All Natural, Rich and Flavorful
This vanilla bean paste is made with premium 100% pure vanilla beans without any added sugar, preservatives or thickening agents. It has a strong vanilla aroma and real vanilla bean flecks that elevate your culinary creations. It comes in a 4 fl oz container and is perfect for chefs and home cooks to use in baking and cooking. One teaspoon of powder is equivalent to one teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla paste. It's easy to store in a tightly sealed airtight container in a cool, dark place to keep the strong, rich aroma for up to 3 years.
Madagascar Vanilla Beans Grade B|5"-7"|Whole NON-GMO Bourbon Pods
Fitnclean Vanilla offers Grade B Madagascar Vanilla Bean Pods, which are semi-dry to dry, non-GMO, handpicked, and bourbon conditioned for a rich aroma. They come in 5"-7" bean pods with a classic Madagascar vanilla aroma. These beans are great for making alcohol-vanilla extract and have a longer shelf life when stored in an airtight bag in a cool dry place. Fitnclean Vanilla is committed to providing complete and happy customer experience.
Tahitian Vanilla Beans by ESSENCE FOOD & BEVERAGE
ESSENCE Tahitian Vanilla Beans are Grade A quality, perfect for enhancing your cooking and baking. Their rich aroma and smooth flavor make them ideal for creating premium vanilla extracts. Sourced from Indonesia, these beans undergo careful sun-drying to preserve their natural essence, ensuring they remain fresh and easy to use. You’ll enjoy the captivating floral scent that adds depth to your dishes, elevating your culinary creations. With a high vanillin content, these beans promise a luscious taste that enriches any dessert or recipe you prepare.
50 Tahitian Vanilla Beans by Vanilla Products USA
The Vanilla Products USA Vanilla Beans offer a delightful addition to your culinary creations. These beans are traditionally cured, allowing you to enjoy their full, rich flavor, perfect for enhancing desserts and beverages. With a sweet and floral aroma, they can elevate your recipes, making them more appealing. Ideal for crafting vanilla extract, these vacuum-packed beans ensure freshness and convenience. Sourced from Papua New Guinea, they undergo triple inspection for quality, giving you peace of mind in your baking and cooking endeavors.
Native Vanilla Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans
These 25 premium, organic grade A vanilla beans are hand-selected with the finest curing processes, and are vacuum-sealed for freshness. They measure 5-6 inches long, are plump, oily, black/dark brown, and 30-35% moist. Native Vanilla assists hundreds of micro farmers with fair trade assistance and maintains a commitment to environmentally friendly growing practices. Ideal for baking and desserts like ice cream and creme brulee, these organic Madagascar whole beans work best in sweet breads and cheesecakes. Store in a tightly sealed airtight container, ideally a glass jar, and keep away from heat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you grow vanilla beans in the US?
Yes, vanilla beans can be grown in the US, particularly in Florida where the vanilla orchid has been cultivated since the early 1900s. Some native vanilla orchid species can be found in Florida, making it possible to grow vanilla beans locally.
2. Why is vanilla bean so expensive?
Vanilla beans are expensive due to various factors. Around 80% of the world's natural vanilla supply comes from an African island, and challenges like devastating storms, deforestation, and intensive labor have significantly impacted the supply. The high demand and limited availability contribute to the high cost of vanilla beans.
3. Why are vanilla beans so hard to find?
Finding vanilla beans can be challenging due to factors such as supply shortages and price surges caused by cyclones, deforestation, exploitation, and theft. The majority of vanilla orchids are grown in the hilly forests of Madagascar, where these challenges are prevalent.
4. How many times can you reuse vanilla beans to make extract?
The number of times you can reuse vanilla beans to make extract depends on factors like the quality of the beans, the duration the extract has been sitting, and if the beans have been kept submerged. Typically, vanilla beans can be reused 2-4 times before discarding them and starting fresh.
5. Is it worth it to grow vanilla?
Growing your own vanilla can be worth it, despite the long wait for the beans to mature (around nine months). Considering that most vanilla on the market is artificial and genuine vanilla can be expensive, the wait and effort of growing your own vanilla beans can be rewarding.
6. Can you use homemade vanilla 5 years later after making it?
Homemade vanilla extract can be stored indefinitely in an airtight container in a cool, dark place like the pantry. For the best flavor, it is recommended to use it within 5 years. However, if you continue to top off the jar with vodka and beans over time, you can use it indefinitely.
7. How many vanilla beans does it take to make a gallon of vanilla extract?
To be labeled as pure single-fold vanilla extract, the liquid must contain 13.35 ounces of natural vanilla beans per gallon of alcohol, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Double-fold pure vanilla extract commercially contains 23 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon of alcohol.
During our vanilla bean research, we found 24 vanilla bean products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 478,481 customer reviews through our big data system to write the vanilla beans list. We found that most customers choose vanilla beans with an average price of $19.64.
The vanilla beans are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of vanilla beans, including FITNCLEAN HERBS AND SPICES, Vanilla Bean Kings, COOK'S, Native Vanilla, ESSENCE FOOD & BEVERAGE. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 533 consumers with an average rating of 4.8.
Ashley Abels is a former restaurant executive and has worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years. She is also a gourmet who loves tasting different cuisines and trying out all kinds of cooking methods. The food she writes about will make you want to try it!
Vanilla Beans Comparison Table
|
#TOP1
|
#TOP2
|
#TOP3
|
#TOP4
|
#TOP5
|
#TOP6
|
#TOP7
|
#TOP8
|
#TOP9
|
#TOP10
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | FITNCLEAN HERBS AND SPICES | Vanilla Bean Kings | Vanilla Bean Kings | COOK'S | FITNCLEAN HERBS AND SPICES | Native Vanilla | FITNCLEAN HERBS AND SPICES | ESSENCE FOOD & BEVERAGE | Vanilla Products USA | Native Vanilla |
| Units | 26.0 Count | 10 Count | 50 Count | 10 Count | 50.0 Count | 4.0 Fluid Ounces | 50 Count | 25 Count | 50.0 Count | 25 Count |
| Variety | Vanilla | Vanilla | Vanilla | Vanilla | Vanilla | - | Vanilla | Vanilla | Vanilla | Vanilla |
| Item Form | Whole | Vanilla | Beans | Whole | Pods | - | Whole | Whole | Powder | Beans |
| Unit Count | 26.0 Count | 10 Count | 50 Count | 10 Count | 50.0 Count | - | 50 Count | 25 Count | 50.0 Count | 25 Count |
| Specialty | Organic | Organic | Organic | Organic | GMO Free, Organic | - | GMO Free, Organic | No Preservative | - | Halal |
| FTB Score |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Where to Buy |