Question: Vanilla Bean Substitute
By: quietypl
Published: September 12, 2010

If a receipe calls for Vanilla Bean, is therea way to determine how much Vanilla Extract can be used instead???

Answers:
Curt

Taste.  Depending upon what kind of a volume of recipe you are making...add the smallest amount of pure vanilla extract.  Blend it in and taste the mix.  Add more vanilla per your own taste preference.
Mil Apostol

Yeah, that's what I do. Sometimes I even add more vanilla, as in the case of chocolate chip sookies.
Gabriel Cross

I would argue against subbing out the real vanilla bean, tho.  Extract is good, but real bean is a whole other level of delicious.  If the recipe does not require that you cut it open and use the seeds, you can reuse the bean indefinitely too, so it is really a great investment.
dee d.

Usually i do two teaspoons, and that works out fine for me...