Quick answer: homemade vanilla sugar is made in two ways. The quick method: bury a whole bean, split or not, in a jar of 500 g of sugar, seal, wait two weeks, shaking the jar from time to time, the sugar absorbs the aroma through direct contact. The intense method: blend a dried bean, skin included, with the sugar in a food processor until you get a fine, even powder, usable right away. Both keep for months in an airtight jar, away from moisture.
A bean already infused makes excellent vanilla sugar. Ours come from our Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar.
Why real vanilla sugar changes everything
Vanilla sugar sold in shop sachets very often contains a synthetic flavouring rather than a real bean, a legal practice but one that has nothing to do with the aroma of a whole Bourbon bean. We detail this distinction on our page natural flavouring and synthetic flavouring. A vanilla sugar made at home with a real bean has a more complex, less one-note aroma, and above all lets you recycle a bean that has already served once in a custard or an extract, rather than throwing it away.
The infusion method: the whole bean in the jar
This is the simplest method and uses the fewest beans. Take an airtight glass jar, pour in about 500 g of white or brown sugar, and bury a whole vanilla bean at the centre, split lengthwise to speed up the aroma's spread, or whole if you prefer to keep it intact for another use afterwards.
Close the jar and let it stand for at least two weeks in a dry cupboard, away from light. Shake the jar once every two or three days to spread the aroma through all the sugar. The longer you leave it, the stronger the aroma becomes: a month gives a noticeably stronger result than two weeks. The bean can stay in place indefinitely, you simply top up the sugar as you use it, exactly as you would refill a shop-bought jar of vanilla sugar endlessly.
The blending method: powdered vanilla sugar, ready right away
For an immediate result, more intense and more visually even, the method is to blend a bean directly with the sugar. Ideally use a bean that is already a little dry, for example one that has already infused once in a custard and then been air-dried for several days, or a fresh bean if you do not plan to reuse it any other way. Cut it into small pieces, place them in a blender or food processor with 200 to 300 g of sugar, and blend in pulses until you get a fine powder, with no visible bits of skin.
This sugar is stronger in aroma than the infusion method, since the whole matter of the bean, skin included, ends up ground into the sugar. It also lightly colours the sugar with small dark specks, a visible sign of the real presence of vanilla, unlike an industrial vanilla sugar, which stays evenly white.
Which bean to choose for this household dosage
An S or M grade is plenty to flavour 500 g of sugar, the bean going on releasing its aroma well after the preparation is usable. It is an excellent use for a shorter bean, cheaper than an XL, or for a bean recovered after a first use in a custard or an extract. Find all our grades, from S to XL, on the Bourbon vanilla beans page.
Keeping and maintaining the jar
Homemade vanilla sugar, whatever the method, keeps very well at room temperature in an airtight jar, away from moisture, for several months without losing its aroma in any noticeable way. Moisture is the only real enemy: a sugar that clumps or turns sticky has probably been exposed to air that is too humid, often because the jar is left open too long or is stored near a source of steam, such as above a hob.
For the infusion method, check the state of the bean from time to time: if it starts to darken unusually or smells unpleasant, it is best to remove it. This is rare in a well-dried sugar, but possible if moisture has got into the jar.
How to use it in cooking
Homemade vanilla sugar is used exactly like a shop-bought one: in a cake batter, a yoghurt, a stewed fruit, a coffee, or sprinkled over fruit before putting it in the oven. The blending method, more concentrated, works especially well sprinkled over fruit or as a finishing touch on a dessert, where its slightly grainy texture and visible vanilla specks add a real effect, on top of the aroma.
A good complement to homemade extract
Vanilla sugar and homemade vanilla extract are often made with the same recycling logic: a bean that has already served once in a custard can then end up either in a jar of sugar or in a bottle of alcohol. Our page making your own vanilla extract details the other method, if you prefer to make the most of your used beans that way rather than as sugar.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use brown sugar rather than white sugar?
Yes, brown sugar works just as well for both methods, giving a final result with a slightly more caramelised taste, which pairs well with vanilla in autumn and winter baking.
How long does the aroma last in the jar?
With the infusion method, the bean keeps flavouring the sugar for several months, as long as it stays in contact and you top up the sugar as you go. With the blending method, the aroma is present from day one and stays stable for several months in a well-sealed jar.
Should you remove the bean before using the sugar?
No, you can leave it in place and take sugar from around it, it keeps infusing. Only remove it once you notice it no longer gives aroma, usually after several months of continued use.
