Is there such a thing as too much vanilla?
I have been making cookies for decades and I have noticed a dramatic change in quality based on the usage of vanilla. Using weak vanilla or just not enough will lead to bland cookies, oftentimes regardless of the usage of other ingredients. This has lead me to add twice to three times the amount of vanilla that is called for in my recipes. So far, I have been happy with the results. Is this a common experience? Is there a recognizable upper limit to the addition on vanilla? Or is it that, since I am a fan of vanilla, I am simply making cookies to my personal taste?
Best Answer
How much is too much is a totally subjective thing. Yes, there is such a thing as too much, but where that point is will vary among tasters. There is no objective question here to answer. No one answer to the question will be "correct".
I really like vanilla, and I like flavors to be on the rich side, so I tend to be a bit heavy-handed with vanilla. A few (very few) times I have been surprised to have that heavy-handedness criticized. Why would they not like my amazing vanilla ice cream? They experience vanilla differently than I do. What is ideal for me may be overdone, even cloying, to my neighbor.
So, when it comes to various flavorings (vanilla is just one of many), get to know your own "likes" and what your audience likes. After that, you can ignore what the recipe says and just do what feels right to you, knowing your audience and the potency of your ingredients as well.
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Can you have too much vanilla?
When taken by mouth: Vanilla is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in foods. However, some people are allergic to vanilla. It might also cause headache and sleep problems (insomnia), especially for people who manufacture vanilla extract.What happens if you add too much vanilla?
It's one of those ingredients where a little goes a long way. Taste-wise, the result of adding too much vanilla extract to a recipe is an overwhelming vanilla/alcohol flavor and a bad aftertaste. If you've just added a little too much, you can counteract it by sweetening the recipe.Is a tablespoon of vanilla extract a lot?
This cake/cookie recipe calls for a tablespoon of vanilla extract. Isn't that a lot? Usually it's just one teaspoon. In the past few decades, pastry chefs have begun using a lot of vanilla extract in recipes.How does vanilla affect the body?
Smelling vanilla can have calming effects on adults too. It can reduce startle reflexes and also provide some relief from sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Because vanilla has fewer calories and carbohydrates than sugar, it can be used to reduce your sugar intake.Vanilla - Too Much
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Answer 2
Even if the price of vanilla has dropped significantly over the past years (at least in Europe), vanilla is still considered a quite expensive flavour. Perhaps that is also why recipes often operate with smaller amounts of vanilla than what is felt to be right.
Just as with any other spice or natural flavouring, it is also very difficult to determine a fixed amount for a recipe. Depending on the quality, one vanilla pod or one teaspoon of vanilla extract can be within a wide range of actual amount of flavour.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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