Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste Review

Add some magic to baked goods, lattes, and whipped cream with Trader Joe’s organic vanilla bean paste! This aromatic syrup specked with vanilla bean adds a boost of vanilla flavor.

Why You’ll Love it:

If I’m being honest, my love affair with vanilla bean paste started before I ever stepped foot in Trader Joe’s.

When I worked as a pastry chef for an upscale seafood restaurant, we had a massive gallon size container of it. Spoiler alert: if you want to make a killer creme brulee, vanilla paste is the answer.

So when I saw Trader Joe’s carried their own version, my heart did a leap! This humble little jar packs an aromatic vanilla punch to whipped cream, cheesecake, overnight oats, and frosting. The options are endless!

• Rating: 10/10 – Highly recommend.
• Kid-friendly rating: 10/10 – Kids love it too!

For more 10-star products, check out this list of the best products at Trader Joe’s!

Ingredients:

At the time of writing 12/4/2023, the ingredients in Trader Joe’s Organic Vanilla Bean Paste are as follows:

• Organic sugar
• Water
• Organic concentrated vanilla extract (Organic vanilla bean extractives, water, organic ethyl alcohol)
• Organic ground vanilla bean seeds
• Organic acacia gum
• Xanthan gum

Always check the ingredient label to verify the ingredients haven’t changed.

Trader Joe’s vanilla bean paste is essentially a concentrated vanilla simple syrup with vanilla bean seeds in it. It’s much thicker than vanilla extract, more like a loose honey or thick maple syrup.

Cost:

It currently costs 4.99 for a 2 fluid ounce jar. This may seem steep, but it’s actually a steal in comparison to other brands.

Walmart carries Watkin’s Pure Vanilla Bean Paste and it costs more than 10 bucks for the same size as Trader Joe’s.

Amazon prices are a little bit better since you can buy them in 4 ounce jars. But the price is 14.99 and above which still puts you at 7.50 per 2 ounces.

Nutritional Information:

If I’m being frank, all the calories in this syrup come from sugar.

That being said, it’s an ingredient meant to be used in small quantities – as a flavoring agent. You shouldn’t be drinking it from the bottle (No judgement if you are!).

Each jar contains 12 servings. A serving size is 1 teaspoon or 5 ml.

Nutrition facts per serving:

• Calories: 15
• Total fat: 0g
• Sodium: 0mg
• Total carb: 4g
• Total sugars: 4g (Includes 4 grams of added sugars)
• Protein: 0g

Where to find it:

Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s Organic Vanilla Bean Paste is seasonal! So stock up if you see it since it stays fresh for over a year.

I first spotted it in November and saw it throughout December too!

I found it in the baking aisle, near the sugar and chocolate chips. If you can’t find it, check the seasonal end caps or ask an employee.

It’s possible they’ve sold out and plan to order more.

Ways to use it:

Now for the fun part! You can swap it in any recipe that calls for vanilla extract or use both. It won’t shine in recipes with bold flavors though. It taste best in recipes where vanilla is the star of the show.

Here’s a few of my favorite ways to use it:

• Sweet cream cold foam – Stir it into store-bought whipped cream (from the can) and spoon it on top of cold brew or iced coffee.
• Whipped cream – Make your own vanilla whipped cream! Whip 1 cup of cold heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla paste. Eat it by the spoonful!
• Ice cream – Use it to make homemade ice cream, milkshakes, or drizzle a little on store-bought ice cream.
• Overnight oats – Stir it in with your liquid of choice for a sweet vanilla flavor.

You can also use it in cheesecake, pudding, coffee, cookies, pancakes, and cakes. I can’t think of a thing it wouldn’t be amazing in. Mashed potatoes? Nailed it.

Is it worth it?

In case you didn’t read all the glowing words above, the answer is YES! Yes, yes, and yes.

Go buy some now and do a leprechaun kick on your way out the door. Life is better with this vanilla bean paste in it.