27 Vanilla Recipes That Are Anything But Boring (2024)

Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food

These vanilla recipes are anything but ordinary. Try comforting vanilla bean cupcakes, homemade coffee creamer and more.

1/27

Pressure Cooker Very Vanilla Cheesecake

Cinnamon and vanilla give this cheesecake so much flavor, and making it in the pressure cooker creates a silky, smooth texture that’s hard to resist. —Krista Lanphier, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Get Recipe

2/27

Fruit Tart

It's well worth the effort to whip up this creamy fruit tart bursting with juicy berries. A friend gave me the recipe, and it always receives rave reviews at gatherings. —Susan Terzakis, Andover, Massachusetts

3/27

Blueberry Quick Bread with Vanilla Sauce

This loaf is chock-full of blueberries—two whole cups! When you pour the vanilla sauce over the bread, it makes it moist--almost like a pudding. I suggest serving a robust cup of coffee with this delicious treat. —Sue Davis, Wausau, Wisconsin

4/27

Vanilla Bean Fizz

A homemade vanilla bean syrup from our home economists fabulously flavors Champagne. The bubbly beverage is ideal for holidays throughout the year.

5/27

Rum Vanilla Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is one of my favorite things—this jazzed-up version combines vanilla with rum to create a rich flavorful sauce that's far from the usual! —Ashley Lecker, Green Bay, Wisconsin

6/27

Latkes are crispy fried pancakes, often made with potatoes. But this sweet version with apples, orange juice, cinnamon and vanilla falls in the dessert realm. —Candy McMenamin, Lexington, South Carolina

7/27

Vanilla Cheesecake

To me, there is nothing better than a simple, elegant cheesecake where the vanilla takes center stage. And when I'm feeling decadent, I'll add the rich chocolate ganache topping. —Ellen Riley, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

8/27

Vanilla Citrus Cider

My mom used to make cider for the holidays, so I based my citrus-vanilla variation on her recipe. I think it hits the spot! The longer the cider simmers, the stronger the flavors will be.—Kristin Weglarz, Bremerton, Washington

9/27

Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

After trying a few buttercream frosting recipes, this easy vanilla buttercream frosting takes the cake with its unmatchable homemade taste. With a few simple variations, you can come up with different colors and flavors. —Diana Wilson, Denver, Colorado

10/27

Very Vanilla French Toast

These French toast slices have creamy vanilla flavor from a convenient pudding mix, plus a hint of cinnamon. We like to top them with syrup or powdered sugar and fresh berries. —Linda Bernhagen, Plainfield, Illinois

11/27

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

We don't want to brag, but as far as vanilla ice cream recipes go, this one is the best. And with only four ingredients, it just might be the easiest, too. No ice cream maker? No problem. Just follow the directions below to learn how to make homemade ice cream by hand. It's the perfect base for our best ice cream sundae ideas, too. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

12/27

Vanilla Wafer Cookies

These buttery cookies bake up chewy and crispy at the same time. Sprinkle these vanilla wafers with colored sugar or leave them as-is. Their simplicity is beauty enough! —Edith MacBeath, Gaines, Pennsylvania

13/27

Vanilla Meringue Cookies

These sweet little swirls are light as can be. They're all you need after a big, special dinner. —Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

14/27

Vanilla Almond Hot Cocoa

Treat your family to this comforting, homemade cocoa as you decorate the tree or open holiday gifts. Vanilla and almond extracts make it taste even more special. —Vicki Holloway, Joelton, Tennessee

15/27

Vanilla Bean Cake with White Chocolate Ganache

For a distinctive dessert with unforgettable flavor, I recommend this cake. Feel free to substitute your favorite jam and lend your own touch to this signature treat. —Lisa Bogar, Coventry, Vermont

16/27

Vanilla Cream Puff Dessert

Inspired by classic cream puffs, this recipe is a wonderful treat. I've served it at Cub Scout banquets, birthday parties and holidays. I'm a regular baker, and this dessert is one of my all-time favorites. —Denise Wahl, Homer Glen, Illinois

17/27

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade vanilla is fun to give in decorative bottles with attractive labels. Share it with special friends who like to cook or bake. —Becky Jo Smith, Kettle Falls, Washington

18/27

Frozen Greek Vanilla Yogurt

It's so simple and easy to make your own frozen Greek yogurt, you might even want to get the kids in on the fun. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

19/27

Pear-Stuffed French Vanilla Toast

My handyman, who is originally from Nicaragua, shared this classic breakfast dish his mother used to prepare. He says he makes it frequently for his children and they clean their plates! —Gail Borczyk, Boca Raton, Florida

20/27

Vanilla Crescents

These cookies are especially cozy at Christmastime, but are wonderful all year long. Try them dipped into hot tea or coffee.—Cara McDonald, Winter Park, Colorado

21/27

Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake

Angel food cake is everyone’s favorite blank slate for making awesome desserts. Serve it with a simple glaze or pile on fresh fruit, chocolate sauce or nutty sprinkles. —Leah Rekau, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

22/27

Berries with Vanilla Custard

What a simple, delectable way to enjoy fresh raspberries. For a change, also try the custard with strawberries or peaches. —Sarah C. Vasques, Milford, New Hampshire

23/27

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

My son loves these vanilla bean cupcakes! Flecks of vanilla bean in the moist, tender cupcakes give them special-occasion status. —Alysha Braun, St. Catharines, Ontario

24/27

Almond-Vanilla Yogurt Parfaits

I’m a night-shift nurse. When I get home, I make a crunchy parfait with yogurt for a protein boost before heading off to a good day’s sleep. —Meredith Brazinski, Neptune, New Jersey

25/27

Vanilla White Chocolate Mousse

I needed a quick dessert for my daughter's bridal shower, and a co-worker gave me this vanilla mousse recipe. It's so pretty with almonds and raspberries on top. —Marina Castle, Canyon Country, California

26/27

Fudge-Filled Vanilla Cake

For my husband’s birthday cake, I used white chocolate pudding mix as part of the cake’s topping. Guests rated this fluffy cake excellent. —Linnea Ledgister, Wausau, Wisconsin

27/27

Vanilla Coffee Creamer

Flavored coffee creamer drives my husband nuts. Even so, I still make this classic vanilla one all the time. It’s better (and cheaper) than store-bought—and I know exactly what’s in it! —Shauna Sever, San Francisco, California

With nearly a decade of experience creating content for various lifestyle publishers and eCommerce brands, Nicole combines her love of at-home cooking with her expertise in product reviews and digital content creation to lead the award-winning shopping editorial team across Taste of Home, Family Handyman and Reader's Digest. As TMB's content director, affiliate, she oversees strategy, operations and planning for all product testing and shopping content, to bring readers recommendations and inspiration you can trust.Before joining the affiliate team, Nicole edited hundreds of recipe and food lifestyle articles for Taste of Home working closely with our Test Kitchen team and network of contributors. With a passion for baking, comfort food and hosting get-togethers you'll often see Nicole testing new products that make life easier. As a former barista in Chicago and Baltimore, she's slung hundreds of cappuccinos and doppio espressos in her lifetime and she will talk your ear off about the best gadgets to make cafe-quality coffee at home. When she's not hunched over her laptop, she's either fixating on her latest DIY home renovation or on a walk with her rescue pup, Huey.