Homemade Vanilla Sugar - Pick Up Limes

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cups

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Total

14 days + 5 min

Prep

5 min

Rest

14 days

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Ingredients

Vanilla Sugar

• 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean

Try this in

• golden latte instant mix
• red velvet latte
• blue butterfly pea latte

Make your own

1. •
2. •
3. •
4. •
5. •
6. •

Vanilla Chai Spiced Latte Mix

Berries & Cream Instant Oatmeal

Blue Butterfly Pea Latte

Golden Latte Instant Mix

Red Velvet Latte

Vanilla Coconut Matcha Latte

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Directions

1. Add the sugar to a food processor.
2. Use a small paring knife to slice the vanilla pod in half lengthwise, but try to not cut all the way through.
3. Open the vanilla along the newly cut seam and use the back of the knife to scrape out the seeds. Add this to the food processor as well. Reserve the emptied vanilla pod for a later step.
4. Blend the sugar for about 3 - 4 minutes, or until you achieve a fine, almost powder-like consistency. Pour the vanilla sugar into a jar.
5. Submerge the reserved, empty pod into the sugar. If the pod doesn't fit into your jar, cut it into smaller pieces.
6. Store the vanilla sugar at room temperature in a cool and dry place for at least 2 weeks for optimal flavour. Make sure to give the jar or container a shake every few weeks as there is a possibility that the sugar can clump together.

Storage

• Store at room temperature in a cool and dry place for up to 6 months.

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Let us know what you think

Nutrition per cup

Calories 780 kcal

Total fat	0.0 g
Omega-3	0.0 g
Omega-6	0.0 g
Saturated fat	0.0 g
Trans fat	0.0 g
Cholesterol	0.0 mg

Total carbs	200.3 g
Dietary fiber	0.0 g
Total sugars	199.9 g
Added sugars	199.6 g
Protein	0.0 g
Sodium	2 mg

Iron	0.10 mg
Potassium	7.0 mg
Calcium	2.2 mg
Magnesium	0.2 mg
Zinc	0.02 mg
Copper	0.02 mg
Manganese	0.01 mg
Phosphorus	0.1 mg
Selenium	1 μg

Vitamin A	0 μg RAE
Vitamin B6	0.0 mg
Vitamin B12	0 μg
Vitamin C	0.0 mg
Vitamin D	0 μg
Vitamin E	0.0 mg
Vitamin K	0 μg
Folate	0 μg
Thiamin	0.0 mg
Riboflavin	0.0 mg
Niacin	0.0 mg
Choline	0.0 mg

Nutrition info

Focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. For specific nutrition needs due to a medical condition, consult a dietitian or physician. While we strive to provide accurate nutritional information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. See our disclaimer for details.

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Frequently asked questions

What can I use vanilla sugar in?

You can use vanilla sugar in any recipe where you'd like to add a hint of sweet vanilla! It's perfect for baked goods, drinks like lattes, breakfasts like oatmeal, or even sprinkled over fruit-based desserts

Can I use a sugar instead other than granulated?

Yes, you can use raw, cane, or powdered sugar instead of granulated. The texture and flavour may vary slightly depending on the type of sugar you choose though!

Why is my vanilla sugar clumping together?

Clumping may happen because of moisture, so it's best to store vanilla sugar in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. You can add a small amount of rice to the container to absorb excess moisture if needed. Otherwise, gently shaking the jar every few weeks also helps prevent clumping.

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Submit Donna - Aug. 28, 2025, 5:23 p.m.

I am intrigued by your recipes mixes and plan to make some for Christmas gifts this year. Is it possible to use ordinary sugar instead of vanilla sugar? Will it make a huge difference? Love the recipes you've posted btw!

PUL Team - Aug. 28, 2025, 7 p.m.

Hiii Donna! Aw how kind of you to think of gifting PUL recipes ☺️ You can use ordinary granulated sugar instead of vanilla sugar in the mixes. The flavour will be a bit milder and without the hint of vanilla, but they'll still taste delicious ✨

Reply Roheena Saleem - Sept. 27, 2024, 3:31 a.m.

Is it possible to use pure vanilla extract instead of the pod?

PUL Team - Sept. 27, 2024, 4:35 a.m.

Hey Roheena, using vanilla extract directly with sugar could cause it to clump or melt due to the liquid. You can use 2 Tbsp of vanilla paste or vanilla extract for 2 cups of sugar; however, both will add colour and moisture. This added moisture can impact your baking recipes. If needed, you can try spreading the sugar to help it dry out, but keep in mind that the results may not be the same. Hope this helps for now ✨

Reply Grace - Sept. 7, 2024, 10:24 p.m.

What’s a vanilla pod exactly? I want to use this to make the German strawberry tart 🤤

PUL Team - Sept. 8, 2024, 3:04 p.m.

Hey there, Grace, vanilla pod is the whole bean from the vanilla plant that contains tiny, aromatic seeds inside. It's often available in larger grocery stores in the spices or baking section 🤗

Reply Steve Elliott - Aug. 3, 2024, 3 p.m.

Made this 2 weeks ago and just used it to have a mug of your Instant Golden Latte. WOW. Delicious 😁

Reply Aileen - Dec. 23, 2023, 7:34 a.m.

So simple to make and smells amazing.

Reply Carol Ann Dekle - Dec. 12, 2023, 10:21 p.m.

I just made this to make the Vanilla Spiced Chai latte mix. So delicious! I discovered why we use a food processor instead of a blender. 🤪 The heat made it clump. Will use a food processor next time!

PUL Team - Dec. 14, 2023, 8:32 a.m.

Delighted to hear you enjoyed the Vanilla Spiced Chai latte mix! Indeed, a food processor can help prevent clumping in heat. Cheers to many more flavourful recipes, Carol 🤗

Reply Alessia Mauri - Dec. 8, 2023, 12:21 p.m.

Love the smell when you make it 😍

Reply Sandra - July 28, 2023, 3:31 p.m.

This is easy to create and feels special and full of beauty. I am charmed by it each time I reach for it.

Reply RoxySin - April 27, 2023, 6:55 p.m.

This is delicious!!! My new go to when I want to flavour up my coffee

Reply Martunia - March 15, 2023, 6:31 p.m.

I made this one during fall and I continously use it in your latte mixes and dessert recipes. I love seeing the little black speckles of vanilla in my latte 😊

PUL Team - March 16, 2023, 6:11 a.m.

Mmm sounds so lovely, Martunia, thank you 🥰

Reply Kelly - Feb. 26, 2023, 5:15 a.m.

This is so lovely! I made it for your Golden Latte Mix (a personal fav). I’m struggling with what else to use it in and I don’t want it to go bad! I made it awhile ago. Is there anything that calls for regular sugar that I could swap it for?

PUL Team - Feb. 26, 2023, 8:40 p.m.

Hey Kelly! Thanks for the question 😃 We mainly enjoy using vanilla sugar instead of general sugar to flavour baked goods, tea, and coffee. It works especially nicely sprinkled on to baked goods, or in fillings such as in our sponge cake recipe here: pickuplimes.com/recipe/vegan-…. If you're looking for another drink recipe, we'd recommend our Vanilla Coconut Matcha Latte if you haven't already seen it: pickuplimes.com/recipe/vanill…

Reply Domi - Feb. 25, 2023, 7:40 p.m.

That’s the only way I am making vanilla sugar. Saved so much money and I have real vanilla sugar :)

PUL Team - Feb. 26, 2023, 3:10 a.m.

Woohoo! So happy to hear, Domi 🙂

Reply Maggie Punongbayan - April 4, 2022, 2:45 a.m.

The instructions were easy to follow; the results were INCREDIBLE.

PUL Team - April 4, 2022, 4:58 p.m.

So happy to hear, Maggie!

Reply Cape Cod Lisa - Jan. 18, 2022, 8:52 p.m.

Greetings from beautiful Cape Cod, MA, USA! You might want to double-check your affiliate links b/c i clicked on the one for Vanilla Bean Pods and it took me to a coffee brand, which i am sure you do not intend. I would double-check all your links just to be sure they're pointed where you want on the correct Amazon products.Love your site!

PUL Team - Jan. 19, 2022, 6:48 p.m.

Greetings, Lisa, thanks for the heads up! We'll take a look into the links not working, although we suspect it may be due to different regions automatically redirecting from our intended link or product. Sending hugs to Cape Cod 🤗

Reply Melissa - Dec. 21, 2021, 5:39 a.m.

Hi can you use cane sugar instead of granulated? Or would that make it too sweet?

PUL Team - Dec. 21, 2021, 6:08 a.m.

Hi Melissa, that's a lovely question. The vanilla flavour tends to be stronger with granulated sugar but cane sugar is fine to use. You can always add less of the vanilla sugar to recipes to start and add more if a stronger vanilla taste or sweetness is desired 🙂

Reply Rachel - Dec. 20, 2021, 4:25 a.m.

Made this for Butterfly Pea, Red Velvet, and Golden Latte mixes to give away has holiday gifts. I used a Vitamix in place of a food processor and it worked out lovely. I'm a huge fan and wish I had time to leave reviews on all of the beautiful recipes of yours that I've tried. Sending thanks from San Diego CA :)

PUL Team - Dec. 21, 2021, 5:19 a.m.

Hi there, Rachel, we're so thrilled the recipes were enjoyed! It means so much ☺️ Sending an abundance of love and gratitude to San Diego💚

Reply Saif - Dec. 14, 2021, 10:56 a.m.

Hi, first I wanna say that I'm a big fan. Second, I use a vanilla extract powder that is free from alcohol for my baking and I was wondering if you guys have any tips on how to incorporate that into sugar to make vanilla sugar. It seems simpler than having to let it sit for 2 weeks and it's already in a dissolvable form.

PUL Team - Dec. 15, 2021, 6:49 a.m.

Hi Saif, aw thanks for the support and for the question as well 🙂 We've used vanilla powder before and found that it left a bit of a grainy texture in the drink (if you're using it in drinks as we did). With that said, you can definitely still use it, but maybe try using less to start. You can always add more to your drink if you feel you'd like more of a vanilla taste. In this case, use the same amount of sugar as indicated, and start with just a little bit of vanilla powder mixed in. I can't say exactly how much, as we haven't tried it, but a teaspoon or two should do the trick. Again, best to add less at first, and you can always add more later if you think it needs it. Do let us know how it goes if you experiment with it!

Reply Marielena - Dec. 10, 2021, 7:34 p.m.

Los felicito por su compromiso y por las buenas recetas deliciosas y saludables, también quiero felicitarlos por esa hermosa cocina esas plantas bellas bellas creación de nuestro Dios Jehova, gracias por compartir esas deliciosas recetas, un abrazo sincero

Reply Morena - Dec. 9, 2021, 6:42 p.m.

Thank you for shearing, I love your recipes.

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