These vanilla recipes are anything but ordinary. Try comforting vanilla bean cupcakes, homemade coffee creamer and more.
26 Vanilla Recipes That Are Anything But Boring
Updated on May 07, 2024
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
1/26
2/26
Fruit Tart
Total Time
50 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
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
3/26
Blueberry Bread
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
1 loaf (12 pieces)
From the Recipe Creator:
This blueberry bread recipe is a simple quick bread that I look forward to making when fresh blueberries are in season. It's so good that I end up making it year-round. —Karen Scales, Waukesha, Wisconsin
4/26
Vanilla Bean Fizz
Total Time
10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A homemade vanilla bean syrup from our home economists fabulously flavors Champagne. The bubbly beverage is ideal for holidays throughout the year.
5/26
Rum Vanilla Cranberry Sauce
Total Time
40 min
Servings
2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
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
6/26
Vanilla & Cinnamon-Kissed Apple Latkes
Total Time
25 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
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
7/26
Vanilla Cheesecake
Total Time
1 hour 25 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
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
8/26
Vanilla Citrus Cider
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
10 servings (3/4 cup each)
From the Recipe Creator:
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
9/26
Vanilla Frosting
Total Time
10 min
Servings
About 3 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
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
10/26
Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Total Time
25 min
Servings
1-1/4 quarts
From the Recipe Creator:
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 Recipes Test Kitchen
11/26
Vanilla Wafers
Total Time
35 min
Servings
about 3-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
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
12/26
Meringue Cookies
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
about 5 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These sweet little swirls are light as can be. They're all you need after a big, special dinner. —Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
13/26
Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows
Total Time
15 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is our daughter's favorite hot chocolate recipe. It may look like ordinary cocoa, but a touch of vanilla sets it apart from the rest. And the melted marshmallows give it a frothy body you won't get from a cocoa packet. —Jo Ann Schimcek, Weimar, Texas
14/26
Vanilla Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
There's a reason this vanilla cake recipe is the best. Adding creamy vanilla bean paste into the moist, rich cake batter creates a power-packed vanilla flavor that can't be bought in stores. Try spreading vanilla buttercream frosting on top to finish it off. —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
15/26
Cream Puff Dessert
Total Time
50 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I took this rich dessert to a fellowship meeting at our church. Everyone loved it! In fact, so many people asked for the recipe that the church secretary printed it in our monthly newsletter.
—Lisa Nash, Blaine, Minnesota
16/26
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Total Time
5 min
Servings
2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
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
17/26
Frozen Yogurt
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2-1/2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
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 Recipes Test Kitchen
18/26
Pear-Stuffed French Vanilla Toast
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
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
19/26
Vanilla Crescents
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
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
20/26
Angel Food Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For our daughter's wedding, a friend made this lovely, airy angel food cake from a recipe she's used for decades. It really is one of the best angel food cake recipes I've found. Serve slices plain or dress them up with fresh fruit. —Marilyn Niemeyer, Doon, Iowa
21/26
Berries with Vanilla Custard
Total Time
20 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
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
22/26
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Total Time
50 min
Servings
1-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
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
23/26
Almond-Vanilla Yogurt Parfaits
Total Time
15 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
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
24/26
Elegant White Chocolate Mousse
Total Time
20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Simply elegant is a fitting description for this smooth treat. Whipped cream teams up with white chocolate to make this easy white chocolate mousse recipe extra special. —Laurinda Johnston, Belchertown, Massachusetts
25/26
Fudge-Filled Vanilla Cake
Total Time
40 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
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
26/26
Coffee Creamer
Total Time
10 min
Servings
2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
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
