Vanilla extract is so easy, so cost-effective and so satisfying, you might decide you’ll never again shell out your hard-earned money for the pre-made stuff in a tiny vial. Instead, make extract in ...

When it comes to holiday baking, few flavors can elevate your creations quite like vanilla extract. Its rich, aromatic flavor is an essential ingredient, enhancing your cookies, cakes, pies (and also ...

Claire is Lifehacker's Senior Food Editor. She has a B.S. in chemistry, a decade of food journalism experience, and a deep love for mayonnaise and MSG. Plunking a scraped and spent vanilla bean into ...