Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Vanilla Extract - Gluten Free?

cupoftea

Recommended Posts

cupoftea Newbie
cupoftea
Posted

I have starting baking gluten free at home and notice most recipes call for gluten free vanilla extract. I am not celiac myself and am this is all new to me; so I am not sure about a few different ingredients.

Is vanilla extract gluten free or is there certain ones that are and ones that are not?

Another ingredient I am curious about is Club House Maple Extract (this one contains both artificial colour and caramel flavour).

Please help. Thanx.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Alcohol would be the ingredient of concern, and it's distilled and therefore OK.

We always by McCormicks.

MaryJones2 Enthusiast
MaryJones2
Posted

You can never go wrong with McCormick - all of their extracts are gluten-free and they will clearly label any gluten in their products. Another vanilla extract that is gluten-free is Nielsen-Massey. Many store brands have gluten-free lists so you'll have to contact the store if extract isn't listed to be sure.

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Cupoftea - are you located in the USA or elsewhere?

cupoftea Newbie
cupoftea
Posted
  • Author
Cupoftea - are you located in the USA or elsewhere?

Ontario, Canada

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Hopefully some of our Canadian members can stop by and help further answer your questions re: specific brands, as I'm not sure what the Canadian labeling laws are.

MaryJones2 Enthusiast
MaryJones2
Posted

touche Laura! :) cupoftea - here is a thread on Clubhouse that might be helpful: https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/index.php?showtopic=36571

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

:lol:

Cupoftea - the "u" in flavor/flavour clued me in. It may take a few hours or a day or so, but I'm sure someone will be by to help. Welcome to the board - we have many Canadians as members.

Felidae Enthusiast
Felidae
Posted
I have starting baking gluten free at home and notice most recipes call for gluten free vanilla extract. I am not celiac myself and am this is all new to me; so I am not sure about a few different ingredients.

Is vanilla extract gluten free or is there certain ones that are and ones that are not?

Another ingredient I am curious about is Club House Maple Extract (this one contains both artificial colour and caramel flavour).

Please help. Thanx.

I buy pure vanilla, not the fake stuff. Yes it is a little bit more expensive, but there are no artificial flavours. I use Western Family brand for pure vanilla. I'm out west so I'm not sure if this brand is in the east, but it is an Overwaitea store brand.

I tend to stay away from artificial flavours if I can. I just don't trust them.

I would suggest you e-mail or call Club House. I hope someone else can help you out on here.

cupoftea Newbie
cupoftea
Posted
  • Author

Thanks everyone.

I did a little digging and found out that Club House is made by McCormicks as well. I think I may go back to pure vanialla extract and then I wont have to worry about it anyway..

cindylouwho412 Newbie
cindylouwho412
Posted

hi, Kirkland brand from Costco has a pure vanilla and it even says gluten free on the label!!

also, if you have been doing a bunch of baking, i found a great flour that substitutes 1 for 1 like wheat flour..no need to combine flours or add xanthumgum or anything! it is at Authenticfoods.com, and is the all purpose flour. I made chocolate chip cookies...amazing!!!

celiac-charmer Newbie
celiac-charmer
Posted

This is awesome info!

I've always been confused when it comes to Vanilla for baking.

Glad to know McCormicks is good for me is awesome!

  • 1 year later...
Cheryl-C Enthusiast
Cheryl-C
Posted

I know this is a bit old, I just want to clarify - the ClubHouse Artifical Vanilla extract is ok? I should probably switch to natural anyway, since it's probably healthier...but I'd love to finish the bottle that's already open if it's not going to be harmful. :blink:

  • 1 year later...
vanillaguy Newbie
vanillaguy
Posted

All vanilla extracts are GLUTEN-FREE-Do not waste your money on brands that are certified, they are no different.

Gluten cannot form in ethanol and since all extracts available on NA. market contain a minimum of 35% alcohol. Brands that you should be weary of are from Mexico. They have different recipes and methods of making their extracts. The end result is an extract that only contains 12% alcohol. As far as I have found a minimum of 20%alcohol must be present to deter the formation of gluten.

One thing to note for you health buffs or concerning digestive systems is that all industrial extracts are made with watered-down moonshine. Moonshine has been distilled only once and contains many constituents that are very harmful to our body. And yes, only a tsp can wreak havoc on our systems trying to process this quality of alcohol. It is only the flavor of the alcohol that gets burned off during baking.

I see a lot of sites promoting using vanilla extract in smooties, yoghurts, and oatmeals-DO NOT DO THIS!!!-unless you are looking for an early morning buzz:)

Make your own out of Vodka and quality vanilla beans (store bought uses very cheap vanilla). Vodka has been triple distilled which means that most of the bad stuff has been filtered out.

Use at least 4 quality beans per cup of alcohol. The better the quality of vanilla the better quality extract. If you use the best vanilla possible

(find here-nakedsweetshop.com) you will be able to use your extract as a tincture and vanilla is SUPER GOOD FOR YOU!!!!

Open Original Shared Link

vanillaguy Newbie
vanillaguy
Posted

I know this is a bit old, I just want to clarify - the ClubHouse Artifical Vanilla extract is ok? I should probably switch to natural anyway, since it's probably healthier...but I'd love to finish the bottle that's already open if it's not going to be harmful. :blink:

Artificial extracts contain a compound called coumarin which is toxic to our livers.

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

Thanks VanillaGuy, and welcome. Since I am also intolerant to corn, the idea of making my own vanilla extract is great. I wonder, can I use tequila? That is the ONLY alcohol I can (sort of) tolerate. It DOES bother me when I drink it, but I think it's not from any intolerances, just from having such a damaged digestive system. I'm thinking that a little vanilla/tequila extract in baking (or in my home made yogurt) wouldn't hurt me.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

Thanks VanillaGuy, and welcome. Since I am also intolerant to corn, the idea of making my own vanilla extract is great. I wonder, can I use tequila? That is the ONLY alcohol I can (sort of) tolerate. It DOES bother me when I drink it, but I think it's not from any intolerances, just from having such a damaged digestive system. I'm thinking that a little vanilla/tequila extract in baking (or in my home made yogurt) wouldn't hurt me.

I always make my own vanilla extract and have used vodka or bourbon. I have not tried tequila but why not? Just allow it to sit for several weeks before trying it. Every time I use a vanilla bean, I toss the used one into the alcohol and just top it up a bit. This way I never run out.

You can also flavour granulated sugar with spent vanilla beans. Just pop one into the sugar and that's it! I always keep a container of vanilla sugar and some without for savoury preparations.

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

OK, this is going to sound silly, but remember, I don't know how to cook - how do you "use" a vanilla bean? I mean, I know that some vanilla ice cream seems to have flecks of bean in it, but I never even thought of grinding them and using them in stuff. I'm not baking YET, but if I ever get brave and try to, or if I make my own ice cream or something, it will be good to know how to use it. Thanks!

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Real Vanilla Extract -- so much better tasting than artificial -- I just buy the largest store brand bottle to bring the per ounce cost down -- it make treats that taste just a lot better :)

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

OK, this is going to sound silly, but remember, I don't know how to cook - how do you "use" a vanilla bean? I mean, I know that some vanilla ice cream seems to have flecks of bean in it, but I never even thought of grinding them and using them in stuff. I'm not baking YET, but if I ever get brave and try to, or if I make my own ice cream or something, it will be good to know how to use it. Thanks!

It's not silly. I just happen to adore vanilla beans! You buy the beans first - look for the plumpest you can get. Then take a sharp knife and slice down the length of the bean. Scrape out the seeds by running the knife blade over the length of each bean - they are so tiny but you should end up with a little clump of them. You use these beans to put into ice cream or whatever you are making. Many recipes also include the actual bean (i.e. when you make a vanilla sauce the recipe may say to remove the beans and put the beans and pod into a pot with sugar and water). There is plenty of flavour left in the pod so never throw them out until they've dried up (i.e. in sugar). The pods also infuse a lot of flavour.

So, when you make vanilla extract, you use both the tiny beans and the pods. Then after you've scraped out the beans for a recipe that does not require the pod, place the pod into the jar that your extract is in (or as I said above, stick it into some sugar).

I would never, ever purchase artificial vanilla extract of any kind - it is just so simple to make your own! Second best - purchase the genuine vanilla extract. The difference in flavour is like night and day, especially between homemade and bought.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

Oh, another tip. You can infuse honey with vanilla beans, too - it is glorious. I also like to infuse honey with various types of chile but that is another topic. :D

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. tiffanygosci
      - tiffanygosci posted a topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      0

      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      Hello all! My life in the last five years has been crazy. I got married in 2020 at the age of 27, pregnant with our first child almost two months later, gave birth in 2021. We had another baby in April of 2023 and our last baby this March of 2025. I had some issues after my second but nothing ever made me think, "I should see a doctor about this." After...
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to klmgarland's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      8

      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      On the AIP diet, all processed foods are eliminated. This includes gluten-free bread. You'll be eating meats and vegetables, mostly. Meats that are processed, like sausages, sandwich meats, bacons, chicken nuggets, etc., are eliminated as well. Veggies should be fresh, or frozen without other ingredients like sauces or seasonings. Nightshade vegetables...
    3. Yaya
      - Yaya replied to Jhona's topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      29

      Does anyone here also have Afib

      Thank you for responding and for prayers. So sorry for your struggles, I will keep you in mine. You are so young to have so many struggles, mine are mild by comparison. I didn't have Celiac Disease (celiac disease) until I had my gallbladder removed 13 years ago; at least nothing I was aware of. Following surgery: multiple symptoms/oddities appeared including...
    4. larc
      - larc replied to Jhona's topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      29

      Does anyone here also have Afib

      When I accidentally consume gluten it compromises the well-being of my heart and arteries. Last time I had a significant exposure, about six months ago, I had AFib for about ten days. It came on every day around dinner time. After the ten days or so it went away and hasn't come back. My cardiologist offered me a collection of pharmaceuticals at the time...
    5. klmgarland
      - klmgarland replied to klmgarland's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      8

      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      So I should not eat my gluten free bread? I will try the vitamins. Thank you all so very much for your ideas and understanding. I'm feeling better today and have gathered back my composure! Thank you kitty kitty I am going to look this diet up right away. And read the paleo diet and really see if I can make this a better situation then it currently...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,920
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Serena Rodriguez
    Newest Member
    Serena Rodriguez
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • tiffanygosci
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By tiffanygosci · Posted

      Hello all! My life in the last five years has been crazy. I got married in 2020 at the age of 27, pregnant with our first child almost two months later, gave birth in 2021. We had another baby in April of 2023 and our last baby this March of 2025. I had some issues after my second but nothing ever made me think, "I should see a doctor about this." After having my last baby this year, my body has finally started to find its new rhythm and balance...but things started to feel out of sorts. A lot of symptoms were convoluted with postpartum symptoms, and, to top it all off, my cycle came back about 4m postpartum. I was having reoccurring migraines, nausea, joint pain, numbness in my right arm, hand and fingers, tummy problems, hives. I finally went to my PCP in August just for a wellness check and I brought up my ailments. I'm so thankful for a doctor that listens and is thorough. He ended up running a food allergy panel, an environmental respiratory panel, and a celiac panel. I found out I was allergic to wheat, allergic to about every plant and dust mites, and I did have celiac. I had an endoscopy done on October 3 and my results confirmed celiac in the early stages! I am truly blessed to have an answer to my issues. When I eat gluten, my brain feels like it's on fire and like someone is squeezing it. I can't think straight and I zone out easily. My eyes can't focus. I get a super bad migraine and nausea. I get so tired and irritable and anxious. My body hurts sometimes and my gut gets bloated, gassy, constipated, and ends with bowel movements. All this time I thought I was just having mom brain or feeling the effects of postpartum, sleep deprivation, and the like (which I probably was having and the celiac disease just ramped it up!) I have yet to see a dietician but I've already been eating and shopping gluten-free. My husband and I have been working on turning our kitchen 100% gluten-free (we didn't think this would be so expensive but he assured me that my health is worth all the money in the world). There are still a few things to replace and clean. I'm already getting tired of reading labels. I even replaced some of my personal hygiene care for myself and the kids because they were either made with oats or not labeled gluten-free. I have already started feeling better but have made some mistakes along the way or have gotten contamination thrown into the mix. It's been hard! Today I joked that I got diagnosed at the worst time of the year with all the holidays coming up. I will just need to bring my own food to have and to share. It will be okay but different after years of eating "normally". Today I ordered in person at Chipotle and was trying not to feel self-conscious as the line got long because they were following food-allergy protocols. It's all worth it to be the healthiest version of myself for me and my family. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little overwhelmed and a little overloaded!  I am thankful for this community and I look forward to learning more from you all. I need the help, that's for sure!
    • knitty kitty
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      On the AIP diet, all processed foods are eliminated.  This includes gluten-free bread.  You'll be eating meats and vegetables, mostly.  Meats that are processed, like sausages, sandwich meats, bacons, chicken nuggets, etc., are eliminated as well.  Veggies should be fresh, or frozen without other ingredients like sauces or seasonings.  Nightshade vegetables (eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers) are excluded.  They contain alkaloids that promote a leaky gut and inflammation.  Dairy and eggs are also eliminated.   I know it sounds really stark, but eating this way really improved my health.  The AIP diet can be low in nutrients, and, with malabsorption, it's important to supplement vitamins and minerals.  
    • Yaya
      Does anyone here also have Afib

      By Yaya · Posted

      Thank you for responding and for prayers.  So sorry for your struggles, I will keep you in mine.  You are so young to have so many struggles, mine are mild by comparison.  I didn't have Celiac Disease (celiac disease) until I had my gallbladder removed 13 years ago; at least nothing I was aware of.  Following surgery: multiple symptoms/oddities appeared including ridges on fingernails, eczema, hair falling out in patches, dry eyes, upset stomach constantly and other weird symptoms that I don't really remember.  Gastro did tests and endoscopy and verified celiac disease. Re heart: I was born with Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) and an irregular heartbeat, yet heart was extremely strong.  It was difficult to pick up the irregular heartbeat on the EKG per cardiologist.  I had Covid at 77, recovered in 10 days and 2 weeks later developed long Covid. What the doctors and nurses called the "kickoff to long Covid, was A-fib.  I didn't know what was going on with my heart and had ignored early symptoms as some kind of passing aftereffect stemming from Covid.  I was right about where it came from, but wrong on it being "passing".  I have A-fib as my permanent reminder of Covid and take Flecainide every morning and night and will for the rest of my life to stabilize my heartbeat.   
    • larc
      Does anyone here also have Afib

      By larc · Posted

      When I accidentally consume gluten it compromises the well-being of my heart and arteries. Last time I had a significant exposure, about six months ago, I had AFib for about ten days. It came on every day around dinner time. After the ten days or so it went away and hasn't come back.  My cardiologist offered me a collection of pharmaceuticals at the time.  But I passed on them. 
    • klmgarland
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By klmgarland · Posted

      So I should not eat my gluten free bread?  I will try the vitamins.  Thank you all so very much for your ideas and understanding.  I'm feeling better today and have gathered back my composure! Thank you kitty kitty   I am going to look this diet up right away.  And read the paleo diet and really see if I can make this a better situation then it currently is.  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.