The Expensive Baking Ingredient Sunny Anderson Says Is Worth The Price

Setting aside time for baking can pay dividends in joyful, sweet satisfaction that makes it feel well worth the investment. That said, when you're shopping for a recipe, ingredients can really add up and it can be tempting to lean toward less pricey substitutions for certain items. That might be okay in some circumstances, but you may wonder where it's okay to cut costs without compromising your treats.

Fortunately, celebrity chef, cookbook author, and host Sunny Anderson shared her thoughts on this with Business Insider and there's an ingredient she believes is worth every penny — pure vanilla extract. This item adds depth and complexity to so many recipes, along with a subtle floral note and creamy-sweet quality. For some shoppers though, this bottle can cause sticker shock and can range anywhere from about $10 for 4 ounces for a common grocery store brand to upwards of $20 for the same volume of a specialty option. 

When compared to the imitation stuff, which you can take home for around $14 for a full quart, there's a pretty big difference. However, according to Anderson, that price differential is indicative of quality, and being that vanilla is a major component in many bakes, that quality matters to your finished product. 

So what makes pure vanilla such an important investment for your baking projects? You may notice that a few drops of this liquid are called for in everything from salted caramel stuffed white chocolate chip cookies to raspberry and cream tiramisu. Vanilla acts as a flavor booster, so it shows up in applications you may not even expect that help to elevate everything from spices to nuts to chocolate — a little vanilla will even amplify the spice in your tomato sauce.

Because vanilla, which is a hand-pollinated orchid, takes considerable time to grow and undergoes a labor-intensive process before it's prepared for the market, the price point of the pure version reflects its relative preciousness. Imitation vanilla, on the other hand, is created from artificial flavorings meant to mimic that authentic, natural essence and those synthetic elements can lead to an off-putting outcome in your baked goods. Additionally, it can contain sugar which amps up sweetness, but does no favors for your treats in terms of actual flavor.

Given how important vanilla can be to giving your end product its best life and how many recipes will likely call for this liquid, this is one area of the baking aisle when it's best to lay out the cash. When you discover the pure vanilla difference, you may find that you'll swear by Sunny Anderson's tip too.