imitation vanilla

Imitation vanilla is a synthetic flavoring that mimics vanilla extract without using actual vanilla beans.

It's made primarily from vanillin, the compound responsible for vanilla's characteristic taste, derived from wood pulp or petrochemicals rather than orchid pods.

Much cheaper than pure vanilla extract, it works well in baked goods where the subtle complexity of real vanilla would be lost to heat: The recipe calls for imitation vanilla, but you can substitute the real thing.