100ml · Halal certified
Bourbon Madagascar Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract
£12.50
Vanilla extract is made by soaking vanilla beans in alcohol and water, so a standard bottle contains alcohol. Ours is 30%. Halal certifiers and scholars take different views on alcohol in flavourings, so the simplest choice for a halal kitchen is a vanilla product that is halal certified.
Here is a straight answer for each type of vanilla, including the ones we sell.
The short answer
Standard vanilla extract contains alcohol and is not usually halal certified. Alcohol-free vanilla extract, made with a sugar syrup or glycerin instead of alcohol, can be. Our alcohol-free Madagascar vanilla extract is halal certified; our classic extracts contain alcohol and are not. Our vanilla pastes, pearls, powder and pods contain no alcohol but are not halal certified.
Vanilla products: alcohol and halal at a glance
| Contains alcohol? | Halal certified? | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic vanilla extract | Yes (ours is 30%) | No | Vanilla, water and alcohol |
| Double-fold vanilla extract | Yes | No | Twice the vanilla, same alcohol base |
| Alcohol-free vanilla extract | No | Yes | Vanilla in a sugar syrup, with real seeds |
| Vanilla bean paste (single and double fold) | No | Not certified | Vanilla seeds in an alcohol-free base |
| Vanilla pearls | No | Not certified | Vanilla seeds with natural vanilla concentrate |
| Vanilla pods | No | Not certified | One ingredient: the cured vanilla pod |
| Vanilla powder | No | Not certified | 100% ground Madagascar vanilla beans |
| Supermarket vanilla essence | Often: check the label | Check the label | Usually a vanillin-based flavouring |
Does the alcohol cook off?
Some of the alcohol in vanilla extract evaporates in the oven, but not all of it. How much is left depends on the recipe, the temperature and the baking time. In icing, ice cream, no-bake desserts and drinks, none of it cooks off.
So baking does not make an alcohol-based extract alcohol-free. If you need to avoid alcohol, start with an extract that has none.
What to look for on the label
Look for “alcohol-free” on the front, and check the ingredients for a sugar syrup or glycerin base. Then look for a halal mark or ask the supplier whether it is certified: alcohol-free and halal certified are not the same thing.
Take care with “vanilla essence” and “vanilla flavouring”. In the UK these are often made mostly from vanillin, a single flavour compound, and the label may not say what carries it. If there is no halal mark, ask the brand.
Buy online
Halal-certified vanilla extract
Vanilla and halal: common questions
Is vanilla essence halal?
It depends on the brand. Many vanilla essences are made from vanillin and may be carried in alcohol, glycerin or water. Check the ingredients and look for a halal mark.
Is vanilla bean paste halal?
Many vanilla bean pastes are made with an alcohol-based extract, so check the label. Ours, single and double fold, contain no alcohol, but they are not halal certified. If you need a certified product with visible seeds, use our alcohol-free vanilla extract, which has real vanilla seeds in it.
Are vanilla pods halal?
A vanilla pod is the cured fruit of the vanilla orchid, with nothing added and no alcohol. Ours are not halal certified, so if you need a certified product, choose our alcohol-free extract.
Is your alcohol-free vanilla extract halal certified?
Yes, it is halal certified. Email info@zazouemporium.com if you need the product specification.
Does vanilla extract always contain alcohol?
Classic vanilla extract does, because alcohol is what draws the flavour out of the beans. Alcohol-free versions use a sugar syrup or glycerin instead.
Can I buy halal vanilla extract in bulk?
Yes. Our alcohol-free extract comes in 100ml, 500ml and 1 litre bottles online, and in larger quantities for trade customers on 30-day terms.
For kitchens and production