Read labels. Avoid "vanilla flavor" or "vanillin." Look for "pure vanilla extract" or "vanilla bean powder." That’s the real deal.
Make your own extract. It’s stupidly easy. Buy vanilla beans, slice them open, drop them in vodka, and wait three months. You’ll feel like a mad scientist.
Store your beans properly. Wrap them in plastic wrap, then in a jar. They can last years. But don’t freeze them—the cold kills the oils.
One last tip: grate a whole bean into your sugar jar. Now you have vanilla sugar. It lasts forever and makes everything—coffee, oatmeal, fruit—taste like a fancy café.
So go ahead. Splurge on the good stuff. You work hard. Your cookies deserve it. And if anyone calls you extra, smile. Because extra is the whole point.
