vanilla extract

[tericared]

I was told as a Muslim I can not use vanilla extract, is there some thing I could use in place of that for a cookie recipe?

[practicingislam]

wa'alaykum asalam love actually i make it without it
and i dont see a difference or u can buy some betty crocker pre made ones it says kosher on it

[tericared]

Jazak Allah Khair,,,I will make them without the vanilla....you are so sweet..

[-Cassandra-]

The problem is not usually with pure vanilla extract which comes from vanilla beans, but it is more a problem with the all too common and much cheaper imitation vanilla extract which llike most imitation extracts has a higher percentage of alcohol in it. However the alcohol actually cooks out of the extracts so many scholars say that it's ok to use. It's somewhat debatable and depends on which scholars you prefer to follow and also what your own preferences are. Personally, they just don't taste right to me without the extracts and since alcohol content cooks out I don't see a problem with it. If you want to really get down to it the debate is on alcohol which is in a lot more things than you may realize. A lot of perople don't realize for example that ALL juice has a slight alcohol content. Vingegars are essentially alcohol too. I don't even think I could list all of the not so obvious things that contain alcohol it's too extensive.

[tericared]

I have started reading labels at the store and am very surprised at what is really in some of the things we use. Like corn bread mix, I love cornbread but it has pork fat in it. I am finding things every day....

[ummu_moussa]

FYI -- There is alchohol-free vanilla extract; it just depends on the brand.  There is one called Baker's Imitation Vanilla, and I also found a Kroger-brand vanilla that did not contain alcohol.  The pure extracts have just as much alchohol as the imitations.  Another option would be to use vanila beans, which are SUPER expensive!

[-Cassandra-]

You can use vanillin/vanilla sugar instead of vanilla extract.  When your measuring out sugar just make sure you take into account how much vanillin you will be using too since it is also sugar.  There are often alcohol free extracts at health food stores too.