Christina Tosi’s Ingenious Hack for a McCormick Vanilla Extract Bottle That You’ll Use Every Time You Bake

If you bake — even just a batch of your famous holiday cookies once a year — you probably have a red-capped bottle of McCormick pure vanilla extract in your pantry. The extract, which is made by extracting flavor from vanilla beans using alcohol and water, is a foundational ingredient in most of our favorite sweets, like fluffy pancakes, banana bread, chocolate chip cookies (of course), and layered Mississippi mud pie. 

And even if you can’t detect a strong blast of vanilla flavor in a brownie or cupcake, the extract plays a quiet but essential supporting role. It helps round out other flavors, including chocolate and spices, adds a touch of natural sweetness, and brings a signature, warming aroma to the table. 

For most bakers, it’s second-nature to measure out the prescribed dose of vanilla for a cookie dough or cake batter using a measuring spoon, but it turns out that the iconic McCormick bottle can actually save you a dish. 

The red cap on the 4-ounce bottle of McCormick vanilla holds 3/4 of a teaspoon of liquid — perfect for recipes that call for a multiple of 3/4 (the caps on the 2-ounce bottles hold about 1/2 teaspoon). If you need a round teaspoon, many chefs, including Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi, who shared this morsel of baking wisdom with me, would give you full license to use a capful of vanilla, and simply add an extra splash to make up the difference. 

For many baking recipes, a few extra drops of vanilla extract won’t be a deal-breaker. In fact, they may give your dish just the je ne sais quoi it needed. 

Buy: McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract, $10.98 for 4 ounces at Walmart

Do you know of any grocery packages with surprising features? Tell us about it in the comments below.

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Christina Tosi’s Ingenious Hack for a McCormick Vanilla Extract Bottle That You'll Use Every Time You Bake