Fresh vanilla bean – Scrape the seeds from a fresh vanilla bean. Use the seeds from half of a vanilla bean for every 1-½ teaspoons of vanilla extract needed.Vanilla bean paste – Use as a 1:1 substitute for vanilla extract.Maple syrup – I recommend using double the amount of maple syrup as vanilla extract. This is a great substitute in pancakes, waffles, French toast, blondies, or oatmeal cookies.Maple extract – Use half as much maple extract as vanilla extract. This is a great substitute in pancakes, waffles, french toast, blondies, or oatmeal cookies.Almond extract – Use half as much almond extract as vanilla extract. This is a great substitute in white cakes, lemon desserts, berry desserts, and sugar cookies. Note: the almond flavor will likely be noticeable.Rum, bourbon, brandy, or amaretto – Use as a 1:1 substitute for vanilla extract.Vanilla coffee syrup – Use as a 1:1 substitute for vanilla extract.Vanilla coffee creamer – Use as a 1:1 substitute or double the amount of coffee creamer as extract.Spices, espresso powder – Feel free to think outside of the box and go with a completely different flavor than vanilla. Cinnamon and nutmeg pair nicely with oat, pumpkin, or nut-based recipes. Espresso powder is great for pairing with chocolate recipes.