Kitchen Tips All About Ingredients Vanilla vs. French Vanilla: What's the Difference? The answer lies in the distinction between an ingredient and a flavor profile. By Corey Williams Corey Williams Instagram Corey Williams is a food writer for MyRecipes and Allrecipes. She has a decade of journalism experience. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on January 27, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: AnnaPustynnikova/Getty Images Tack "French" onto anything's name and it automatically sounds fancier: French wine, French cheese, etc. People often assume (consciously or unconsciously) that French vanilla is higher quality than regular ol' vanilla. However, that's not necessarily the casein fact, it's not even from France. Vanilla vs. French Vanilla Ice Cream "French vanilla" is not a type of vanilla bean (like Tahitian or Madagascar varieties), it technically refers to a style of or method for making ice cream. In other words, it's not an ingredientrather, the name "French vanilla" describes a flavor profile, achieved by using a specific type of ice cream base. The base of French vanilla ice cream contains egg yolks, and traditionally, the base of plain vanilla ice cream does not. This yolk-less version is also called "Philadelphia-style" ice cream. That said, this doesn't mean that every carton of plain (non-French) vanilla ice cream you see on the freezer aisle is void of egg yolksso keep that in mind if you're shopping for someone with an egg allergy. Because of the egg yolks, French vanilla ice cream typically has a creamy, yellowish color, where standard vanilla is more of a cleancolor. How to Make Ice Cream at Home French Vanilla Flavor Because of the egg yolks, French vanilla ice cream tastes richer and more custard-like than its yolk-free vanilla counterpart. While the French vanilla label technically only applies to ice cream, you'll find many productscoffee creamer, for examplemarketed as French vanilla-flavored. This simply implies that the product has a rich vanilla flavor, tasting caramelized and even custardy. Related: 18 Fun Ways to Use a Tub of Store-Bought Vanilla Ice Cream French Vanilla Cake with French Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Is There Beaver Goo In Your Artificial Vanilla Extract? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit