The cardamom flavor is unique, to say the least. It’s one of those things that adds a special touch like nothing else – there’s a reason why it’s been nicknamed “the Queen of Spices!”
And, you likely know it from the distinct flavor of chai tea – but did you know that cardamom is so much more versatile? It blends beautifully with things like cinnamon, citrus, and fruity flavors, and provides a refreshing taste that you’ll constantly want to experiment with!
Now, one of the easiest and most convenient ways to add the cardamom flavor to basically anything you want is with cardamom extract. This stuff boasts a powerful cardamom flavor and aroma, and is sure to level up your dishes!
We’ve checked out a bunch of cardamom extracts, and have ranked our favorite ones so that you can find one that’s sure to go above and beyond in your culinary creations!
Let’s check them out!
What is cardamom extract?
Cardamom extract is usually made by letting cardamom pods soak in an unflavored alcohol (which is usually vodka) for a period of time.
The alcohol acts to pull out all of the delicious unique flavors from the cardamom pods, and the whole thing is eventually strained to leave us with the powerful cardamom extract! It’s got some kick to it, and just a couple of drops will already change your dish!
It has a very unique flavor that’s hard to match, but it generally contains notes of cinnamon, ginger, menthol, allspice, and nutmeg. However, it also possesses some citrusy notes that really add to its uniqueness!
Needless to say, this is a really interesting extract!
How to use cardamom extract in recipes
You can use cardamom extract to add a unique and flavorful dimension to anything you want, including coffee, tea, pastries, pancakes, breads, and more!
For example, you may know the distinct flavor from chai lattes or chai teas, as cardamom is a key component of chai spice mix! It’s also known for its use in several Danish and Scandinavian pastries, and is a popular element in Middle Eastern cooking. It’s so versatile that you can enjoy the flavor in both sweet and savory things!
Cardamom extract is also a great and popular substitute to vanilla extract in many bakes such as cookies, cakes, and pancakes – replacing the vanilla extract with cardamom extract will create a new culinary experience, and can really level up your dishes!
Burlap & Barrel, a brand we’ll talk more about later, recommends substituting vanilla extract with cardamom extract at a 1:1 ratio, but I recommend you start with about ½ of cardamom extract for whatever amount of vanilla extract is called for to get used to the new flavor.
Try adding a ½ to 1 teaspoon of cardamom extract to your coffee or tea, or add 1-3 teaspoons into standard baking batches as desired!
A little goes a long way here, so start with just a bit and add more if needed.
3 great recipes to use your cardamom extract
Cardamom extract can really elevate a recipe with its unique flavor profile. Here are some great options where you can add cardamom extract or use it instead of vanilla extract:
- Sugar-free sugar cookies: This recipe title seems like an oxymoron, but you can actually enjoy these delicious “sugar” cookies without worrying about actually having sugar! It’s also a perfect recipe to try and replace the vanilla extract it calls for with cardamom extract – try doing this one at a 1:1 ratio!
- Almond flour pancakes: Cardamom extract is really delicious in things like pancakes, and the nutty flavor profile from the almond flour is going to make this an even more delicious recipe! Try replacing the vanilla extract this recipe calls for with cardamom extract, and enjoy the unique and delicious pancakes!
- Starbucks flat white coffee: Starbucks is massively popular for a reason, but did you know that you can enjoy their delicious coffee in this copycat recipe? It’s quite simple, only needing two ingredients, but you can add ½ to 1 teaspoon of cardamom extract to really bring out some delicious flavors – it just pairs so well with coffee!
How to choose the best cardamom extract
Don’t worry about hunting down different cardamom extracts and relying on trial-and-error to eventually find one that you like – we’ve done all the research and testing for you! We’ve also created this list of criteria that every cardamom extract had to go through, ensuring that we only got the highest-quality ones:
- Ingredients: Artificial ingredients is something we avoid, as we prefer getting the real deal! Plus, natural ingredients offer the best flavors, and are the best for our bodies!
- Consumer feedback: There’s wisdom in listening to the experiences of other people, so we do a deep dive on the customer reviews of each product which gives us a really unique perspective!
- Track record: We ensure that every brand prioritizes creating the best products consistently and supporting their customers!
- Price: You can get expensive cardamom extracts, or more budget-friendly ones – we have something for everyone!
Let’s take a look at the rankings!
#1 Best Overall: Burlap & Barrel
The top cardamom extract comes from Burlap & Barrel!
These guys consist of a small team that has done amazing work in terms of supporting small farmers and sourcing the highest-quality ingredients. Burlap & Barrel strives to support sustainable practices – basically, these are really good people that help others and make some amazing products!
And their cardamom extract is one of their best creations, boasting an extremely delicious flavor profile that’s perfectly balanced. It has amazing reviews all throughout the internet, and people point to their cardamom extract over and over again.
It sits in the middle of the list in terms of price, costing you just $4.00 per fluid ounce – you get to support a great cause AND enjoy a top tier cardamom extract!
Ingredients: Alcohol, water, cardamom seeds.
#2 Best Value: Silver Cloud Flavors
The best value cardamom extract goes to Silver Cloud Flavors!
Silver Cloud Flavors, also known as Apex Flavors, has created a delicious cardamom extract that’s powerful, tasty, and well balanced. It’s a wonderful product, and is sure to really boost your beverages and dishes!
It’s also gluten-free and kosher certified, and it comes in at the amazing price of $2.33 per fluid ounce! The amazing quality you get for the most affordable price on this list is a perfect reason as to why you should check this one out – you won’t be disappointed!
Ingredients: Ethyl alcohol, cardamom oil and water.
#3 Best Keto: Angel Bake
If you’re in need of a keto-friendly cardamom extract, Angel Bake has got you covered!
This cardamom extract uses organic cane alcohol, and doesn’t have any added thickeners, sugar, stabilizers, food coloring, or synthetic additives! On top of that, Angel Bake cardamom extract provides a delicious cardamom flavor that’s very powerful, only needing a few drops to infuse your dish with its unique flavor!
And it fits your keto diet like a glove on a hand, providing a great flavor while catering to your needs!
It is a bit pricier at $7.65 per fluid ounce, but you won’t find a better keto cardamom extract than this one!
Ingredients: Organic Cane Alcohol, Cardamom Oil.
#4 Honorable Mention: OliveNation
An honorable mention goes out to OliveNation.
These guys consistently make awesome flavoring agents, and they’ve tried their hand at making a cardamom flavoring product.
Now, this isn’t a bad product, but it’s not an extract – it’s a cardamom flavoring oil. This causes some changes in terms of how you use it, with cardamom extract being the stronger of the two. Overall, I recommend using cardamom extract for baking, but OliveNation cardamom flavoring oil is a great choice if you need an alcohol-free product.
Plus, this one is sugar-free, non-GMO, gluten-free, and PG-free, so it’s a hat that can fit a couple of different heads!
It also comes in at a solid price of $3.50 per fluid ounce – check this one out!
Ingredients: Soybean oil and natural cardamom flavors.
#5 Honorable Mention: Spice Drop
Another honorable mention goes to Spice Drop!
Now, this is a bit of an interesting one, because it’s a solid cardamom extract, but it comes out to be ridiculously expensive if you do the math…
It comes in a 0.17 fluid ounce bottle for $14.99, which in itself isn’t a bad price. However, that comes out to $88.18 per fluid ounce! That’s definitely too much!
But, that being said, this stuff is VERY strong. Just one to two drops of Spice Drop cardamom extract is often plenty for flavoring most drinks, so you get a decent amount of value from the bottle in those terms!
Ingredients: Cardamom extract and permitted emulsifiers.
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