Vanilla vs. French Vanilla: What Sets Them Apart?

Adding "French" to any product name often gives it a sense of sophistication: French wine, French cheese, and so on. People tend to assume that French vanilla is somehow superior to regular vanilla, but that's not always true—it's not even from France.

Vanilla vs. French Vanilla Ice Cream: What's the Difference?

French vanilla isn't a specific type of vanilla bean, like Tahitian or Madagascar. Instead, it refers to a particular method of making ice cream. It's not an ingredient in itself, but rather a description of the flavor achieved by using a specific kind of ice cream base.

French vanilla ice cream's base includes egg yolks, while classic vanilla ice cream typically does not. This egg-free version is known as 'Philadelphia-style' ice cream. However, not all vanilla ice creams are yolk-free, so be cautious if you're shopping for someone with an egg allergy. Thanks to the egg yolks, French vanilla ice cream tends to have a rich, yellowish hue, while regular vanilla is usually pure white.

French Vanilla Flavor Profile

Thanks to the inclusion of egg yolks, French vanilla ice cream offers a richer, custard-like taste compared to its vanilla counterpart, which lacks the yolks.

Although the term 'French vanilla' is technically reserved for ice cream, you'll often find other products—such as coffee creamers—labeled as 'French vanilla-flavored.' This simply means they offer a deep, caramelized vanilla taste, with a hint of custard-like richness.