Yes this is very expensive but it doesn't hurt me when I pay 20 bucks for a bottle. The extract will make or break your recipe. It doesn't matter what brand of flour, butter, eggs, sugar you use but if the vanilla is cheap, it will ruin your creation or make it taste cheap. This is the best vanilla worth the price of saffron. It will taste like vanilla and will make your house smell like vanilla, no alcohol aftertaste. However, the price on Amazon varies so check your local prices before purchasing it. You might not even save anything if you just walk into Zabar's or any baking store.