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featured homemade vanilla extract.
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe

Once you learn how to make vanilla extract at home, you'll never go back. It's so simple and tastes delicious.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Extraction Time56 days
Total Time56 days 5 minutes
Course: condiment
Cuisine: American
Servings: 48 teaspoons (1 cup)
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • 8-ounce airtight glass jar

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce vanilla beans or more for a stronger flavor (about 5-6 beans)
  • 1 cup vodka

Instructions

  • Slice down the length of the vanilla beans to expose the seeds and place them in your jar. If the beans are too tall to fit, cut them in half.
    ½ ounce vanilla beans
    a pairing knife next to 3 vanilla beans on a wooden cutting board.
  • Pour the vodka into the jar to cover the beans. You may need a little more or less vodka depending on your jar.
    1 cup vodka
    2 bottles of homemade vanilla extract, the left bottle has just started the infusion process and is clear, and the right bottle is partway through infusion and medium brown in color.
  • Seal the jar, give it a shake, and place it in a cool dark place.
  • Shake the bottle 1-2 times a week for 8 weeks or until the vanilla has darkened in color and is fragrant.
    2 bottles of homemade vanilla extract, the left bottle is partway through the infusion process and medium brown in color, while the right bottle has finished infusing and is dark brown in color.
  • You can let it sit and age for a year or more to really develop flavor. Taste and use your vanilla once you are happy with the flavor.
    2 bottles of fully infused homemade vanilla extract.

Video

Notes

Yield: This recipe yields 1 cup of vanilla extract.
  • You can use Madagascar, Mexican, or Tahitian vanilla beans, but I recommend using grade B beans because they are cheaper and better suited for making extract than grade A.
  • You can use rum or bourbon in place of the vodka.
  • To help the extraction process along, you can scrape the vanilla seeds out of the pod and add them directly to the jar, then cut up the pods into smaller pieces. This will yield a usable extract in a shorter amount of time.
  • The longer the vanilla sits, the deeper and richer the flavor becomes.
  • After each use, top off the jar with a little more alcohol to keep the beans fully submerged. Or, remove the beans and there is no need to refill the jar once the beans are exposed.
Storage: Store homemade vanilla extract in an airtight container in a cool, dark place indefinitely. Gently shake the extract about once per week and top off with more alcohol as needed to keep the beans fully submerged. For the best flavor, consume within 5 years.

Nutrition

Serving: 1teaspoon | Calories: 12kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1g | Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 0.05mg | Potassium: 0.05mg