How To Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

Learn How To Make Homemade Vanilla Extract at home using only 2 ingredients – vanilla beans and vodka or rum. And the best part of this vanilla extract is that it has a more defined vanilla flavor at a fraction of the cost. You won’t be looking back once you try this! (Plus check out our cute free homemade vanilla printables!)

For this Thursday’s How-To is something that has always been a baking staple for most of us. Just a teaspoon of vanilla extract can transform a good baked treat into something GREAT. Truly a game-changer!

Now you might be wondering why bother making it when you can easily grab one at grocery stores.

Well, for one, it is pure vanilla; without any additives or artificial enhancers. Second, you also have more control over the quality and flavor profile of your extract (more on this later). Just like anything homemade, the flavor is always the key. And lastly, homemade is always cost-efficient.

With these ones, you can reuse the vanilla beans in your next batch of homemade vanilla extract by simply adding a few more beans to enhance the flavor or add some more liquor. 

What is Vanilla Extract?

Vanilla Extract is considered as essential to any Western pantry. It’s made from macerating vanilla pods in an alcohol solution or water, depending on your preference. Then after soaking for a few months, they’re used in baking cakes, bread, cupcakes, desserts, ice cream, and more. That naturally sweet calming aroma reminds you of nothing but home. 

Vanilla Extract Ingredients

As mentioned above, making your own vanilla extract recipe means you are in control of the flavor profile of your extract. If you open a bottle of store-bought vanilla extract and a bottle of this homemade vanilla, you’ll totally smell the difference. 

Store-bought extracts are made with artificial ingredients that lack the amount of a real vanilla flavor. In this recipe, you’ll be getting pure vanilla flavor at a fraction of the cost by just using 2 ingredients: vanilla beans and vodka.

Vanilla Beans

You can buy vanilla beans in grocery stores at the spice aisle section. If you can’t find them, try purchasing them online on amazon.com. Take note that using different types of vanilla beans could result in different flavors.

For example, Madagascar vanilla beans have that traditional rich and creamy flavor, one that we usually associate with vanilla while Ugandan vanilla beans have a strong smoky flavor. On the other hand, Mexican vanilla tends to be smooth and spicy while Tahitian vanilla beans have a fruity and floral note.

These beans tend to get a little expensive, but just think of being able to reuse it over and over again instead of buying that 1 time store-bought vanilla bottle.

What is the Best Alcohol to Make Vanilla Extract?

As for the alcohol, no doubt that vodka is the most commonly used one due to its neutral flavor. But you can always swap it for rum, bourbon, or brandy, depending on your preference. And NO NEED to buy the top-shelf ones as long as it has 70 proof or with 35% alcohol content.

This is probably the only recipe that tells you to buy the cheap alcohol ’cause all the flavor in this vanilla extract recipe comes right from the vanilla beans!

Can You Make Non-Alcoholic Vanilla Extract?

I personally haven’t tried it, but I took my time scouring the internet for you. Then I found this non-alcoholic vanilla extract recipe HERE. Okay…technically, the glycerin ingredient there is “alcohol” or also called “sugar alcohol”, but it’s not the usual alcohol that most of us would drink for fun.

Instead, it is a sweet-tasting, colorless and odorless alcohol that is non-toxic and usually added to icing or frosting to prevent it from setting too hard and also as fillers to low-fat food products.

How Long Does Vanilla Extract Last?

The good thing about this homemade vanilla recipe is that aged vanilla extract (the one with submerged beans in it) could last for several years. Yes…SEVERAL YEARS.

You can just add more alcohol into the jar if you see the liquid dwindling down. And if after a couple of years of frequent refilling, you notice that the vanilla flavor is less intense, simply remove the old submerged vanilla beans and replace it with the new ones. Shake and continue to reuse. This is a fabulous holiday gift idea that can be used multiple times and lasts for years!

Recipes Using Vanilla Extract

Just imagine all the things that you could do with this amazing homemade vanilla! Don’t worry, I have a couple of recipes for you to try using this.

• Vanilla Cake
• Homemade Whipped Cream
• Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Homemade Waffles
• Coconut Cake

And more of them right HERE!! 

If you want to check out cute jars, bottles, and printables, go ahead and visit Amazon.com. I got that printable label there. Or you can click this link for a FREE PDF Printable: Immaculate Bites Homemade Vanilla Printable 😉

 

How To Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

 

Slice open each vanilla bean using a pairing knife. Scrape out the vanilla specks from the vanilla beans and place vanilla bean and specks in a jar or bottle.

Add liquor into the jar. Make sure the bean is completely submerged in alcohol. You may cut the beans if desired. Tightly close the bottle or jar. Store it in a dark cool place. Label the bottle with date and shake vigorously.

While the vanilla extract is aging, shake the bottle at least once a week. After  8 weeks you can start using the extract. HOWEVER, the flavor becomes vastly superior the longer you let it age in the bottle. For best results, you should patiently wait for a minimum of 6-12 months.

 

NOTE: Vanilla Beans are also classified as Grade A or Grade B.  As you can see in the above photo, Grade A is plump and B is not.  Grade A vanilla beans or superior gourmet vanilla beans have higher water content making them easier to scrape out, but they’re quite expensive. Grade B (the skinny ones) on the other hand tend to be dry due to its lower moisture content,  but it’s perfect for making extract. As always, feel free to use whatever you have, though.