When its’ time for baking, you will want to have plenty of this homemade vanilla extract on hand for delicious flavor!
I am a big fan of making things yourself, in case you hadn’t figured that out yet. The vanilla you get in the stores is usually full of corn syrup and additives, and isn’t really vanilla-y.
So, I set out to make it myself, and better. You know what? It works! Try this and see what you think to:
What you need:
- 40 vanilla beans
- 8 cups alcohol. You can use vodka, rum, or bourbon for a great flavor. You just really want the uber cheap, “rock gut” stuff because that tends to have a higher alcohol content.
- 1/2 gallon sized glass jar with lid
Instructions to put your homemade vanilla extract together:
- Take a sharp knife and slice each bean down the middle.
- Then, place your sliced beans into the jar, and pour the vodka over.
- Cap the jar tightly.
- Gently shake jar daily.
- Store in a cool, dry place for 3 weeks before use.
You can leave the vanilla beans in the alcohol if you wish and use it that way. As it gets low, you can add more vodka on top of the beans.
The flavor may fade a bit, but will still be going strong after several refills. You can also decant the finished vanilla extract into smaller bottles and give as gifts.
Want another great way to get vanilla flavor without alcohol? Try making homemade vanilla sugar!
Some great recipes to try your homemade vanilla in:
To see how to make other extracts, including alcohol FREE versions, check out the post here.
Do you make your own extracts? What’s your favorite way to use them?
Heather’s homesteading journey started in 2006, with baby steps: first, she got a few raised beds, some chickens, and rabbits. Over the years, she amassed a wealth of homesteading knowledge, knowledge that you can find in the articles of this blog.
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Hi Heather, I love this idea, I’ve been looking for a vanilla extract recipe for some time now, I’ve even bought the Vodka some time ago, in hope of starting this recipe. Before I start, I have one question, How long do I need to leave before I have a perfect Vanilla Extract?
Thanks a ton! Look forward to your next Post.
Lawrie from http://fireflyfarmadventures.blogspot.com/
I usually leave it for at least a month, before use…but the flavor does develop more over time 😉
love homemade vanilla extract and it’s such a great gift to recieve because you didn’t have to wait the requisite time either lol
This is something I have ALWAYS wanted to do, but for some reason it has just never made it to the top of my to-do list.