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How to Make Vanilla Extract

June 24, 2009 by Joy the Baker 294 Comments

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Bust out the booze friends!  I’ve got a weekend project for you!

We’re making our very own vanilla extract!  Why?  Why make your own vanilla extract when you can just buy the stuff in a teeeeeeny tiny bottle at the grocery store for close to ten whopping dollars?  Hm… see what I did there?  I seem to have answered my own question.

Homemade vanilla extract only requires a handful of things.  Come on… we can totally rock this.

First let’s talk vanilla beans.  Yea… they’re a tad bit expensive, but totally worth their weight in… vanilla.

There are a lots different varieties of vanilla beans.  So many varieties all with their own subtle nuances… it can be a bit overwhelming.  There are beans from Madagascar, Mexico, Tahiti, Tonga… just throw a dart at the map and they just might produce vanilla beans there. Ok.  I’m exaggerating.   Different beans from all over the globe have different characteristics.  We could talk about this for days… seriously.  Here’s a brief brief brief run down of my favorites.

Madagascar beans are powerful, dark, full vanilla flavor beans.    Tahitian beans remind me of vanilla figs- fruity and floral.  The Mexican variety has just a hint of sweet creaminess.  How’s that for brief?

What beans are you going to choose for your vanilla extract?  Where are you going to get them?  Use exactly any bean you want!   Maybe you’ll buy them online here.  Use exactly whatever you can get your hands on.  Mix and match!  It’s your world.  It’s your extract.

This is going to be so easy!  Let’s get started!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Vanilla Extract

I started two types of vanilla extract.  One jar is filled with vodka and  Mexican vanilla beans (on the left above) while the other jar has bourbon and Tahitian vanilla beans (on the right, silly).  I’m beyond excited!  I’m ready to bathe in this stuff.

Print this Recipe!

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own vanilla extract:

– A mason jar, or some other clean, super sealing container.

– A high-proof alcohol like vodka, bourbon or rum.  We’re talking 80 proof.

– Three vanilla beans per cup of alcohol

– A dark spot to store the jars.

–  Two months.  That’s how long it takes to create vanilla extract!

Here’s how:

Use a sharp paring knife to cut lengthwise down the center of the vanilla beans, leaving about an inch at the top of the vanilla bean uncut.

Put the vanilla beans in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.  I used mason jars.

Cover the beans completely with alcohol.  It’s three vanilla beans per cup of alcohol, so if you use 2 cups of vodka split open six vanilla beans and throw them in the jar.

Tightly cover the jar and give it a good shake.  Store in a cool dry place for two months.  Give the bottle a good shake every week or so, just so you don’t forget all about it.

After two months have passed, your vanilla extract should be ready for your favorite chocolate chip cookie or pound cake recipe.  You might also want to put the extract in cute, tiny bottles and give them to your favorite baker friends.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. mh

    July 22, 2014 at 12:09 pm

    Hello. I have made a few jars of vanilla. I opened one after 6 months. I used vodka, is it still supposed to smell like vodka?

    Reply
    • joythebaker

      July 22, 2014 at 1:56 pm

      it should smell like vanilla vodka. the smell of alcohol will not disappear.

      Reply
  2. Matyldakr

    October 18, 2013 at 7:43 am

    Hi, I was wondering if I could re-use the beans for another bottle of vanilla extract?

    Reply
    • joythebaker

      October 25, 2013 at 6:10 pm

      you could! i would just add a few fresh beans as well!

      Reply
  3. Sister Janet Strong er. dio

    June 23, 2013 at 3:45 pm

    I am interested in making homemade Mexican Vanilla. It has such a wonderful and different smell and taste than the Vanilla that we have in North America and Europe. Do you have any idea how to make it?

    Reply
    • Paola Parsons

      June 24, 2013 at 12:18 pm

      Not exactly but I’m sure a quick Google search will give you all of the answers :)

      Reply
    • Shandee

      June 24, 2013 at 4:21 pm

      The type of vanilla you end up with depends on three things:
      1. Type of alcohol used
      2. Type of vanilla bean used
      3. Time.

      To get Mexican vanilla, all you need are Mexican Vanilla beans! They are one of the more expensive readily available beans out there, so plan accordingly. (my last batch, I paid about $1.25 per bean, compared to the $0.70 per Bourbon-Madagascar bean)

      My first attempt I went with the typical Bourbon-Madagascar beans in two batches – one batch in vodka, one in rum. And both were amazing!

      Now that I have experience with the process, I have begun to custom mix and blend to get just the flavor I like.
      This year, I made 6 batches, 3 rum and 3 vodka, and then each had either Bourbon-Madagascar (B-M), Mexican, or Tahitian vanilla beans.
      I have found that my ideal is a blend of B-M & Mexican beans. I like the boldness and strength of flavor from the B-M beans, and the smoky earthiness from the Mexican beans (approx 2 parts B-M to 1 part Mex). I also prefer mine in Rum, as it gives it that little extra bit of caramelly sultry smoothness. In vodka, I make a B-M & Tahitian blend. Vodka based vanilla’s tend to be a bit lighter in flavor, and that is a better compliment to the Tahitian flavor.

      It all comes down to what tickles your pallet :)
      Have fun experimenting!

      Reply
  4. Sister Janet Strong er. dio

    June 23, 2013 at 3:41 pm

    I am interested in making homemade Mexican Vanilla. One can find it in Mexican markets and it has a very different and wonderful flavor and smell than the smell we get in North America, and Europe. Any ideas?

    Reply
  5. Lawrence

    June 23, 2013 at 8:35 am

    I tried making this, but kept running out of bourbon… ;-)

    Seriously great tip. It is amazing how simple things are to make on your own and healthier. I have gotten on this “roll your own” kick lately. I make my own Butter, Mayo, Ketchup, Mustard, Cheeses, Sour Cream etc… My kids think I am crazy, yet they find things to put my homemade condiments on because they taste so much better… Now I have Vanilla to add to the mix. Thank You!

    Reply
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Trackbacks

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    […] As a list geek, I will admit that I fully embrace all those end-of-year “Best of 2013″ wrap-ups, but the optimistic “Kick Off the New Year” January task lists are a bit daunting. I’m not ambitious enough to tackle Apartment Therapy’s January Cure house clean-up assignments, nor do I have any interest in a “bikini bootcamp” diet and fitness regimen. However, 10 easy tips to make this year the tastiest one yet?  THAT I can handle. Pick one, pick eight, but let’s all agree to do what we can to make it a delicious new year. 1. Give up fat free yogurt. I know, you rely on that daily cup of 0% Chobani or fat free Yoplait as a decently healthy afternoon snack. But if you find enjoyment in the weirdly chalky fat-free Greek yogurts, or the chemically Nutrasweetened fat-free Yoplaits, you will discover yogurt nirvana in a good, natural, full-fat yogurt, whether you buy it at the supermarket or even make your own. Not ready to take the leap? Even 2% is a big upgrade in taste and flavor.2. Clean out the spice cabinet. This one is so hard for the thrifty, practical-minded “hey, there’s still some left!” Midwesterner, but I assure you, that curry powder you bought in 2008 and that jar of basil you inherited from your grandmother are doing nothing to enhance the flavor of your cooking. If it is green and leafy and over a year old, toss it. If it doesn’t smell like something you’d want to eat, toss it. If you literally haven’t used it in over two years, toss it. 3. Toast your nuts. Whenever you are reaching for the hazelnuts to mix into your biscotti batter or grabbing the walnuts to top your salad, turn on the oven to 350 degrees and toast those babies until they are fragrant and, well, toasted, usually 6-8 minutes (just don’t forget about them!). This small step will dramatically improve your final dish. 4. Know your salts. Instead of table salt, keep a jar of kosher salt by your stove for general cooking, as it is generally less processed than table salt, and the larger size and shape of the salt “sticks” better to meat and other foods. For baking, most bakers use table salt because it distributes better, but truth be told, I use kosher salt because I’m lazy and have it nearby – just remember that kosher is double the volume of table salt, so adjust measurements accordingly. For finishing dishes, invest in a soft, flaky sea salt. 5. Make your own vanilla. If you are still buying imitation vanilla because you can’t bear the price of real vanilla extract, I feel your pain, but making your own vanilla is cheap and easy. Just invest in some vanilla beans (they can be found online at a reasonable price) and a jug of vodka – I’ll let Joy the Baker tell you the rest.  […]

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