If you want to get a head start on your holiday baking, now is the time with this simple homemade vanilla extract recipe! We love making our own vanilla extract with as much baking we do.
Instead of buying so many expensive and tiny bottles of store bought vanilla, it’s so much cheaper in the long run to make your own. It’s more natural and more fun to make your own as well.
If you’re ready to start making your own homemade vanilla extract, read along! If you make the bottle now, it will be ready by the holidays!
Why make your own homemade vanilla extract?
First off, making your own vanilla extract is significantly cheaper. Normally at the store, you’re paying $5 an ounce, whilst making your own, you’re only paying about $2 an ounce depending on the price of your vodka. They come in cheap plastic bottles and you have no idea where it’s coming from.
Secondly, it’s so much healthier. It’s rich in Vanillin, and it has several beneficial properties which includes:
Anti-inflammatory
Benefits brain health
It may have anti-cancer properties
It’s a powerful antioxidant
What is the shelf life of homemade vanilla extract?
When storing your vanilla extract properly, it can last indefinitely. Most likely 5-10 years. However, using it within 5 years gives you the best flavor and aroma.
So, the best way to store your homemade vanilla extract is in a glass container with an airtight lid and in a cool dark place.
You can always tell if your vanilla has gone bad if the sweet aroma is no longer present.
Can I reuse my vanilla beans?
Yes! You can definitely reuse your vanilla beans after making a batch of extract. So, you can reuse your vanilla beans 2-3 times, all you have to do to reuse is wash and dry the beans thoroughly. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Also, if you want to make it a little more fresh when reusing vanilla beans, you can add in one or two extra fresh beans.
What vanilla beans are best to use?
The best vanilla beans to use are “Grade B” vanilla beans if they’re available to you. So, Grade B means it is specifically intended for extracting, giving off the most flavor. Grade B beans are dry and they do take a little longer to extract. Additionally, it is cheaper which is also convenient.
You can definitely use Grade A beans, they have a higher moisture content and they won’t take as long to dilute and transfer the flavor. However, the flavor may not be as strong as using Grade B dry beans.
Madagascar vanilla beans are also perfect for making homemade vanilla extract recipes, they are so rich in flavor and they have higher concentrations of vanillin.
What alcohol do I use for my vanilla extract?
So, you can use any alcohol for your vanilla extract, but the most common is vodka. As long as your alcohol is 80-100 proof, you can use whatever. We normally use vodka, but you can also use bourbon, brandy, or rum. The best advantage of using vodka, is it is flavorless and it leaves all the glory for the vanilla beans to do their magic.
It’s best to buy a good quality alcohol, the better the quality, the better the taste of your vanilla extract.
We normally purchase 360 Vodka, it has an airtight lid already on it and it’s the perfect jar for making this recipe since we make large batches of it. For this recipe I will be making it with 375 ml of Tito’s!
How to make the homemade vanilla extract recipe:
THINGS YOU’LL NEED:
- 1 cup vodka or 80+ proof alcohol of choice. (I’m using a 375 ML bottle = 1.5 cups)
- 6 Grade B madagascar vanilla beans (I’m using 10 beans for the whole bottle)
- airtight container (I’m just using the vodka bottle since it’s airtight!)
The ratio I will be using for making vanilla extract is about 6 beans per 1 cup of vodka, you can also add more beans in if you want it more concentrated.
To start, you can take your whole bean and slice it lengthways with a knife and leave it intact, or slice it all the way through in half. If you need to cut them down to fit your jar, that’s okay to do so too. Just as long as the beans are cut enough so they can do their magic in extracting all their flavor.
Put the beans in an 8oz jar and cover completely with vodka, tighten the lid and let it sit for 90 days to 18 months, in a cool dark place. The longer it ages, the better the flavor is in our opinion.
Every week or so, give the bottle a shake and mix it around. If you don’t remember to shake it that’s okay too, you can just shake it when you remember it.
If made in July, it will be done in time to make for your holiday baking! Now you’re not going to be running back and forth to the grocery store for that expensive vanilla anymore, you’ve made your own.
Free printable labels for your vanilla extract
I have created and personally designed a sheet of printable labels for your homemade vanilla extract, whether you’re giving it away as gifts, or you just want to snazzy up your bottle of extract. They’re so perfect for this project! Also, if you decide to use the 375 ML bottles like I did, I’ve created a label just for this to cover the original label so you can be more discreet in your home with it.
You can grab your free sheet of the labels here!
FAQ:
How long do I know when the vanilla extract is ready?
It takes 90-120 days for it to be ready, although, most people say it’s ready at 6 months to a year. A lot of people prefer the taste of the extract at 90-120 days but most say it’s not done until 12-18 months. It’s all just personal preference and when you think it’s ready.
How do I remember when I started the vanilla extract?
A good way to keep track of your bottles is to put a date on the bottle. We label ours with the month we started it and that way we will know when ours is ready. Especially when you’re like us and have multiple bottles of vanilla going at the same time. I do a lot of baking around our home and vanilla can get expensive.
Do I have to strain my homemade vanilla extract recipe?
Nope, again it’s all on personal preference. If you don’t want the little tidbits floating around in the jar, you can strain it with a coffee filter or cheesecloth, but, it’s not necessary to strain.
Ways you can use your homemade vanilla extract
There are so many things you can use with your homemade vanilla extract you can bake and cook with it you can also:
- Make ice cream
- Put a mug of it in the oven for an aroma smell
- Enhance your hot drinks
- Use on your breakfast recipes
- Caramelizing
- Making breads such as my famous sourdough zucchini bread
It also has medicinal uses such as:
- Calming affects for newborns with the aroma
- May provide relief from sleep apnea
- Eases toothaches
- Helps you with your sugar intake – a natural substitute for sugar
Our vanilla at 2 and 8 months:
We make large batches of vanilla extract, we bake so much and we made a whole bottle just to split up and give away for Christmas gifts. I’m going to print out more of my labels, put them in smaller jars and disperse! I don’t know about you, but I would love to get this for Christmas and I’m sure others would too.
We’ve labeled these and we know exactly when to test them and know when they’re finished. They smell so wonderful and we’ve already snuck some out of the bottles to use in our baking.
Make your own homemade vanilla extract with this printable recipe:
homemade vanilla extract recipe
If you want to get a head start on your holiday baking, now is the time with this simple homemade vanilla extract recipe! We love making our own vanilla extract with as much baking we do. Don't forget to also grab my free printable vanilla extract labels for your own vanilla, get them here!
Ingredients
- 1 cup 80+ proof vodka
- 6 whole vanilla beans
- 8 oz jar with tight fitting lid
Instructions
- Slice vanilla beans to your liking. As long as they're sliced, they're extracting!
- Place beans in an 8 oz glass container with airtight lid.
- Cover beans with 80 proof vodka.
- Place lid on tightly.
- Store in a cool dark place for 90-120 days and taste test!
- Shake container ever week or so to mix it around.
Notes
*The longer it sets the better it is! It's all on personfal prefrence but my husband and I enjoy to let it age as long as we can.
*Storing it in a cold dark place is key because heat and light can cause evaporation. It can also cause the vanilla to become cloudy.
*Do not refridgerate or freeze, it will reduce shelf life and cause the pods to dry out.
*Homemade vanilla extract is just like in stores, it's a food product and should be used as such.
*When you bake with vanilla extract, nearly all of the alcohol evaporates out so don't worry!
Let me know in the comments if you made your own homemade vanilla extract and what you use it for! I’d love to hear what you do! Thanks for stopping by.
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