Homemade Vanilla Extract
Ingredients
- 1 oz Vanilla Beans
- 8 oz Vodka or Bourbon
Instructions
Gather Ingredients
- All you need is a glass bottle or jar with a tight lid, vodka or bourban, and vanilla beans like these. You want to use 1 oz of vanilla beans for every 8 oz of alchohol.
Prepare the beans
- Depending on where you get your beans, they will be different sizes. If they are longer than the jar or bottle is tall, then cut them in half or to appropriate size so that they are fully submerged in the bottle. Slice them lengthwise down the the middle as well to expose more of the inside of the bean.
Bottle
- Place your beans into your bottle and fill with vodka or bourbon. Make sure the beans are fully submerged in the liquid. Twist cap on tighly and store in a dark room temperature location for 6-12 months. Shake 1-2 times a week.
Use your patience
- It takes about 6-12 months for the vanilla beans to magically turn the alcohol into vanilla extract. After 6 months most of the extraction is finished, but the longer you wait, the stronger the flavor will be.
Notes
You can remove the beans once you think its finished, or you can leave them in for a more complex flavor. You can also pour a portion into another bottle to start using, and then add more alcohol to the bottle with the beans to keep making more and have a continual supply!