How to Make Vanilla Extract
Making your own vanilla extract is so easy and can be ready in as little as 5 weeks. But, I recommend waiting 10-12 weeks for the best flavor.
Ingredients
- 10-15 vanilla beans (I used 15 for a 750ml bottle)
- vodka (or other neutral flavored rum, bourbon or brandy)
- glass bottle with stopper
Instructions
- Clean your bottle and dry it well.
- Slit the vanilla beans length-wise and scrape the seeds and pulp out. This helps to infuse the vodka faster.
- Place the pods, seeds and pulp into your bottle.
- Pour the vodka into the bottle making sure the pods are completely submerged. Using a funnel helps to avoid spills.
- Secure the lid on your bottle and give it a good shake to distribute vanilla seeds. Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight and continue to give the bottle a shake weekly to redistribute the seeds.
- Vanilla extract can be ready to use in as little as 5-6 weeks, but I recommend waiting until weeks 10-12 for the best flavor. It can be kept indefinitely and keeps getting better as the months/years go on.
- As you use your extract you can continue to refill it by adding more vodka and vanilla beans and giving it a good shake. Try not to let it get below half way to avoid diluting the flavor too much.