• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Atkinson Drive

creativity for the home

  • Contact
  • About
    • Disclosures
    • Advertising & PR
  • Shop
  • Blog Archives
    • Home Tour
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
You are here: Home / Food & Beverage / Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Vanilla Extract

September 26, 2012 By Sam 12 Comments

It is FINALLY time for me to share our Homemade Vanilla Extract endeavor with all of you and I’m beyond thrilled! It’s been a good 6 months in the making! Quite some time ago on Pinterest, I found a recipe for vanilla extract. The point was to have a better quality product for a more affordable price than store-bought. After some hemming and hawing about the initial investment, I broke down and bought the ingredients. This is probably one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make, and the results are phenomenal *if I do say so myself*!

All you need is vanilla beans & vodka.

To start, I want to give you the how-to on homemade vanilla extract – the way I did it. Under the instructions, though I will be posting some information I have gathered since my vanilla beans have been steeping. Some of the tips are ones that I wish I would have known beforehand, but there’s nothing I can do about that now! Either way…I have some deliciously pure vanilla extract in my cabinet as we speak. And here’s how I did it…

I purchased a set of vanilla beans at a local spice store call Penzey’s Spices for $10. You can order from Penzey’s here or Amazon here. The vodka I used was Smirnoff.

{Somehow in the last 6 months, I have misplaced the photos I took from the vanilla extract process. The following are the best photos I could find of each step}.

Using a sharp knife with a pointed tip, slice your vanilla beans down the center lengthwise. Leave the ends together so your beans don’t completely separate.


{src}

Inside the beans you will notice the vanilla “caviar”. At this point you’ll also start to smell the delicious vanilla aroma.


{src}

Using the blunt edge of your knife, gently scrape the caviar out of your beans and scoop it into the jar you’ll be using to store your extract.


{src}

Next, you’ll want to cut your vanilla beans in half. There is one reason for this step: you’ll want to make sure the beans are completely submerged in vodka & this is easier when they’re cut in half.


{src}

When your beans are cut and the caviar is in your jar, pour the vodka over and seal. If you’re using a clear glass jar, make sure to keep the vanilla in an area without much sun exposure. I keep mine in the back of my baking cabinet.


{src}

I have heard many different opinions on what is the best amount of time to leave your beans soaking. As you heard, I left mine for 6 months. The traditional time-frame seems to be at least 6 weeks…but, as with wine the longer it ages, the better.

Once you’ve determined that your extract has aged enough, take cheesecloth and strain out the beans and caviar. Or, it seems you can use a coffee filter!


{src}

Put your vanilla extract back into the container and seal. The extract shouldn’t go bad, so technically you should be able to keep it for 10 years or more {though I doubt it will last that long}!

I found the photo below from No Recipes and just had to share it with you. Marc couldn’t decide between using vodka and bourbon for his vanilla extract, so he purchased mini bottles of each to test it out. I absolutely can’t resist anything in a mini bottle, and now I’m ready to run out to the liquor store to make my own mini-extracts! Beyond the fact that it’s perfectly adorable, this photo is a great representation of the progression of vanilla extract. Doesn’t it just look yummy?


{src}

Here are a few things I learned after-the-fact:

  • Grade B vanilla beans are better for making extract than Grade A
  • “Legal” extract requirements are 6-8 beans used per 1 C. of alcohol –wish I would have known that before!
  • 80 proof/40% alcohol is best {more alcohol = less vanilla extraction}
  • Vanilla extract should be aged for a year to get the best flavor

Fun Fact: Did you know vanilla beans come from vanilla orchids?
{facts & information from VanillaReview.com}

And now for the fun part: during my research I saw so many cute ideas for how to package your vanilla {especially if you’re planning on giving it as a gift}…here’s a few of my favorite finds.


{src}


{src}


{src}


{src}


{src}


{src}


{src}

Making your own vanilla extract is such a rewarding process. If you remove the aging wait time, the whole thing takes about 5 minutes! It’s so much more delicious and pure than anything you could buy at the store {for an affordable price}, and you just can’t beat the feeling of telling your friends and family that you made it yourself. Homemade vanilla extract is also a great gift for anyone on your list!

*keep an eye out for a yummy recipe incorporating my homemade vanilla extract {coming next week}!

Linked To & Featured At:

The 36th AVENUE Becoming Martha Liz Marie Blog The Shabby Nest

Filed Under: Food & Beverage, Holidays & Seasons, Household Tagged With: homemade vanilla extract, recipes

Previous Post: « Ghost ‘Wreath’
Next Post: Oatmeal Pumpkin Pie Play-Dough »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nikki

    September 26, 2012 at 8:47 am

    I got a jar of this with a book that had a recipe similar to this for my bridal shower and it was phenomenal, though she kept the vanilla bean in the jar. Her recipe “requires” Madagascar vanilla beans. Did you get that specific when purchasing yours?

    Reply
    • Sam

      September 26, 2012 at 8:57 am

      I read that you can use different ones depending on the flavor you want your extract to have and different beans go better with different alcohols. I believe Madagascar beans give you the ‘traditional’ vanilla flavor.

      Reply
  2. Eileen

    September 26, 2012 at 9:24 am

    I am such a huge fan of homemade vanilla! The bottle I won is nearly gone (and I’m crying)… I decided to make my own this year too. I suppose I better get busy – now! Love all the photos you’ve posted that show such creativity in dressing up the bottles too!

    Reply
    • Sam

      September 26, 2012 at 9:50 am

      Thanks! I just couldn’t resist – there are SO many cute ideas out there! :-)

      Reply
  3. Dixie

    September 26, 2012 at 1:55 pm

    What a wonderful idea! Wish I knew your recipe for making vanilla extract sooner because I just bought 2 bottles of homemade vanilla at a craft fair a week ago. Thanks to your great step-by-step directions I know what I’m giving to some family and friends next year for Christmas. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  4. Carissa

    September 27, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    soo much cheaper than buying the real stuff! thanks

    Reply
  5. Deborah

    September 27, 2012 at 11:33 pm

    Thanks for the additional tips. I too read it on pinterest and made some several months ago, but mine seemed very weak. Now I know, I need to add more vanilla beans, and I’m going to look for B grade. Love the packaging ideas too!

    Deborah

    Reply
  6. Sarah @ Becoming Martha

    October 2, 2012 at 10:08 pm

    I made this for my mother in law last year for Christmas and she loved it. It’s such a great idea! Thanks for sharing it at our Keep Calm & Link Up party! Hope to see you again in a couple of days for the next one!

    Reply
  7. Charlotte Moore

    October 9, 2012 at 10:23 am

    I will be starting my third batch of vanilla soon. I am fixing to strain my second batch in a day or so. It has been sitting for over 6 months. I actually have more beans in it than it called for so it should be great. I also have a small amount in rum and a small amount in bourbon. Never tried this before. We will see. I just can’t believe it could ever be as good if it does not sit several months. A few weeks just can’t get that strong enough taste.

    I have only used Madagascar vanilla beans that I ordered from Olive Nations. Super good price and good quality.

    Reply
    • Tammy

      November 16, 2013 at 4:05 pm

      Could you use Malibu rum? It had a coconuty flavor.

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 16, 2013 at 10:12 pm

        I’ve never tried it, but I’d assume so…

        Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Homemade vanilla recipe | Vanillana.com – The Art of Vanilla says:
    October 16, 2013 at 9:48 pm

    […] The Joy of Caking […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Follow

Meet the Author

Reader Favorites

  • Black and White Gallery Wall
  • How to Paint and Distress Interior Doors
  • Last-Minute Christmas Fun! (link party features)
  • Winter Activities for Kids
  • Saturday Seven
  • How-To Frost a Window
  • Cookie Dough Protein Shake
  • Vintage Milk Can Restoration
  • Magical Ice Remover

Pin With Me


Join the Mailing List

Footer

  • More of our favorite moments of the @leipersforkchristmasparade!
  • We LOVE the @leipersforkchristmasparade ... it’s our favorite tradition for the holidays! Where else can you see well-known faces like Kid Rock and Loretta Lynn, vintage vehicles, and an assortment of animals, along with much more?!
  • It was such an honor to work with all these incredible people these past few weeks! Sounds of Christmas and Jingle Jam were both amazing nights to help kick off the Christmas season!
  • Today marks the second week of advent where we light the faith candle. As a family we’ve been lighting our own advent wreath each evening, and it’s been an incredible way to connect and center ourselves ... to remind us of what the season is all about! In this crazy time, what do you and your family do to refresh?
  • We love our little town! The lighting of the Christmas tree is one of my favorite traditions! @franklintn @visitfranklintn
  • Programming lights all week means I need gorgeous nails to stare at occasionally! ;-)
  • Happy Thanksgiving friends! I am so thankful for all of you who follow me and my family on this crazy journey of life. I pray your day is filled with fun, family, and food!

Meet the Author

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

I genuinely love getting to write about how I strive to live creatively in my home. Read My Story ...




Copyright © 2019 · Atkinson Drive · Site Installation by The SRM Media Group