I have a weakness for homemade food prepared with real, authentic ingredients. As someone who bakes often, I use plenty of Pure Vanilla Bean Extract. Have you tried making your own? You won’t believe how simple it is until you try it!
This post contains affiliate links. Opinions are my own.
If you’ve never worked with real vanilla beans, then you’re missing out! When they arrived in the mail, I could smell them before I opened the package. Once they were out of the sealed plastic, I wanted to wrap myself in the incredible scent. My oldest son walked into the kitchen, nose sniffing the air, “What’s the good smell, Mommy?” I invited him to taste the tiny black specks inside of the pod and to touch the bumpy vanilla bean. He ran to get his little brother so that he wouldn’t miss out!
Pure Vanilla Bean Extract
Materials:
- vanilla beans
- 1 liter of vodka (If you are gluten-free as I am, I recommend Titos Handmade Vodka)
- sharp paring knife
- funnels
- brown bottles (if you plan to give away the vanilla extract as gifts)
Directions:
To Make the Vanilla Extract Directly in the Brown Gift Bottles
Clean, rinse, and dry your bottles. Cut eight vanilla beans in half. Slice the beans open, but do not cut completely through the bean. Put the beans into the gift bottles and use a funnel to add 1 cup of vodka. Allow the bottles to rest in a dark, cool place for 2-3 months before giving them away. Give the bottles an occasional swirl to incorporate the beans and vodka.
To Make the Vanilla Extract Directly in the Vodka Bottle for Home Use
Remove 1 cup of vodka from the bottle and set aside. Slice 32 vanilla beans open, but do not cut completely through the bean. Slide the beans into the bottle and use a funnel to add the vodka you had set aside earlier back to the bottle (if there is room). Allow the bottle to rest in a dark, cool place for 2-3 months before using.
Enjoy using your Pure Vanilla Extract to make homemade ice-cream, granola, or apple crisp. And here’s even better news—once you start making your own, you won’t need those expensive, diluted bottles of vanilla extract from the grocery store anymore. I’ve successfully used the same vanilla beans for 2 bottles of vodka, making this DIY very, very frugal!
Need A Nap2 says
Do you mind telling me what kind of vodka (brand/size) you bought? I’ve been wanting to do this for a while but am a little intimidated because I’ve never bought alcohol before. 🙂
firefliesandmudpies says
I’ve used Three Olive and Absolut. Both have worked great!
Rachel says
How many beans do you do in the full vodka bottle?
Fireflies and Mud Pies says
Hmmm . . . I removed 1/2 cup of vodka from the bottle (and added it to one of my brown bottles), then filled it with beans until the bottle looked like it was full again. I didn’t count them – I’m sorry!
Amanda@ Dirt and Boogers says
Can’t wait to try this. I had a huge bottle of really good vanilla that my aunt got from Mexico. I recently finished it off, and I really don’t like the store bought vanilla I replaced it with. I will have to give this a try! Thank you so much!
Jackie says
I have been wanting to try this as well. So you kept the big absolut bottle for your own pantry and gave the little ones away?
Do you keep the beans in there until the extract is gone?
Fireflies and Mud Pies says
Yes, I keep the big bottle in my pantry for baking. I buy little brown bottles to give away as gifts. I’ve used the beans 2 times, but my second bottle of extract was not as strong as the first.
Mommy's Kitchen says
I never thought it coud be done with vanilla beans and vodka. Definitely giving it a shot !
GIGI says
I’m not worried about the vodka, but I’d LOVE to know where you get your vanilla beans and how much they cost!
Every time I think about making my homeade Kahlua, what stops me is the price of vanilla beans, and that only takes ONE bean!
I check every brand at the grocery store, and usually the cheapest is about $10 for ONE bean!
How the heck can you afford to buy THIRTY TWO beans for one liter of extract?
Don’t get me wrong–I’d LOVE to have a liter of amazing, homeade vanilla extract in my pantry; but it seems much more “frugal” to just buy some Watkins or another good brand.
Please! I need to know where you get your fresh vanilla beans! 😀
Melissa Lennig says
They are linked in the post!