Homemade Vanilla Extract (Just 2 Ingredients)
Have you ever considered making your own vanilla extract?
With just 2 ingredients and some patience, you can make your own Vanilla Extract at home for much less than the store bought variety. A six ounce bottle of real vanilla extract at the store can be around $10-$15, I spent around $6 on my homemade version.
Homemade vanilla extract makes a great gift for Christmas or for a hostess gift.
For this recipe, I used four Madagascar vanilla beans from Cost Plus World Market – they were priced $2.99/2.
Homemade Vanilla Extract
prep time: 5 MINUTES
total time: 5 MINUTES
Vanilla extract is such a cinch to make at home!
Ingredients
- 3-5 Vanilla Beans (Madagascar, Bourbon, Mexican, or Tahitian varieties)
- 6 oz. of alcohol (I used Vodka, but you can also use Rum, Bourbon, or Brandy)
Directions
1
Split your vanilla beans lengthwise. An easy way to do this - first, press down with your knife to flatten down the bean, slice and open up the bean to expose the inside, and then cut them width-wise to fit inside your bottle.
2
Fit beans inside your bottle, and pour alcohol on top of vanilla beans. Close the lid and store in a cool dark place for at least 2 months and up to 6 months for best results (I opted to store mine in a kitchen cabinet).
3
Every once in a while shake up your bottle; the vanilla beans will infuse with the alcohol to make a wonderful extract.
I’m planning on making a big batch of Vanilla Extract in a large bottle and then transferring the finished product to smaller darker bottles like these – this should make for fun and easy Christmas gifts!
