Long on my to-do list was to start making my own vanilla extract because it pained me how expensive it was and I knew there would be savings if I could get my act together and do it. Let me warn you, IT IS EASY. So the delay wasn’t even necessary. It’s just vodka and vanilla beans and it’s much higher quality than many vanilla extracts and, as previously explained, much less expensive. Storebought from an average brand, this amount would be about $250 and this for my first batch was $75. That number will crash even lower on my second batch to like $15 because most of the cost was the vanilla beans, and those are re-usable.
I’m not really like, a canning type person if you know what I mean. This was a very low maintenance venture.
Also better flavor, better flavor. Below are pictures from day 1 and day 68 and the link to the vanilla beans I got from AMAZON!
HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT
Makes about 60 ounces, or 1.75 liters
1.75 liters vodka
40 vanilla beans
Additional smaller bottles, if you’d like to bottle or give away your vanilla in smaller quantities
First I used a razor blade to scratch of the ugly vodka logo printing off the bottle. Then slice into your vanilla beans and gently open them, not cutting all the way through.
Place beans into vodka. I had to pour a little out because the volume got too full. Then just let it sit in a cool, dark place! Allegedly turning it daily or weekly helps, but I don’t know how important it was. Six weeks is the lower end, but eight weeks is even better. The longer you wait, the better the depth of flavor.
After the first batch is finished, you can remove vanilla beans and place them into a new bottle to make another batch. The vanilla can be kept in the big original vodka container or dispersed into smaller bottles.
- 1.75 liters vodka
- 40 vanilla beans
- Additional smaller bottles, if you'd like to bottle or give away your vanilla in smaller quantities
- First I used a razor blade to scratch of the ugly vodka logo printing off the bottle. Then slice into your vanilla beans and gently open them, not cutting all the way through.
- Place beans into vodka. I had to pour a little out because the volume got too full. Then just let it sit in a cool, dark place! Allegedly turning it daily or weekly helps, but I don't know how important it was. Six weeks is the lower end, but eight weeks is even better. The longer you wait, the better the depth of flavor.
- After the first batch is finished, you can remove vanilla beans and place them into a new bottle to make another batch. The vanilla can be kept in the big original vodka container or dispersed into smaller bottles.
A couple fun places to use your new vanilla is these blueberry muffins or these carrot cake pancakes with cream cheese syrup. And like, every other baked good ever.