If you're thinking about doing some DIY presents for Christmas this year your period of thinking is over - today you're going to learn how to make vanilla extract.
I know - Christmas talk. Calm down, it'll only take you two minutes to make homemade vanilla extract and the longer it sits the better it will be - so there's no need to get anxious.
Unless you accidentally forget to put clothes on when you run to the grocery store for a vanilla bean. That's something to get a bit anxious about. Especially if they're out of vanilla beans.
Homemade vanilla extract requires 2 ingredients.
- A Vanilla Bean
- Booze
Table of Contents
- What's The Difference in Vanilla Beans?
- What are the best vanilla beans to buy?
- What's the best alcohol to make vanilla extract?
- How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract
Table of Contents
Types of beans
There are 2 main types of Vanilla beans: Tahitian and Madagascar.
Tahitian vanilla beans are apparently more "floral" tasting and smelling than the standard Madagascar vanilla bean.
Where are Vanilla Beans Grown?: Madagascar (75% of all beans grow here), Mexico and Tahiti (the other 25%) Little bits come from other countries but not a significant amount.
How do Vanilla Beans Grow? On a tree? A vine? : Vanilla beans are actually pods that grow on a rare ORCHID. That's right. Vanilla beans grow on orchids. Orchids that can only be pollinated by hummingbirds or some other rare, weird bird. So any commercially grown vanilla orchids have to be hand pollinated. That partly explains the expensive price of the bean.
Which should you buy?
- Madagascar vanilla beans are the most readily available.
- Tahitian vanilla beans apparently have more floral notes.
- Mexican vanilla beans are hard to find but it is delicious with heavy chocolate, earthy tones.
All this to say you should just go with whatever beans you can find and afford.
The great thing about homemade vanilla is it's the gift that *literally* keeps on giving. I've been topping up the vodka in my own vanilla extract for years.
What booze to use?
You can use anything, but the standard is Vodka because it doesn't interfere with the vanilla flavour.
Instructions
- Slice a vanilla bean in half lengthwise, exposing the soft, seed filled interior.
- Place the bean in a 4 oz (118 ml) glass bottle. (amber bottles are best)
- Fill the jar with a neutral tasting alcohol. I use Vodka.
- Allow the vanilla bean to steep for 4-6 weeks before using.
The longer the vanilla steeps the stronger the extract will be. You can also use 2 vanilla beans instead of one to make it stronger. There's no need to remove the vanilla bean from the jar once you start using it. Keeping it in there just improves the flavour and allows you to top up the jar with more vodka without diluting the flavour.
Don't use the good vodka! Just the cheapest stuff you can buy or steal. If you're storing your vanilla in a cupboard you can use clear glass bottles but if it's out in the open you should keep it in a amber or brown bottle to prevent light from reducing the quality.
Supplies
AMERICANS!
Buy your amber glass bottles → on Amazon. ← here.
Buy your Tahitian Vanilla beans → on Amazon. ← here.
CANADIANS!
Buy your amber glass bottles →on Amazon ← here.
Buy your Tahitian Vanilla beans → on Amazon. ← here.
If you want to make the bottle fancy head on over to the Graphics Fairy which is where I got this Vanilla label that I personalized a bit.
Get your → Vanilla Extract Paper Label ← here. If you're computer/Photoshop savvy you can customize it that way, otherwise you can just print the label and write in your name and the date in the space provided at the bottom of the label.
Cost
The price of each bottle of pure vanilla extract will vary depending on the cost of the bottles, vodka and eans but generally assume cost you anywhere from $5-$10 to gift including the vanilla bean, the bottle and the vodka but any of these things could change price by the time you read this.
The vanilla on the left had been steeping for a couple of months. The vanilla on the right was just made the day I took the photo. As it infuses the liquid will get darker and darker.
Obviously the darker it gets, the more flavourful it will be. If you taste it on day one it'll taste like vodka. if you taste it on day 90, it'll taste like really good vodka. Like a dessert vodka. Just kidding, it'll taste like vanilla.
Looking back on this post it's a whole lot of words to say - if you want to DIY some homemade vanilla extract, cut a bean in half, stick it in a little jar and the fill it with a few ounces of vodka.
And don't forget to get dressed before you go to the grocery store.
I bought some Mexican Vanilla and it is UNSWEETENED [ I like it this way as I can add the flavor and sweeten it to a specific degree]. I don't think the Vanilla you make is unsweetened either [good], as commercial vanilla sold here in the States has corn syrup in it to add the sweet taste.
Any opinion on this?
You're probably buying Vanilla, not pure Vanilla extract. Two different things. Any pure vanilla extract you buy wouldn't normally have any sugar in it. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen vanilla with sweetener in it here in Canada but I've also always bought pure vanilla extract. ~ karen!
Karen is correct -- I'm in the states, and I only buy pure vanilla extract or, occasionally, vanilla bean paste. No sugary vanilla for me! Costco used to be my favorite source, but it's so painful now at $30 a bottle.
Aw, when I saw the photo I thought for a moment you were going to show us how to make homemade vodka. A potential future post...? Haha
With all the potatoes I grew? Yes it's definitely a potential future post, lol. ~ karen!
Karen ..I really enjoy receiving your emails and look forward to them...Could you please tell me where I can find your cream of corn soup ..I cannot find it and with this chilly weather I am in the mood to try it out..Thanks ...Lise Cameron
Ah! Well there's a good reason you can't find it. I don't make cream of corn soup, lol. You must have seen it somewhere else. ~ karen!
So the recipe says 4oz vodka, but the bottles are 2 ounces. Just checking if the recipe proportions are correct. 1 bean in the 2oz bottle would be like 2 beans in a 4oz bottle based on the recipe. Just wanted to make sure the recipe was typed correct before ordering. Thanks!
Hi Debbie! The proportions don't actually matter all that much. With the price of vanilla these days I would use 1 bean for either a 2 or a 4 ounce bottle. The 4 ounce would just take a bit longer to steep. But if you want stronger vanilla more quickly you would add 2 beans, or 1.5. ~ karen!
I saw some vanilla beans for sale when we went to Mexico. I will pick some up and make my own. I did buy some vanilla while I was down there. It was $1.99 for 1 quart. Super great deal!
Be careful about Mexican vanilla Wend. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/vanilla-iced/ ~ karen!
Awesome gift idea for all my friends who bake and don't need another pair of slippers! Bottles are ordered; now gonna try to find beans locally at the Whole Foods store.
I love this idea, thanks! I’d like to personalize the label you used. How did you do this?
You'd have to do it with Photoshop or another editing software. :) ~ karen!
I saved the image then imported it into PowerPoint, then edited it to my heart's content. Not very high-tech, but it worked for me.
Karen! Nothing to do with vanilla (I have some made with Tahitian brought back from there, somewhere deep in a cupboard - I'm not a baker)...I can't believe you didn't mention this:
I was thinking the same thing! But I'm guessing Karen is in mourning, as he is now engaged!
Thats too funny...Karen is the first person I thought of when I read about his engagement...:))
What's the reasoning behind using amber glass bottles?
It's light sensitive. The same way say ... cough syrup comes in a dark bottle. Light (UV) will make it less potent and degrade it in general. ~ karen!
MERCI Karen! I love making home made gifts. I get so much more out of it and so do the people I give it to.
Joyeux Noël ( a bit early I know, but it’s wished with much sincerity!)
:) De rien. ~ karen!
I started a batch 4 years ago and have just kept it going. Are used Madagascar vanilla beans but they were about a third of the price back them.
I love the labels, thank you I will use them for Christmas gifts.
For years we purchased vanilla from a spice merchant, the bottles had a section of bean in each bottle. as the vanilla was used up I would put the bean section in a bottle of vodka. You can figure out the rest of this story.
Hahah! ~ karen
THANK YOU! This is the useful, homemade gift idea I needed this year. Lots of cooks on my list but they have every gadget going. They do not, however, have vanilla handmade by me.
Karen for the save!
Love this Karen!
Ordering supplies and giving it a shot.
Love homemade gifts.
Thank you!!😁
That’s fascinating, Karen, and makes a great gift! Thank you so much! I appreciate how you always guide us as to where to shop for whatever interesting project you share with us. That is really helpful. I love the label too!
A lovely, simple gift idea. I'm going to try it tomorrow. Thanks!
My timing is terrible...I just bought a bottle of vanilla extract today! But I'm glad to see how easy it is to make my own the next time.
I so got dressed before I went to the grocery store, but that didn't help, I still couldn't find my way out of the spice aisle (or is it isle). So I bought some on Amazon and don't ask me where on Earth it came from. The first test tube was cracked, but the second was whole. All in all I scored two test tubes of orchid genitalia. So now I'm on my way to a good vanilla flavoured vodka I just dropped the whole bunch into the bottle. Okay, I might try baking with it, but that will be later on. Cheers!
Does using Vanilla flavored Vodka intensify the vanilla?
Good luck, lol! ~ karen
There's some medicinal whiskey in my cupboard since ages. I don't drink or take medicine. But then I do use vanilla. So...would a tsp. of vanilla infused whiskey be ok in a cake or cookie recipe? Worth a try I guess.
I use Texas bourbon and it gives the vanilla a delicious smoky flavor.
Worth a try. :) It'll taste different and be more difficult to get a pronounced vanilla flavour over the powerful whiskey flavour but I think it would work in its own unique way. ~ karen!
Thanks!
I’ve been making my own vanilla for decades! I started when I had Ex and his family had a home in Mexico. I could get vanilla beans from a family friend. When I discarded Ex, I also lost access to my vanilla supplies so now I buy my beans on amazon.
I use 10-12 beans for a fifth of vodka and let it steep for 3 months. I use a lot of vanilla for cooking so once my beans quit giving me the strength I like, I scrape the used beans into a babyfood jar, along with the dregs of the bottle of vanilla. This gives me the tiny seeds to use in a vanilla cake. That’s wonderful!
neat!