How to Make Vanilla Extract at Home
The cost of everything seems to keep going up and up and up now a days which means we have to learn how to be frugal with the items we purchase from the grocery store and ensure we are getting the most bang for our buck. Today at the grocery store vanilla extract costs about $9 for a 2 oz bottle. That seems excessive to me, so instead of purchasing the bottle from the store, we are going to learn how to make vanilla extract at home for less than $2.50 an ounce!
What is Vanilla Extract?
Vanilla extract is simply a mixture of alcohol and vanilla beans that is allowed to sit for some amount of time in order for the alcohol to pull out (or extract) all the delicious colors and flavors of the vanilla beans.
Vanilla extract is a common ingredient in many baking recipes and is a delicious addition to coffee. Vanilla can also be used in savory dishes as well, but is most common in the sweet treats we all love so much.
Choosing your Ingredients
You really don’t need anything fancy to make vanilla extract at home. It is two simple ingredients. The first ingredient is some form of clear alcohol that is at least 35%ABV. Typically people will use vodka because it is relatively inexpensive. In my case I used what I had on hand which is a 100 proof grain alcohol that we purchased years ago on a vacation that ended up just sitting in our closet. What better use for it than to make vanilla extract!
The second ingredient is vanilla beans. You will need about 1 oz of vanilla beans per oz of alcohol. I used 10 beans for about 12 oz of alcohol, but the weight of the beans will vary. I purchased my beans online and paid around $30 for 25 beans. You want to make sure you get a good quality bean because that is where your flavor is going to be coming from.
You will also need some type of glass jar. You can go out and buy a cute little jar with a spring lid from the store, but I am a frugal gal and ended up using a spent glass maple syrup jar. You could also just use a mason jar and it would work just find. I am a use what you have kinda gal, so get creative on your storage options. You just want to make sure it is glass and it has a lid that seals properly.
How to Make Vanilla Extract at Home
Once you have your jar and your ingredients, you are ready to go! I also recommend a small funnel to help when pouring the alcohol.
Start by splitting the vanilla beans lengthwise to expose the small seeds inside. Then place the spilt pods into your jar. Once all of your vanilla beans are in, pour the alcohol over to cover, screw on the lid, and wait.
The one down fall to this recipe is the key to good vanilla is the waiting. You will start to see the liquid turn amber after just a couple days, but for the best flavor you want your extract to sit for a minimum of 3 months with optimal being 6 months or more. While the wait may seem torturous, it will be well worth it in the end.
Using Your Homemade Vanilla Extract
After the beans have steeped for the proper time, you are ready to use your extract. You will use it just like you use the extract from the store in a one for one swap. Some of our favorite recipes for you to try your new extract out on are:
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies you will ever eat
- Melt in Your Mouth Sugar Cookies
- Easy Chocolate No Bake Cookies
Whatever you decide to make with this delicious extract, you will love the full bodied flavor and cost savings of your homemade vanilla extract.
We hope you love this easy recipe that will save you trips to the grocery store and money. If you try it out, leave us a comment below and share with your friends so they can reap the cost savings too!
Pro tip: Homemade vanilla makes a super cute gift! Find some small glass jars and share yours today!
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