Make Your Own Vanilla Extract

Who knew it was so easy to make your own vanilla extract?

Who doesn’t love a good quality extract? What may be surprising is just how easy it is to make your own — not to mention it’s a great way to save money.

I make mine with a fifth of 100 proof vodka (the cheapest kind) and Madagascar Vanilla beans.

Once it’s ready, you’ll have about 150 teaspoon servings of delicious, aromatic, homemade vanilla extract!

That’s a lot of vanilla. In fact, I haven’t made a batch in over a year since that amount of vanilla lasts so long. It’s a huge savings!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Servings: About 150 teaspoons
Time: Minutes to prepare, then wait 2 weeks
Difficulty: Super easy
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Ingredients:

At least 10 of your favorite vanilla beans (I love Mexican vanilla, but you may prefer Madagascar or something else.
A fifth of 100 proof (or stronger) vodka

Instructions: Cut then vanilla beans straight down the length to slightly open them before you put them in the bottle of vodka. You’ll probably need to pour some of the vodka out first. I use about 10 in my extract, but you can certainly use more if you want. Close the bottle and keep it in a dark place — maybe a cabinet — for at least two weeks, then observe the color and take a sniff. If the fragrance is clearly vanilla and the color is nice and dark, it’s ready to use!

Also check out Peach Jam Recipe