I remember the first time I heard that you could make your own vanilla extract. It was from my co-worker nearly 15 years ago. I looked at her like she was crazy; yet I was intrigued at the same time. Follow along as I share my experience with making easy and inexpensive homemade vanilla extract.
That was in a previous life time as a speech language pathologist working full time without babies at home. I was engaged, and the homemaking bug had bitten me. This was a time before you could Google everything for a quick answer. And I hung on every word that my co-worker shared with me.
I was training her as a speech pathologist. And she was training me in homemaking. This was a second career for her, so she had 20 years of life experience on me and graciously shared her knowledge with me as we worked side by side. She had a family goat farm and would make homemade goat milk soap when she got home from a long day at the skilled nursing facility. All these years later, we have long since lost touch, but I remember all of the beautiful things she taught me and I will forever cherish them.
Homemade Vanilla Extract Ingredients:
Making vanilla extract only requires two ingredients. An organic vodka and organic vanilla beans. I use Madagascar vanilla beans available from Costco.
Materials Recommended:
You’ll also need brown glass bottles to store the finished vanilla extract in and a quart sized mason jar to hold the vodka and vanilla beans while the vanilla beans infuse with the vodka. A small funnel also comes in handy when pouring the extract into the brown bottles.
How to Make Vanilla Extract:
Start by slicing the vanilla beans lengthwise down own side. Keeping the other side of the vanilla bean intact.
Place 3 to 5 beans in the quart size mason jar. Then, fill the jar with a good quality vodka. Be sure to cover the vanilla beans fully with vodka. Beans left uncovered by vodka can get moldy.
Put the lid on the mason jar and give it a good shake to start infusing the vodka and vanilla beans together.
Store the jar in the pantry, cupboard, or dark corner of the countertop. I keep mine in the corner of the countertop so that I remember to give it a shake once and a while.
Let your vanilla infuse for 6 to 12 months depending on the preferred strength of the desired vanilla flavor.
When you’re done making vanilla extract, don’t throw away your vanilla beans. Just refill with fresh vodka. I like to add a few new vanilla beans to my vodka mason jar every year or two. I think I currently have ten to twelve vanilla beans in my jar.
Now that the vanilla extract is ready, store it in brown glass bottles with a lid. One quart of vanilla extract should fill four, 8-ounce bottles. I also keep a little brown vanilla bottle next to my salt and pepper and olive oil near the stove for easy access near the stove.
Save money by making your own vanilla extract
Vanilla extract from the grocery store is outrageously priced. If you have a little patience, you can make 32 ounces of vanilla extract for about $1.25 an ounce vs. $3.50 an ounce for store bought organic vanilla extract.
I use vanilla in so many recipes. But the one where the vanilla is really the star of the dish is my raw milk vanilla ice cream recipe.
Thanks for stopping by and following along. For more homemade family inspiration and recipes, visit @homesteadonlakeside
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