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Woman's hands cutting vanilla beans on a wooden cutting board.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Melissa Norris
Learn to make amazing homemade vanilla extract for all your home-baked goodies. You'll never go back to store-bought vanilla extract again.
4.77 from 17 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Extraction Time 180 days
Total Time 180 days 5 minutes
Course Ingredient
Cuisine American
Servings 48 servings
Calories 12 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5 to 6 plump vanilla beans (1 ounce)
  • 8 ounces vodka or rum (70 to 80 proof)

Instructions
 

  • Start by leaving the top of the bean intact, and split the bean down the center with a knife.
  • Open it up so you can see the black vanilla beans (it will look like coffee grounds). Leave each bean connected at the top so you can easily pull it out of the jar when done.
  • Fill the bottle with alcohol and shake, shake, shake!
  • If any of the beans float to the top, fill the bottle with a bit more alcohol.
  • Shake the bottle about once a week to help extract the flavor.

Notes

  • You can scrape out the insides of each bean and put it in the jar, then put the whole bean into the jar.
  • Alternatively, you can chop your beans into small pieces and place them in a mason jar and top with alcohol.
  • You can keep topping off the jars and do an always-renewing bottle of extract.
  • Continue shaking the bottle about once per week to help extract all the flavor.
  • Allow to infuse for 6 months, in a pinch you can use it at 3 months, but the longer the better.

Nutrition

Serving: 1teaspoonCalories: 12kcalCarbohydrates: 0.1gFat: 0.04gSodium: 0.05mgPotassium: 0.05mg
Keyword Homemade Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Extract
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