How to Make Vanilla Extract

At my B&B, I went through so much vanilla I learned how to make vanilla extract.  I now make our own and you can too. Here are some very simple instructions that anyone can follow to make their own delicious vanilla extract for a small cost.

Every once and a while someone asks me what one would do with a bottle of vanilla. About a teaspoon of vanilla is in almost every sweet-baked item you could ever make. What’s not to love?

Homemade Vanilla Extract

• 2 whole vanilla beans
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups bourbon whiskey or vodka

Cut vanilla beans lengthwise into quarters and then in half the other direction.

Scrape some of the vanilla from the inside of the vanilla bean into the bottle. Then place the cut vanilla beans into a glass bottle. Using a funnel if needed, add the sugar and then the bourbon. Place lid on the bottle and shake well.

Store in the pantry or cupboard for at least 6-8 weeks, giving bottles a good shake about once a week.

When finished, decorate bottles with cute labels & ribbons (labels and ribbons optional). They make great gifts for friends who like to bake. It’s a good idea to include a recipe if you are giving it to friends who have never used their ovens to make a cookie from scratch.

Vanilla Extract Making Tips

Although the vanilla beans can sometimes be pricey, they are worth every penny because to refill extract, you can just add bourbon (or brandy or vodka) to the vanilla beans again whenever you start to run low. You don’t have to replace the beans for a long time. I rotate a couple of bottles so that I never run out.

Buy at a warehouse or online as vanilla beans are typically over-priced in grocery stores.

You can buy perfect little four-ounce bottles online or just use a canning jar that you might already have at home.