I always tell anyone that Vanilla Extract is the secret ingredient in all of my baked goods. It has to be really good vanilla though. Did you know most of the vanilla that you find at the store is filled with junk? Some have water and sugar in them. I know, that’s why I started making my own.
Types of Vanilla Beans
There are lots of different types of vanilla beans that originate from all over the world. The most popular ones are Mexican, Madagascar and Tahitian. My favorite are the Madagascar Vanilla Beans. They have a rich yummy flavor that I personally love for baked goods.
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How to Make Vanilla Extract
- Take each bean and cut it down the middle with a knife and scrape out the oh, so good stuff aka vanilla beans. This is where the magic comes from. Put the vanilla beans that you scraped off in the bottle along with the entire bean. You can also drop everything straight into the bottle of bourbon. That’s what I do as I make a big batch.
- Put the lid on tightly and then get a sticky note and write the date that you made it. You’ll thank yourself later so you can remember how long it needs to cure. I let mine set for about 4-5 months.
- Put your bottle in a dark cabinet and shake it about once a week. In 2 months, it should be ready but the longer you let it sit, the darker and more richer it will become! You can transfer to a small jar for easier storage and then give some away for gifts.
How to Use Vanilla Extract
I seriously use Homemade Vanilla Extract in so many recipes. Here are some of my favorites:
Healthy Homemade Hot Chocolate
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Tools You May Need
Cutting Board
Good Bottle of Bourbon or Whiskey
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Ingredients
- 6-8 Madagascar Vanilla Beans
- 1 Bottle of Good Bourbon or Whiskey
Instructions
- Take each bean and cut it down the middle with a knife and scrape out the oh, so good stuff aka vanilla beans. This is where the magic comes from. Put the vanilla beans that you scraped off in the bottle along with the entire bean. You can also drop everything straight into the bottle of bourbon. That's what I do as I make a big batch.
- Put the lid on tightly and then get a sticky note and write the date that you made it. You’ll thank yourself later so you can remember how long it needs to cure. I let mine set for about 4-5 months but you can have a good bottle of vanilla in about 2-3 months.
- Put your bottle in a dark cabinet and shake it about once a week. In 2 months, it should be ready but the longer you let it sit, the darker and more richer it will become! You can transfer to a small jar for easier storage and then give some away for gifts.
Notes
As always, tag me over on Instagram (@lhsimpleliving) with anything you make with Homemade Vanilla Extract. I love seeing so many yummy recipes!
What size bottle of bourbon? Where is a good source for the vanilla beans?
Join Indri’s Vanilla Group on Facebook. The get Vanilla Beans straight from the country at usually $8 an ounce. The beans are fresh and amazing. The ratio of vanilla beans is 1 oz. of beans to 8 oz. Vodka or liquor of your choice. Let set a year (shake every now and then). They have so much information on what your can do with your beans (paste, powder, sugar and a variety of other things). Hope this helps 🙂
I’m going to go join that group too Karen. I absolutely love vanilla!
My current bottle is 1.75L. I have used smaller bottles too. I did link where I buy my beans from up above. Hope this is helpful.
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