How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

Vanilla extract is an essential ingredient in many cookie and cake recipes, and has many other uses. However, it is expensive and not always as high in quality as you would like. There is an alternative to the expensive and possibly adulterated version found at the grocery store. It's extremely easy to make at home, and it's as good as you decide to make it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vanilla beans--one for each 4 fluid ounces of vanilla extract
• Enough vodka for the vanilla beans you have
• Small bottles
• Funnel
• Paring knife
• Paper and pens or a computer printer
• Glue or tape, unless the labels you make are already self-sticking.

1. Make sure you know how many fluid ounces your small bottles hold, because you want to make sure you have the correct number of vanilla beans to vodka. A good way to do this is to fill each bottle with water, then pour the water into a glass measuring cup. Mark each bottle with its measurement.

2. Cut each vanilla bean in half lengthwise. If the beans are longer than the bottles, cut them crosswise as well. Place one split vanilla bean per each 4 fluid ounces into each bottle. For instance, if your bottle holds 1/2 cup of liquid, put two vanilla beans in it. It's important that you split them first so that the essence of the vanilla will be exposed to the vodka.

3. Place the tip of the funnel into the bottle and pour vodka over the bean inside. Make sure to leave a tiny bit of space at the top so that, when you open the bottle later, the vanilla extract won't spill all over you. Cap each bottle tightly.

4. Make labels for each bottle with VANILLA EXTRACT written or printed on them, as well as the bottling date and the ingredients. You may also like to add "Crafted by" and your name and a favorite recipe using vanilla. These labels may be as simple or as fancy as you like. Glue or tape the labels securely to the bottles.

5. Allow the bottles to stand, unopened, for at least a month. The vanilla should be a dark brown color when it is ready to use. Use exactly as you would use the vanilla you buy at the store, which is just vanilla beans and some kind of alcohol anyway.

Tips & Warnings

• There is no need to use any special kind of vodka for this recipe. However, if you want to turn cheap vodka into good vodka, run it through a Brita or other brand of water filter. Needless to say, don't use that filter for anything else!
• This makes a very impressive gift for anyone who bakes or makes vanilla flavored drinks or desserts, and it isn't expensive at all.
• It's not rocket science; the measurements should be as accurate as you can make them, but if they aren't, the vanilla extract will still be perfectly okay.
• Soaking a cotton ball in vanilla extract and leaving it in a picnic cooler over the winter will help keep it from smelling musty when it's time to get it out for use again in summer.
• Adding a drop or two of vanilla extract to a cup of hot chocolate really perks up the flavor!
• It's not necessary to sterilize the bottles ahead of time as the vodka takes care of that. However, it is a good idea to wash and dry them before using them.
• The alcohol boils away during the process of cooking at even low temperatures, but never assume that this is okay if someone has told you they don't want to ingest alcohol. All flavoring extracts contain it, and only a tiny amount goes into baked goods, which is dispersed even further by heat, but it isn't fair to give it to someone who has already made her or his wishes known in this matter. There is not enough alcohol to harm children or pets, so it should not be an issue.

[sabrinacareer]

on 10/25/2009 Great tips on making your own vanilla extract

[voliegurl]

on 2/8/2009 Fresh - homemade vanilla extract is the best! 5* with recommendation!

[waiting4rain]

on 2/2/2009 Good information about making your own vanilla. 5*

[PABechko]

on 1/27/2009 Can't live without vanilla! I love it. I'm going to try this.

[LilacGirl]

on 1/25/2009 What a good idea! I love all your suggestions for making your own vanilla. It's obvious you've done it yourself, and know what you are doing. I'm going to try this soon. Good suggestion about the vanilla soaked cotton ball in your stored cooler too!