Make the best homemade vanilla extract in just a few minutes of hands-on time. The secret to making your own vanilla extract is using quality vanilla beans and a little patience. It makes a great homemade gift!
Contents
Prep Time:5 minutes | Total Time:5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces vodka (or bourbon, brandy, or rum)
- 6-10 whole vanilla beans
- 2 8 ounce clean bottles with lids (or one 16-ounce bottle)
Directions:
- Using the tip of a sharp knife, split each vanilla bean in half lengthwise. You can also chop the beans into smaller pieces if necessary to fit in your bottles.
- Place beans and alcohol in clean bottles (3-5 beans per 8 ounces). Be sure the alcohol covers the beans. Place the lid on the bottles and give them a good shake.
- Place the bottles in a cool, dark place for at least 8 weeks (the longer you leave it the stronger the flavor), occasionally agitating the beans in the alcohol.
- When the extract is ready to use, you can leave the beans in the bottle, or remove them and use them start another bottle of extract.