Make Your Own Homemade Vanilla Extract
Learn how to make rich and flavorful homemade vanilla extract, compared to pricey store-bought imitations, using just two simple ingredients.
Boy, I wish I learned how to make homemade vanilla extract years ago. With only two ingredients and a bit of time, you can have a deep, rich, and flavorful vanilla extract for all your baking needs at a fraction of the cost.
All of these years I’ve been spending so much money at grocery stores and high-end gourmet food shops, looking for the best vanilla extract possible.
Truly, with only two ingredients, a few vanilla beans, and vodka, you can make your own extract that is just as delicious – actually better!
This article may contain affiliate links for your convenience, which means if purchased, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Kitchen Tools and Ingredients Needed
Vanilla beans. I highly recommend you buy organic vanilla beans and the best quality you can find. The Madagascar vanilla bean is the most popular but also consider beans from Mexico, Uganda, and Tahiti. I share the differences below.
Vodka. You do not need a high-end bottle of vodka to make homemade vanilla extract. Cheap vodka works just as well (you don’t hear that too often!).
Glass jar. It’s fun to get creative with your glass jar. Whether it’s a simple mason jar, a tall bottle, or a few smaller amber bottles, similar to the store-bought kind, you do need to make sure you have a tight-fitting lid because your vanilla extract is going to sit on your shelf for months.
Funnel (optional). Depending on the type of glass jar you use, you may want to have a funnel to help pour the extract into your jar.
How To Make Homemade Vanilla Extract
NOTE: For the exact measurements, full recipe, and nutritional information, please see the printable recipe card below.
PREPARATION
Wash the glass jar and lid with warm, soapy water.
Sterilize the jar and lid (if there are no plastic parts) by placing them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
Carefully remove the jar and lid from the boiling water and place on a wire rack to air dry.
INSTRUCTIONS
Using a sharp knife or scissors, carefully split the vanilla beans in half.
ProTip. If you have a tall enough glass bottle, do not cut all the way but rather about two-thirds of the way down, to prevent vanilla bean remnants from detaching and floating into your extract.
If your bottle is small and squatty, like mine, then feel free to cut your vanilla beans in half.
Place the split vanilla beans into a glass jar.
Using the optional funnel, pour vodka over the beans and fill the glass jar until the beans are fully submerged.
Tightly seal the glass jar and give it a shake or two to combine the ingredients and start the extraction process.
Place the vanilla extract in a cool dark area of your pantry, away from direct sunlight, and let it sit for a minimum of six months.
Every few days turn the glass jar back and forth to unsettle the ingredients and extract the vanilla flavor.
Recipe Notes
Vanilla beans (affiliate links). Here are a few quality vanilla beans you can use for this recipe.
- Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans
- Organic, Kosher, Fair Trade Vanilla Beans – India
- Organic Tahitian Vanilla Beans
Vanilla bean seeds. Because the vanilla beans have been sliced in half, their seeds will spill out into the glass jar. This is perfectly fine, and will only enhance the flavor of the extract and your food.
Alcohol. 80-proof alcohol works best in this homemade vanilla extract recipe, and avoid using vodka that has been flavored with artificial flavors.
Glass jar. Although sterilizing the glass jar is always the best practice, it is not absolutely necessary as long as you’ve thoroughly washed the jar in very hot, soapy water.
I’ve made vanilla extract without sterilizing my jar and it worked perfectly fine.
Refilling. To keep your vanilla extract from running out, just add more vodka to the beans as you use the extract. This is one of the many benefits of making homemade vanilla extract – the gift that keeps on giving!
After about a year of use, if you feel the flavor is not as intense as you’d like, just swap out the vanilla beans for fresh ones. This will keep the vanilla extract flavor bold and strong long-term.
Storage Tips
It is best to store your homemade vanilla extract in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.
The extract should sit for a least 6 months but it is best when it has been extracting its flavor for up to a year. The longer you let it sit, the stronger the flavor will be.
A jar of vanilla extract that has not been opened will last approximately 2-3 years. Do the smell test before using. If it smells good and fresh, you are good to go!
Once you’ve made the vanilla extract, if you remove the beans, your extract should last indefinitely. Once again, always look and smell it before using. It should smell fresh, and remain uncloudy.
4 Types of Vanilla Beans
The vanilla bean originated in Mesoamerica, a part of Mexico. Today four different types of vanilla are grown around the world.
Each bean has a slightly different flavor profile based on where they are grown, the differences in climate and soil, and the drying techniques used.
- Madagascar vanilla beans. Madagascar vanilla beans, also known as Bourbon vanilla beans, are the most common and popular type of vanilla, with their rich and creamy flavor.
- Tahitian vanilla beans. The Tahitian vanilla bean is the most expensive and has a floral aroma, along with a deep, rich flavor of caramel and cherry chocolate.
- Mexican vanilla beans. Mexican vanilla beans have the reputation of being the best in the world. The Mexican bean has a similar flavor profile to the Madagascar vanilla bean only with a mellower, smoother quality, and a spicy woody fragrance.
- Ugandan vanilla beans. Ugandan vanilla beans are more rare than the other three types of vanilla beans. They are similar in flavor to the Madagascar vanilla bean, only with a sweeter, creamy hint of milk chocolate.
Grades of Vanilla Beans
Vanilla beans are graded mainly by moisture level and appearance and therefore are suited for various purposes.
Grade A Vanilla Beans. Grade A vanilla beans are also called gourmet vanilla beans. They are very dark brown and have a high moisture content – anywhere from 25%-35%.
Grade B Vanilla Beans. Grade B vanilla beans contain less moisture than grade A beans – anywhere from 15%-25%.
Due to their concentration, grade B vanilla beans are great for making vanilla extract and are often called extract vanilla beans.
Grade A vanilla beans tend to be more expensive than grade B beans but that doesn’t necessarily mean grade A beans are better than grade B.
Grade A beans are commonly used for general cooking and baking because the seeds can be easily scraped from their pod and added directly to dishes.
Whereas grade B beans, as mentioned, are most often used for extracts, however, they also can be used interchangeably for general household cooks.
Gifting Homemade Extract
Homemade vanilla extract makes for a great gift, not just for holidays like Christmas and New Year but for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays, and more.
You can remove the beans beforehand so your gift recipient doesn’t have to worry about refilling the glass jar with more alcohol and fresh beans.
But if you give the extract as a gift before the six-month mark, then it is best to keep the vanilla beans in the jar so that they will continue to strengthen the extract’s flavor.
Just remind the gift recipient to remove the beans whenever they open the jar and start using the extract.
Great Recipes Using Homemade Vanilla Extract
You can use homemade vanilla extract anywhere you would normally use the store-bought kind. Here are a few vegan recipes where this extract works beautifully.
- Cherry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies: Vegan, Soft, Delicious
- Chia Seed Pudding Ratios: Best Texture Every Time
- Best Sourdough Discard Pancakes: A Fluffy Weekend Delight
- Healthy Banana Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
- Vegan Turmeric Golden Latte: Anti-Inflammatory Recipe
More Healthy Recipes and Caregiver Support
Let’s Connect
I hope you enjoyed this article, and give making homemade vanilla extract a try.
With only two ingredients and a little patience, it truly is one of the easiest recipes around, and perfect for gifting.
Make a batch and never buy store-bought vanilla extract again. No going back!
QUESTION. Have you made homemade vanilla extract before? If so, what was your favorite type of vanilla bean to use, and why?
Let me know in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you!
Printable Recipe Card
Make Your Own Homemade Vanilla Extract
Equipment
- glass jar with lid – should be able to hold 8 ounces of extract.
- funnel – optional but comes in handy.
Ingredients
- 8 vanilla beans
- 8 oz vodka – 80 proof alcohol
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash the glass jar with warm soapy water.
- Sterilize the jar by placing it into boiling water for a couple of minutes.
- Allow to air dry.
Instructions
- Carefully split each vanilla bean in half using either a sharp knife or scissors.
- Place the beans into the glass jar.NOTE: Cut the vanilla beans in half if they do not fit in your glass jar.
- Pour the vodka over the vanilla beans in the jar, making sure the beans are fully submerged.NOTE: Use more alcohol to submerge the beans if needed.
- Tightly seal the jar, and turn it up and down a few times to mix the beans and vodka fully.
Storage
- Place the vanilla extract in a cool dark area of your kitchen, away from direct sunlight, for at least 6 months. One year is best for the most flavor.
- Every few days, give the extract a shake or two to mix up the beans and alcohol and extract its flavor.
Notes
- Vanilla bean seeds. Because the vanilla beans have been sliced in half, their seeds will get into the glass jar. This is perfectly okay and will only enhance the flavor of the extract.
- It is also perfectly fine if the seeds get into the baked goods as well.
- Alcohol. 80-proof alcohol works best when making this vanilla extract, and avoid vodka that has been flavored with artificial flavoring.
- Sterilizing. Although sterilizing your glass jar is the best practice, it is not absolutely necessary as long as you have thoroughly washed your jar with very hot soapy water. I’ve made vanilla extract without sterilizing my jar and it worked perfectly fine.
- Refilling. To keep your vanilla extract from running out, just add more vodka to the beans as you use it. After about a year, change out the vanilla beans to keep the extract’s bold strong flavor.
- It is best to store your homemade vanilla extract in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.
- The extract should sit for at least six months but is best when it has been extracting its flavor for up to a year. The longer you let it sit, the stronger the flavor will be.
- A jar of vanilla extract that has not been opened will last for approximately 2-3 years. Do the smell test before using. If it smells good and fresh, you are good to go!
- Once you’ve made the vanilla extract, if you remove the beans, your extract should last indefinitely. Once again, always look and smell it before using it. It should smell fresh, and remain uncloudy.
