Creating Vanilla Extract: A Step-By-Step Guide

I adore the scent of natural vanilla. It can be used in so many recipes and is perfect in my superfood coffee. I even use it in DIY skincare recipes like this sugar cookie lip scrub.

Unfortunately, store-bought “real vanilla” extract often has corn syrup or sugar. There’s also a big difference between pure vanilla extract and imitation vanilla. You’ll find ingredients like caramel coloring, artificial flavors, corn syrup, and propylene glycol hiding out in the artificial version.

I’ve been making my own vanilla extract for years. Not only is it less expensive than store-bought vanilla extract, but the flavor is unbeatable. With only two ingredients, it’s also one of the simplest recipes to make.

Vanilla extract could also be called vanilla tincture, as it’s essentially a tincture of food-grade liquor and whole vanilla beans. With just a cup of vodka, some vanilla beans, and time, you can create your own vanilla extract.

Different Types of Vanilla Beans

There are several types of vanilla beans. Any will work, but here’s the difference:

Grade A beans (what I use) have more moisture in them and extract faster. Grade B beans are a little drier and work well for extracting, plus they can be a little cheaper. I prefer Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans, which have a rich and floral vanilla flavor and aroma.

They’re pretty expensive at local grocery stores but you can find them online at places like Amazon for much less.

The Best Alcohol to Use

You’ll also need a high-quality liquor that’s at least 35% alcohol. I prefer to use rum, after finding this non-GMO and corn syrup-free spiced rum. Papagayo rum is another great option. From what I’ve read, Four Roses and Wild Turkey bourbons are also non-GMO, but those are the only two I’ve been able to verify. You can also just look for an organic rum, vodka, or bourbon.

A plain bottle of vodka also works but avoid the ones with different flavors. These usually have added artificial and unhealthy ingredients. How many ounces of alcohol you use exactly depends on how much vanilla you want to make. If you’re just making it for yourself then one jar will do, but you can easily double or triple the recipe for gifts.

Tutorial for Infusing Vanilla

Now that you have your beans and your alcohol, what next? Single-fold vanilla is what you’ll find at grocery stores and it’s not as strong. Double-fold is much stronger, sweeter, and more flavorful, but it requires more beans.

For a single-fold vanilla, you’ll need 6-8 vanilla beans for every 8 ounces of alcohol. If you want to make a double-fold simply double the amount of beans. I use about 8 beans for every cup of alcohol in mine and it still has a good flavor.

Once your beans are in the liquid they’ll need to infuse at room temperature and away from direct sunlight for at least 3 months. For the best flavor, it should be infused for 12 months. You can use 8-ounce bottles or larger, depending on how much vanilla you want.

Re-using the Vanilla Beans

Every time you use a little vanilla extract you can simply refill it with a little more alcohol. Once the extract starts to lose its flavor then replace the used vanilla beans with new ones.

Ways to Use Vanilla Extract

It makes a great DIY Christmas gift. There’s something about homemade holiday gifts that are extra special. You can even include a homemade tag and put it in a cute jar. Here are some recipes and DIY projects to use your homemade vanilla extract in:

Have you ever made your own extracts before? What did you make? Leave a comment and let us know!