Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe with Bourbon, Vodka, or Rum
Save big bucks on your holiday baking while ensuring you have plenty of vanilla extract on hand! Homemade vanilla extract is incredibly easy to make, but takes a few months. Make a big batch of my favorite homemade bourbon vanilla extract recipe and give some away as gifts for the holidays!
Equipment
- Knife
- mason jar I prefer to use a quart
- small funnel
Ingredients
- 8 ounces vodka, rum, or bourbon ideally around 80-proof or higher
- 1 ounce vanilla beans usually about 5-6 beans
Instructions
- Run a sharp knife along the edge of each vanilla bean. If you'd like, you can scrape out the vanilla caviar to add directly to the jar.8 ounces vodka, rum, or bourbon, 1 ounce vanilla beans
- Add the beans to your mason jar and cover with alcohol.
- Close the jar and store it in a cool, dark place. For the first week, shake it every day. Then, let it sit for 3-6 months until the vanilla scent takes over the scent of the alcohol.
- At this point, you can either remove the beans and pour the extract into amber glass bottles or just leave the beans in. The extract will continue to get stronger as it sits.
- Store in a cool, dark, and dry place and use as desired in your favorite recipes.
Video
Notes
The yield for this recipe is 1 cup of vanilla extract. Based on a 1 teaspoon serving size, this full recipe will make enough for 48 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Feel free to use any 80-proof alcohol.
For a classic vanilla flavor, use Madagascar or Ugandan beans, which are high in vanillin. Other varieties are often more floral with a delicate flavor profile, but there are many, many varieties out there!
This recipe makes a single-fold type of vanilla extract, which is great for basic baking.
If you want really strong vanilla flavor for things like creme brulee or ice cream, you may want to increase your vanilla beans to make a double-fold extract. Use 2 ounces of vanilla beans per 8 ounces of alcohol.
You'll know your extract is done when you smell the vanilla scent BEFORE the alcohol scent. This takes at least 6 months.
I often start using mine around the 3-month mark knowing it is not fully ready.
Prefer to make a big batch? Use an entire 750 mL bottle of bourbon and either 3.125 ounces of vanilla beans for a single-fold extract or 6.25 ounces of beans for a double-fold extract.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tsp | Calories: 12kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.02g | Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 0.1mg | Potassium: 0.1mg | Iron: 0.001mg
Servings: 48 teaspoons
Calories: 12kcal
Cost: 12