make your own vanilla extract

And all you will need are two things!

I made some homemade vanilla extract this year (some for myself and some as a gift) and love how it turned out.  It’s incredibly easy and incredibly inexpensive.  You will need vanilla beans and vodka (not the cheapest one you can find, something low-mid range would work fine).

I used the full bottle of vodka for this, and made a huge batch… but you can make any amount you like.

Simply slice open a vanilla bean lengthwise, use the caviar for baking or whatever you like, then take the pod and drop it in the vodka bottle.  Do this with around 10 beans or so (depending on the amount of vodka you are using).  Give the bottle a good shake, and store somewhere dark for several months.  Oh ya, that’s the only thing, this takes t i m e.  Around three months actually.  Just let the vanilla vodka hang out, giving it a shake once a week or so, and the vanilla beans will slowly infuse the vodka, creating beautiful vanilla extract.

If you use any additional vanilla beans in the meantime, toss the pods in the vodka mixture too.  The more the merrier.

I decanted my not-quite-ready extract into a pretty bottle for my mother-in-law as part of her gift.  I thought it was a pretty little add-on and only wish that I had started preparing it that fall so it would be ready by Christmas lol #lessonlearned

Have you made your own extracts before?  Share in the comments below!

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