Homemade Vanilla Extract

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Recipe Intro From lisathompson

Bookmark this for holiday gift ideas! You can totally make your own vanilla extract. Here’s how I do it: Bring some inexpensive vodka to a boil, then cool slightly and pour into a bottle with some split vanilla beans. The heat helps infuse it faster and cooks off some of the raw alcohol. Let it steep for about a week before you start using it, but a month or more is ideal. Make a few batches in advance and bottle them up so they’re ready for the holidays.

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  • Recipe Card
Prep time 5mins
Cook time 5mins
Serves or Makes: 16 ounces

Recipe Card

ingredients

  • 2 cups vodka, (an inexpensive brand is fine)
  • 10 vanilla beans

Method

  • Step 1

    Bring vodka to a boil in a medium pot, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.

  • Step 2

    Meanwhile, split vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the vanilla bean seeds with the back of the knife. Transfer vanilla bean seeds and split beans to a clean bottle with a stopper or tight-fitting lid. (Note: you can divide a few beans amongst several smaller bottles or make one large batch)

  • Step 3

    Pour warm vodka into bottle(s) using a funnel, then shake and let sit at room temperature for at least a week, but a month or more is ideal for a strong vanilla flavor.