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DIY Homemade Vanilla Extract

Dec 2018

Sinkology is proud to present Ashley Carpenter, a homebody, decor obsessed, DIYer that loves fitness, happy people and wants nothing more than to be on the lake soaking up the sun with good people and good music. Ashley runs the blog Joyfully Growing and is here to share a few tips, tricks and DIY projects that perfectly fit her farmhouse style.

Making vanilla extract at home isn’t anything new.  In fact there are quite a few recipes already online. But today I thought I would share my version of how to make homemade vanilla extract and why I prefer it over store bought.  

 

 

 If you’ve ever bought vanilla extract at the store, then you know how expensive it can be. I first discovered the concept of DIY homemade vanilla because I was tired of wasting money.   

The simple 2-ingredient recipe intrigued me (that’s right, only 2 ingredients!). Now I wouldn’t dream of paying top dollar at the store!  

This simple recipe is also a wonderful gift idea. Your friends will love the homemade touch and will be able to use your gift long after they open it! 

So if you are looking for a way to cut costs in the kitchen, or needing a simple and meaningful gift idea for a loved one, try out this homemade vanilla recipe for yourself! 

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT: 

 

    • Vodka – (Any unflavored vodka will do, there’s no need to get the really fancy stuff) 

 

    • Vanilla beans – (I order mine from Amazon) 

 

    • Glass bottles – (If you’re making a large batch, mason jars work great. For gifting, I like to use 5oz bottles with dripper inserts.) 

 

  • Sharp knife 

Depending on the amount you’re making, you will have to determine how many beans you’ll need. The package I used came with 10 beans which worked perfectly for four 5oz bottles. It is easy to scale this recipe up or down, the proportions are 3 whole vanilla beans per 1 cup (8 oz) vodka, or 1 1/2 vanilla beans per 1/2 cup (4 oz) vodka. 

The steps are simple. 

Split each bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and add to the empty bottles following the ratio above. If your bottles are short you can first cut the beans down in size so that they fit.. 

 

Then pour the vodka into the bottles with the vanilla beans following the 3 beans to 8oz ratio above. Add the cap and you’re done! 

 

Be sure to store in a cool dark place, and give the bottles a shake every so often. After about 2 months, the homemade vanilla extract is ready to use!  

If you are giving them as a gift, make sure you let the person know when the vanilla will be ready. I like to label my vanilla using my DYMO embossed label maker. To make them a little fancier, you can add some twine and a gift tag or throw them into a cute gift bag. 

 

There you have it! A simple tutorial on how to make homemade vanilla extract. I can’t wait for you to try it out for yourself! 

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