Simple Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe

All you need are vanilla beans, bottles and vodka!
One thing I love about baking is that if you have the basic ingredients – flour, sugar, butter, baking soda, salt, vanilla – you can make most any cookie or cake by just add one or two extra ingredients!
As a whole, most of those ingredients are fairly inexpensive… the kicker is the vanilla! Holy cow… can you believe how expensive that stuff has gotten? I got tired of paying $8 for a small bottle and went on a mission to figure out how to make my own and you know what? It was actually REALLY simple!
I only really needed three items; vanilla beans, vodka and jars. I found two of the three on Amazon and had them at my door in 48 hours! The other I was able to pick up at Costco!
This post contains affiliate links. (This means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.)
Here are the links to the items on Amazon
Vanilla Beans – $10.99 (I purchased 2 packs of 10)
Lable Maker for vanilla sticker
Lastly, the Vodka I was able to find at Costco for $12.99.



The How To
The steps of putting them all together were fairly quick!
I cut slits in each of the vanilla beans to help the flavor steep better. Next I added three beans to the jars then poured the vodka in saving a little space at the top.
Now we wait three months to let the vanilla mature. I shake them once a week to mix up the vanilla for a more even flavor. Give it a try!
It lasts forever and as your jar empties from use, add a little more vodka and another bean or two to keep using it!
Until next time,
Megan
Have you made an Our Journey To Home Recipe? Upload a picture to Facebook or Instagram and tag us!
Follow us on Pinterest
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel
Simple Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe
Equipment
- 7 Glass bottles
- Funnel
Ingredients
- 10 count package of vanilla beans
- 1.75 L bottle of vodka
Instructions
- Slice open the vanilla beans with a knife.
- Add 3 beans to an 8 ounce jar.
- Fill with vodka.
- Makes 7 (8oz) jars.
- Wait for 3 months to let the vanilla mature, shake them once a week to mix up the vanilla for a more even flavor.
- As you use up the vanilla you can pour in more vodka to replenish the bottle and add another vanilla bean or two. Let sit and start using another bottle!