You only need 2 ingredients for homemade vanilla extract: vanilla beans and vodka. Let the vanilla beans infuse the vodka for 6-12 months before using. Homemade vanilla is more cost efficient than store-bought options. You can try homemade vanilla sugar, too.
Vanilla extract is an ingredient in many of our baked goods. This common addition actually carries big weight—1 teaspoon completely transforms a good dessert into a great dessert. You can’t make a few staples like vanilla cake, vanilla cupcakes, or vanilla buttercream without it.
A dear reader named Jill emailed me last year and said that once she began making her own vanilla extract, her baked goods tasted even better than before. She told me the secrets are to use extra vanilla beans and let the extract sit for at least 12 months before using.
I never thought to publish a post about homemade vanilla extract because it’s actually pretty simple. But Jill’s words were enough to convince me that all bakers should know that a cheaper AND better tasting vanilla extract is only 2 ingredients away.
Why Make Homemade Vanilla Extract?
Why make vanilla extract when you can just buy it from the store? Good question. With the price of vanilla constantly fluctuating, it’s very cost efficient to make your own. Plus, you can control the strength of its flavor. This is KEY because many pricey store-bought options lack the essential depth of flavor that makes good vanilla… good vanilla. This is either because the vanilla extract is imitation and made with artificial or synthetic ingredients or brands cut back on the amount of real vanilla in each bottle. You’re not paying for good vanilla, you’re paying for the convenience of weak bottled vanilla.
(By the way, last year I was part of a blind taste test of different store-bought pure vanillas and McCormick won by a landslide. It was the group’s top choice in both flavor and aroma.)
If you open a bottle of some store-bought vanilla extracts and a bottle of homemade vanilla, you will immediately smell the difference. And this difference directly transfers into your homemade baked goods.
What You Need for Homemade Vanilla Extract
All you’re doing is pouring alcohol over split vanilla beans and letting the concoction age over time. Give it a shake every now and then. It’s that easy.
- Vanilla Beans: You can find vanilla beans at most major grocery stores in the spice aisle. If you can’t locate them, try purchasing them online. I use and highly recommend these options—they’re also what I use when I make vanilla sugar—Madagascar vanilla beans, these Tahitian vanilla beans, or these Tahitian vanilla beans. (Note that each are different quantities.) I’ve made vanilla with them all. The beans are a generous size, nice and plump, high quality, and perfect for homemade vanilla. Vanilla beans labeled “Grade B” are specifically sold for extracting purposes, but I’ve made vanilla with Grade A beans and it tastes great. Use either.
- 80 proof Alcohol: Vanilla extract is most commonly made from vodka, but you can use bourbon, brandy, or rum instead. I usually use vodka, but the one bottle of bourbon vanilla I made 7 months ago is DIVINE. No need to splurge on expensive alcohol. This is probably the only time someone will tell you to buy the cheap stuff!! All the vanilla’s flavor is from the vanilla beans, so spend your money on those. Avoid flavored vodkas as they often contain artificial flavors, which negates the purpose of making your own pure vanilla.
- Glass Bottles or Jars with Tight Seal: We recommend 8 ounce bottles. These bottles have a convenient swing top with a very tight seal. Great for gifting. Sterilizing the bottles is ideal, though we’ve skipped that step with no problem in the outcome of the vanilla. If your bottles or jars don’t have any plastic pieces attached, we recommend sterilizing them before using.
- Funnel: A funnel is optional, but it makes pouring 100x quicker and easier. (These funnels collapse, so they’re great for storage.)
Vanilla beans are expensive, but around .75 to 1 ounce total make an entire CUP (8 ounces) of vanilla extract and you can reuse the beans.
It’s best to slit the beans open to help bring out even more flavor.
Non-alcoholic version? Pure extracts are made from alcohol because it’s the easiest way to extract the flavor out of the food. I’ve never made vanilla extract with a nonalcoholic alternative, but there are a few tutorials online if you give it a quick search.
Single-Fold Vs Double-Fold Vanilla Extract
Most store-bought vanilla extracts are what’s known as single-fold. Single-fold vanillas are weaker and to make your own, you need about 6 vanilla beans per 8 ounces of alcohol. I prefer a stronger vanilla so the homemade flavor is more prominent in desserts. Strong vanilla is known as double-fold and it’s pretty pricey because it requires a lot of vanilla beans. Since double-fold can get expensive, I opt for about 8 vanilla beans (about .75 to 1 ounce) per 8 fluid ounces of alcohol. This is the best balance of taste and price.
Confused about which type of vanilla bean to buy?
- Madagascar Vanilla – very common and has a creamy and rich flavor
- Mexican Vanilla – has a darker, almost smoky flavor
- Tahitian Vanilla – also very common and has a rich floral flavor
Any are great choices for vanilla extract.
Wait 6-12 Months
The only things you need to remember about homemade vanilla extract are ratio and time. The ratio of vanilla beans per ounces of alcohol is imperative, but so is the amount of time the vanilla infuses the alcohol. We discussed ratio above, so let’s chat about how long to infuse the vanilla. Homemade vanilla extract tastes better and becomes darker in color the longer it sits. This means we need to practice our patience. The wait is worth it, though. Make some today and use it 6 months from now. You’ll be even happier when a full year has past. 12+ month homemade vanilla is incredible.
Store the infusing vanilla out of direct sunlight and give it a shake once per week.
Want to know the best part of all? You can continuously add more alcohol to the bottle as you use it. See the recipe instructions below. This is truly the gift that keeps on giving!
Free Printable Vanilla Extract Labels
Because everyone loves an accessory, I asked my dear friend Jess to design adorable labels for the vanilla extract bottles. They match our vanilla sugar and pumpkin pie spice labels!
Click this link for the PDF: Sally’s Baking Recipes Vanilla Extract Stickers
Print out the labels on sticker adhesive paper, then cut out the circles. Peel off the labels and stick on your vanilla extract bottles. The labels are obviously optional, but they’re a nice addition especially if you plan to gift the vanilla to others. (See more gift ideas on our Gifts for Bakers page!)
And one last thing… as you wait for your vanilla to infuse, here are hundreds of recipes using vanilla extract that you can browse. It’s my favorite in sugar cookies, shortbread cookies, coffee cake, and cinnamon swirl cheesecake, just to name a few 🙂 And it’s absolutely lovely in my easy rice krispie treats recipe. Lots to look forward to!
Print
Homemade Vanilla Extract
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Category: Spice
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Description
For best results, let the vanilla beans infuse the vodka for at least 12 months.
Ingredients
- .75 to 1 ounce vanilla beans (about 8 beans or 20g total)
- 1 cup (8 ounces; 240ml) 80 proof vodka (or bourbon, brandy, or even rum)
- 8 ounce bottle or jar with a tight seal
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, slit the vanilla beans so the beans are exposed. No need to completely split the bean in half, just slit down the middle. If the length of the vanilla beans don’t fit into your bottle or jar, cut the vanilla beans into smaller pieces. Place beans into bottle or jar.
- Pour vodka on top. A funnel helps. Use a little extra vodka, if needed, so the beans are fully submerged. Shake a few times.
- Store vanilla at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Shake about once per week or once every couple weeks. You can use it in 6 months, but 12+ months is even better.
- As you begin to use your vanilla, you can refill with a little vodka each time. Give it a shake after you refill and give it a shake before each use, too. If you’re gifting the vanilla or if you don’t have any more alcohol to refill, remove the beans completely after first use. The beans will become a little slimy if they aren’t almost fully submerged.
- Unused aged vanilla extract (with the beans fully submerged) will last several years. If it still smells good, it’s still good to use! Aged extract without the beans will last indefinitely. Once you begin using the vanilla and adding more alcohol after each use, the beans will eventually need to be replaced. It’s hard to give a specific amount of time as some may use (and refill) the vanilla more quickly than others. After about 1 year of frequent use and refilling, you will you find the vanilla flavor less intense. Simply remove old beans, add fresh beans, shake, and continue to use/refill.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate link): Madagascar Vanilla Beans, these Tahitian Vanilla Beans, or these Tahitian Vanilla Beans | 8-ounce Glass Bottles | Funnel
- Using More Vanilla Beans: Most store-bought vanilla extracts are what’s known as single-fold. Single-fold vanillas are weaker and to make your own, you need about 6 vanilla beans per 8 ounces of alcohol. I prefer a stronger vanilla. Strong vanilla is known as double-fold and it’s pretty pricey because it requires a lot of vanilla beans. Since double-fold can get expensive, I opt for .75 to 1 ounce of vanilla beans per 8 fluid ounces of alcohol. This is the best balance of taste and price. Feel free to use more beans per 8 fluid ounces if desired.
- Seeds: Since the vanilla beans are exposed (slit open), there will be vanilla bean seeds in the bottle and therefore in your baked good. They add even more wonderful flavor!
- Use the same amount of homemade vanilla extract as you would store-bought in recipes.
- Gifting: I usually remove the beans if I’m gifting the bottle, that way the gift recipient isn’t responsible for refilling with more alcohol and the beans don’t go to waste. (You can reuse the beans for a new bottle.) However, if it’s been less than 6 months, I recommend gifting with the beans in the bottle because there’s still lots of flavor in there! Tell the gift recipient to remove the beans once he/she begins using the vanilla.
- Alcohol: If baking gluten free, use certified gluten free alcohol. Avoid flavored vodkas as they often contain artificial flavors, which negates the purpose of making your own pure vanilla.
- Sterilizing: Sterilizing the bottles is ideal, though we’ve skipped that step with no problem in the outcome of the vanilla. If your bottles or jars don’t have any plastic pieces attached, we recommend sterilizing them before using. The pictured bottles have a removable plastic topper piece. You can soak any plastic pieces in very hot soapy water, and dry completely before using.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally great recipe. I am going to make another batch and was wondering if I could use the old ones and just put in a few more new ones. If so, how often can they be reused.
Thanks
Hi Sally!
Would Mason jars be a good container to make these in to steep? Can’t wait to try!
Definitely!
Hi Sally,
I made my own vanilla. When I used about a 1/3 of it, added more vodka. It became really strong tasting of vodka. When should I add more vodka to the bottle?
Hey Sally! I just recently discovered your blog, and love it!
I actually a similar recipe and after 14 months I opened my jars of vanilla extract and the vanilla doesn’t seem to be disolving into the vodka very well. What I have is a light brown mixture (which smells more like vodka) with vanilla bean flecks in it. We are trying it out on a batch of cookies tonight, but not sure why the mixture is separating after I shake it. Any ideas?
Hi Patrick! Happy to help. Did you use enough vanilla beans per ounces of alcohol? And did you split open the beans so they’re exposed to the vodka? I’m concerned because it’s been 14 months and doesn’t smell like vanilla. Perhaps it’s also the quality of vanilla beans– I know they’re so expensive no matter what but quality varies between brands.
Thanks for responding. I think I overdid it on the beans, actually. I used more than the recipe called for, split them and scraped them out into the vodka (leaving the scrapings and the beans in the jar with the vodka). I got the beans from amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078TYJFYQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1), selecting the seller with the higher rating. I know price doesn’t always indicate quality, but just wanted to see if there was anything I hadn’t thought of to save the batch.
Hello Sally, I need your help with my 6 bottles of vanilla currently steeping. I put them up about 4 months ago but, they’re not very dark yet. Then I realized what I did wrong, I put 2 whole Madagascar beans in each bottle but, I forgot to split & scrape the whole beans! Can I now open each bottle and split & scrape? Or should I just add another split bean to each bottle? The plan was to gift 4 of the bottles but, they were pale and I didn’t dare give a poor Vanilla away. What to do? Love your recipes and congratulations on your new little bun in the oven! THANKS!
Hi Shirley, you can go ahead and split the beans now and continue seeping, no need to scrape the seeds. I do recommend 5-6 whole beans per 8oz of alcohol.
Hi Sally,
My mom recently visited Mauritius and brought me 2 fresh vanilla pods as a gift (they were vacuum packed while she waited). They are really plump and a little bit soft – they don’t look like the dried pods can buy in shops. Do you think they’ll work for making extract? Thanks very much!
I can’t see why not!
What is the difference between grades A and B when buying vanilla beans??
Thanks for all you do!!!!
Hi JoAnn, Grade A beans usually have a higher water content, making them easier to scrape the seeds from for baking and cooking, but they are also usually more expensive. Grade B can be a bit too dry to easily scrape the seeds from, but it’s perfect for making extract.
Hi Sally, I am currently 5 weeks into my homemade extract. My question is this: Is 2 beans in 4 oz of vodka going to work out alright? I had my mother in law pick up the beans and she got a jar with 2 in it, so I split the beans and cut them in half, and poured the vodka over them in the jar the beans came in. Should I put more beans in, or can this just be my starting point? Once its ready, I don’t plan on buying extract again.
Hi Amiee, This will probably work but your extract might not be quite as strong. If you can get one more bean go ahead and add it (so that you are cutting the recipe in haf: 3 beans for 4oz of vodka).
Hi Sally, I made my batch in the beginning of December, and I’ve noticed while strand like bits all throughout. Is this normal? I pulled one of the beans out and they’re not molded.
Hi Bonnie, this can happen. It’s just part of the vanilla bean breaking down in the alcohol.
Can you remove and reuse the beans to re age a new batch of vanilla all at once, rather than adding a bit of vodka as you go? If so, how many cycles of aging can you get out of a single batch of beans?
Hi Sally,
I didn’t know you could add vodka as you use the Homemade Vanilla Extract. Mine is almost gone. The bean has been exposed. Can I still re-fill the bottle and still use it as I go or do I have to wait?
Thank you,
Kelly
What I did for my vanilla was to use the bottle my vodka was in..Used Skyy brand vodka (blue bottle), poured a bit in my small vanilla bottle (added one vanilla bean to it, and then added the vanilla beans to my bottle of Skyy.
That is how I do it too. I just pour some vodka out of the bottle, then put the beans on in there. I like the idea of using the vodka that was poured out, I typically pour it down the drain, but now I will be using it as well. Thanks for that tip!
Hey Sally! I tried this and I thought it didn’t work (I think I added a little extra vodka to try to be more thrifty)! But, after almost a year, I tried it in some baked goods and it tasted fine! I’m wondering if I am able to use your picture from this post in my blog post about trying experiments from Pinterest (with your link included)? I just realized I was supposed to get permission (not quite sure how to go about doing that). Here’s the post https://inaileditorfailedit.com/diy-vanilla-extract/
Hi Sally! Would you suggest any specific recipes/recipe types that are better with the bourbon vanilla or alternately should definitely be made with vodka vanilla? I’m also considering a spiced rum version (rummaging through the half bottles lingering in our liquor cabinet that I could put to better use!). Or is the flavor not quite that discernible in the final baked good? Thanks!! Looking forward to starting bottles soon to give at the holidays!
Hi Chelsea! Vodka based vanilla is excellent in any baked goods. If using bourbon or spiced rum, I’m thinking anything chocolate, spiced (like spice cake), banana, butter flavored, peach, caramel, pumpkin, pecan, the list goes on! Think warmer, richer flavors.
Hi Sally,
I made homemade vanilla extract in August. Sterilized swing top cap glass bottles, grade B vanilla beans and vodka were used. I split the beans lengthwise and then cut them in half so they would be submerged in vodka in the bottle. Vanilla beans are floating around, the extract smells great, but there is other debris floating (transparent cloudy) around also. Could this be the vanilla beans breaking down? Just not sure what it is and want to make sure it’s safe to use and give to others. Any advise would be really appreciated.
That’s happened to a couple of my bottles in the past month– it’s simply debris from the vanilla. I, personally, have no problem still using the vanilla in my baking. But you can use your best judgement here!
HI,
What is considered grade B vanilla beans? What brand would would it be?
I use Rum in mine.
Thank you.
Hugs, Teresa
Hi Teresa, In the post above the section called “What You Need for Homemade Vanilla Extract” explains the difference between grade A and grade B. When you purchase them the package will be labeled for one or the other.
Hi Sally, I already have bottles similar to the ones you used but they are 16 oz. Do I have to exactly double it to use these bottles? 16oz vodka and 12 beans? Or could I use less beans?
Yes, you’ll want to double the alcohol for the 16 ounce bottles. You could likely get away with a couple less than double the beans, if you don’t want to use 12. (Try 10!)
Hi Sally! I didn’t see this asked already but perhaps I missed it… I was wondering, after using the vanilla and topping it off with more vodka to keep the beans submerged, is there an amount of time one should wait before using the vanilla again? I only ask because I do bake a lot, so I feel that if I was continuously (say once a week) topping off the bottle with new vodka, that the extract would dilute. Perhaps someone who bakes often like myself should be making one bottle at a time, taking the beans out of the bottle after 6-12 months and putting them in a new bottle? Thanks for any advice! 🙂
Hi Lauren, You can certainly make one bottle at a time! If you keep using one bottle, once you begin using the vanilla and adding more alcohol after each use, you can use it right away, but the beans will eventually need to be replaced. It’s hard to give a specific amount of time as some may use (and refill) the vanilla more quickly than others. After about 1 year of frequent use and refilling, you will you find the vanilla flavor less intense. Simply remove old beans, add fresh beans, shake, and continue to use/refill.
This is my first time making vanilla extract. I bought a 1.75L bottle of Shmirnoff on sale. My questions are 1.) can I put the vanilla directly in the vodka bottle and let it infuse until ready ?
2.) when I’m ready to prepare it for gifting, pour it into the Prepared bottles. I would want to include a vanilla bean in the bottle. Should I use one that’s been infusing all year, or a fresh one?
Thank you for your advice. I’m excited about this. All of the folks that I plan on gifting the vanilla to are great bakers and will appreciate a gift like this.
Hi Franny! Yes, you can place the vanilla beans directly into the large vodka bottle. After dividing between smaller bottles for gifting, you can re-use the same beans or add fresh beans. That’s completely up to you. Fresh will add even more flavor.
Hi Sally! I found a 750 ml bottle of organic vodka made in Minnesota called PRAIRIE ORGANIC VODKA for $23, here’s the description:
“Hints of melon and pear on the nose, creamy on the palate, bright and smooth at the finish. The original Prairie spirit made for those who appreciate hard work and no compromise.” I have already added ten Madagascar vanilla beans and have ordered ten more since it’s a large bottle. I thought I’d make one large bottle of vanilla then divvy it up close to Christmas, for gifts. I did not know this particular brand of vodka had hints of melon and pear, until after I added the ten vanilla beans. I am wondering now if I should remove the beans and start over with a different brand of vodka since I just added them earlier this week? Thoughts? I’ll have $75 invested so I don’t want it to be ruined. I’m not a vodka drinker but I guess I could try a sip and see how it tastes. Thanks so much!
Hi Mary! If you don’t want those flavors in the vanilla extract, I would remove the beans as soon as you can and use them in a new bottle of unflavored vodka.
Hi Sally,
I just started reading your blog a couple of weeks ago and have already tried 3 recipes and loved all of them! Thank you for sharing them. I would like to give this recipe a try too. I have a question on the beans. I noticed online it references “late 2019 crop,” “Late 2018 crop,” “Late 2014 crop,” etc. Do you know if the age of the bean matters? Will an older bean be as potent as a newer one if it is properly vacuum sealed? The older ones actually seem more expensive so I’m wondering if there is a benefit to aged beans, but if they will be aged in a bottle with alcohol anyway, does it matter?
Thanks!
Hi Michelle, I wish I had an answer for you, but I actually do not know. I feel the fresher the beans, the better but aged could mean more flavor. You can try purchasing newer AND older beans and do a little experiment, but I really don’t think it matters. All that matter is how long the vanilla beans + alcohol sit before using.
I was just wondering how long after you use some vanilla and then add more vodka to it should you wait to use some more?
I just bought a pack of 25 beans and they only weigh 2.6 ounces including the packaging! I had hoped to make 4 eight ounce bottles of extract as gifts. Are these too small to do that?
It’s been 3 months since I started the process. I want to give it as gifts to some friends. It seems to still smell strongly of alcohol.
Do you recommend putting a bean in each bottle I plan to give away and tell them to wait another 3 months, then remove beans and use? Thanks in advance.
Hi, Linda – The extract will definitely still have an alcohol smell, even after the vanilla beans have been submerged for several months. I think that’s a great idea to gift them with a vanilla bean so that they can let it continue to brew for another three months – a total of six months is ideal!
What are your thoughts on putting the beans straight into the vodka bottle? Thank you!
I haven’t personally tried it, but others have with success. Make sure you’re using enough beans for the amount of vodka.
Hello
I started my vanilla in August and have been shaking it almost weekly, but it is still only just barely colored and smells like alcohol more than vanilla. I am using 4 oz bottles with 4 beans per bottle. Any suggestions?
Hi Heather! Did you split open the vanilla beans? You can try adding another in each bottle. Make sure you cut it open.
Would it be okay to use a combination of Madagascar/Tahitian beans? Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!
Absolutely!
I want to try to make this but what if you need to make a vanilla buttercream? You don’t want the seeds of the vanilla beans in your icing.
Hi Ro! Sometimes the seeds are desirable in buttercream. If you don’t want seeds showing in your buttercream, it would be best to stick with store-bought vanilla.
My vanilla extract stills smells like more like alcohol than vanilla. In July, I bottled 24 (following your instructions with the 8 ounce bottles and 6 beans) them and have shaken them almost weekly. I used bourbon for some and vodka for others. These are to be Christmas gifts. Any suggestions?
Thank you, Ann
Hi Ann! Give it a quick taste. It will obviously taste like alcohol like all extract made from alcohol does, but if you taste strong vanilla flavor– you’re good to use it.
Would you recommend reusing the beans for just one more bottle? More? Thanks!
Absolutely! See the last set of instructions. (Step 5)
Hi Sally: mine has been aging for almost a year now and there are lots of particles floating around from the beans. Is this normal? Should I strain it before gifting?
Are the particles from the vanilla bean? Feel free to strain if desired!
Pretty sure. Thanks, Sally!
Is it best to store this in clear or amber bottles? 🙂
Doesn’t matter either way!
Thank you for sharing!!!
What happens to the alcohol? Does it lose its “alcohol “ properties? I know you wouldn’t drink this to get tipsy, I was just curious.
Hi Lane! All pure extracts are alcohol based. The alcohol is still present, but you only use a scant amount in baking– for example 1 teaspoon in a cookie recipe. The vanilla flavor is so potent that it doesn’t taste like alcohol in baked or even no-bake desserts.