You only need 2 ingredients for homemade vanilla extract: vanilla beans and vodka. Let the vanilla beans infuse the vodka for as little as 8 weeks, but for optimal flavor, wait at least 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 6 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.
Homemade Vanilla Extract: Video Tutorial
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 6 of them (a little over 1/2 ounce or 15g total) make an entire CUP (8 ounces) of vanilla extract and you can reuse the beans. Compare that to $4 for 1 ounce of store-bought extract.
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 4 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 6 vanilla beans (a little over 1/2 ounce total) 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, and coffee cake, just to name a few 🙂 And it’s absolutely lovely in my easy rice krispie treats recipe. Lots to look forward to!
PrintHomemade 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 optimal flavor, let the vanilla beans infuse the vodka for at least 6-12 months.
Ingredients
- 6 vanilla beans (about 1/2 ounce or 15g 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. Vanilla can be ready to use in as little as 8 weeks, but I recommend at least 6 months for optimal flavor. 12+ months is great!
- 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
- 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.
Keywords: vanilla
How should i expect the vanilla beans to look after a few months? I started mla second batch cause i thought the first one went bad… but these beans are starting to look the same. Seems to look kinda fuzzy… i dont think this is normal? Help ☺
The “fuzzies” are sugar crystallizing. Natural, harmless, and nothing to worry about! (At least, as I’ve researched it…)
When my mother died I found a zip bag with several vanilla beans inside, but they are dried out sticks. I think she got them when she went to Hawaii about 8 yrs ago. Can I use these old, dry, hard beans to make extract? Maybe if I use more beans and let it sit longer? Has anyone tried it with dried out beans?
Thanks
Hi Susan, Vanilla beans don’t last forever – most can last up to 2 years if stored properly. Cut off a small piece and try to crush it between your fingers. If the bean piece is too brittle to crush, it has probably lost all flavor.
Hi Sally,
I made the vanilla the first week of August, could I still gift some to my colleagues for this Christmas? If so do I take out the beans or just let them decide if they want to keep them in and add more vodka to the bottle. Would so appreciate if you could let me know.
Thank You
Trish Morrissey
Hi Patricia, We usually remove the beans if we are gifting the bottle. See the recipe notes for more details on gifting!
I have a bottle of vanilla that I’ve used and refilled for the past year or two. The beans are still in there. Do I ever have to take them out? Or is it just a good idea to replace them after time?
Hi Abby, 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. When this happens you can simply remove old beans, add fresh beans, shake, and continue to use/refill.
Never throw your beans away. Once you get done with extracting. You can dry your beans and make vanilla sugar. Put the dried beans in sugar, shake often until you like the smell. Still, don’t throw them away, grind them in a food processor, add to sugar and cinnamon. I use that for snickerdoodles. Beans can be used 100%.
My question is whether you might extract MORE flavor from the beans by pulsing them a few times in a food processor? My theory being that the more exposed bean area one has in contact with the alcohol, the more flavor one might extract from the beans. I realize the finished product might need to be sieved, (but who doesn’t love those tasty little vanilla seeds in their custard?)
I think that’s a great idea!
Hi,
I have a batch currently sitting on my counter. I noticed the ends of my beans were exposed. I’ve refilled it but do the exposed ends mean the whole batch will have food safety issues? Thanks so much!
Hi Alexis! As long as you’ve been shaking the jar as directed they should be just fine. Enjoy!
Hi! I’ve followed this recipe and it’s been 6 months with the Tahitian Vanilla Beans Grade B using 5 beans per bottle. I used the Svedka Vodka 80 proof and the color is light amber. Should I give more time? Also, noticed a few very small cloudy pieces floating around in a few bottles and wanted to know your thoughts if that is normal to see with homemade vanilla?
Hi Jen! We would give it more time to deepen the flavor more. As long as you’ve been shaking the bottles regularly, with the vanilla beans fully submerged, and storing in a cool and dry place you should be perfect!
To make vanilla it usually takes 12 months, it might be usable earlier, but it takes time to fully extract all the compounds, using a clear alcohol…vodka, rum, or a high proof grain alcohol, such as EverClear, diluted with distilled water.
When using brown alcohol, bourbon etc. it can take up to 24 months to properly extract. The same applies to using flavored alcohols, such as spiced rum, taking more time for the vanilla to come through.
The range of alcohol proof should between 70-100 proof. Less than 70 proof will give you flavored alcohol, while a proof more than 100 will dry out your beans.
The proper ratio of beans to alcohol is 1 ounce of beans, which depending on the bean can be 4-7 beans or 10-15 beans, to 8 ounces of alcohol. This ratio would be single strenght. The more beans you use per 8ounces the higher the strength and possibly slightly quicker extraction.
Regarding cutting/slicing beans vs uncut beans it depends on you. There are YAYS & NAYS for both.
For the alcohol it shouldn’t be rotgut, nor top shelf. Like cooking, if you like to drink it, then use it.
On FB there are several vanilla bean pages where you can purchase better quality beans at better prices. I belong to “Indri’s Vanilla Bean Group” that has the best prices that I’ve seen.
Enjoy!
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Hi! Love this idea of vanilla gifting. Just wondering if it’s okay to split the beans and then cut in half to make sure they are completely covered?
Absolutely!
Homemade vanilla extract is the absolute best and makes such a wonderful gift too!
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When you add more vodka to the vanilla beans after using some, do you have to wait several months again before it reaches a good flavor? Also, I had read something about keeping the vanilla beans submerged, so once the liquid level exposes them should they be removed? I wondered about removing the beans and putting them into a new jar of vodka for 6-12 months, but then will they still have a good flavor? I know-so many questions! I love my homemade vanilla but discarded the beans after they soaked for a year and now I wonder if I didn’t need to do that.
Hi Marcia! See steps 4 and 5 for details on refilling the bottles. If you refill a bit at a time you shouldn’t have to wait to use it again. Glad you’re enjoying your homemade vanilla extract!
Help! i started my bottles in Jan, I checked on them and they still have an alcohol smell?
I do smell the vanilla but it seems to not be quite right.
p.s. i do shake them up once a month
Same! (except I started mine in March) They don’t smell quite right, and they don’t really taste like regular vanilla extract either. I’m a little bummed because I was going to use them as gifts. I tried making vanilla last year, too, and I got the same results. I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong or if homemade vanilla is just different. I don’t know if it’ll be different in recipes, too. Thank you for any insights! I love your website and recipes!
Hi there. If I take the beans out for gifting purposes, can I use the beans again to start a new batch? And will the new batch be weaker than the first batch?
Hi Lizette, you can reuse the beans for another batch. Eventually, the beans will begin to lose their power but they should be just fine for at least one more batch.
Hi Ali,
If you are not adding enough vanilla beans to your alcohol, you will get the alcohol smell. Per FDA, it is 1 ounce of vanilla beans to 1 cup of 80 proof alcohol. That’s a single fold.
Double fold is 2 ounces of vanilla beans to 1 cup of alcohol. Vanilla beans vary in size, you have to weigh them to get a good extract.
how long can beans stay in the bottle,can i just continuously add more vodka as i use vanilla or do i remove beans at some point?
I bought 16 oz bottles thinking 5 beans per bottle, what say you? I am planning on leaving them in for a year. Should I double the amount of beans?
Hi Bob, we find the optimal ratio is 5-6 beans per 8 oz. of vodka. We’d recommend adding more beans if you can.
Hi! I am wondering once you use up all of the vanilla and refill with vodka, do you have to wait the minimum 8 weeks again? Or if you fill with a little bit of vodka at a time, how long to wait before using again? Would it make more sense to cycle through bottles, so move the beans over to a new bottle and let that sit for a long time while using the vanilla that is ready to go? Thanks so much!
Hi Katie, As you begin to use your vanilla, you can refill with a little vodka each time without waiting the 8 weeks. Give it a shake after you refill and give it a shake before each use, too. Some of our readers who go through the vanilla very quickly, like to rotate between bottles.
Refilling with additional alcohol I assume will have a strong alcohol flavor if I don’t let it sit for a few weeks or months . I usually fill vodka bottle with beans then pour those on decorative gifting jars.
How long can you leave the vanilla beans in the jar? I’m concerned about the beans getting too old, or spoiled. I have two jars – one has been “brewing” for 11 months, the other for 9 months. I hope that’s not too long! Thank you!
Hi Carrie, many people will leave their beans in for up to a year before using. As long as you’ve been regularly shaking your bottles, both should be fine and are ready to use. Enjoy!
I just cut my beans in half and put them in the bottles rather than slicing them lengthwise. Do you think it’s worth it to put the vanilla in a separate container and slice the vanilla beans lengthwise? I don’t want to wind up with sad vanilla because I didn’t slice the beans properly.
Thanks!
Hi Megan! You can simply try removing the beans, slice them lengthwise, and return them to the bottle you’re using.
I started a batch of homemade vanilla in December of 2020 using bourbon and bottles (6) as pictured above. After a couple of weeks, all but one of the bottles has gotten a “ring” of residue around the neck of the bottle where the bourbon stops. When I shake the bottles every week, the “ring” disappears. Are those bottles with the ring going to be okay to use? Has this happened to anyone esle?
Hi Robbie, those rings are likely just settling of vanilla beans that are dispersing once you shake them each week. If the smell is okay, then they should be fine to use!
Thank you, Lexi. It smells like bourbon!
Thank you for your article. I used half as many beans as you did. My batch is now 9 months old. Will my vanilla turn out any good?
Hi Gail, if you used half the amount of vodka, the vanilla extract should be a good potency. Otherwise, it may not be as strong. We find the best ratio for vanilla extract is 5-6 beans per 8 oz. of alcohol.
I have beer brew bottles that are amber in color will they be ok to use ore does it need to be clear bottles
Hi Betty, amber colored bottles will work just fine!
Hi Sally,
I started my first batch in January of this year. When I open the bottle it still smells like alcohol will this affect the flavor of my baked goods? I haven’t used any of my vanilla yet. I am anxious to try it though.
Hi Trish, it will smell like both alcohol and vanilla! You can certainly give it more time to develop more flavor, but use your best judgement for when it’s ready.
Hi! I used the swing top jars and realized a day later I didn’t sterilize them. Should I throw out the vanilla and start over?
Hi Jam, they should be fine, but certainly use your best judgement and what you are most comfortable with. If the beans have only been submerged for a day, you can likely just transfer them to another container if that’s what you’d like to do.
Hello I got a pint of vodka so how much vanilla beans do I add up in the pint
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Hi there,
I started this recipe in Feb. 2021 and today Nov. 13 I took the beans out. Two of the bottles were lighter in the colour than the other two. ??? Also there was about an inch or so of liquid depreciation. Can I just add more alcohol or should I throw in a few more beans and wait until February?
Hi Pamela, I would add more alcohol to cover the beans. Feel free to add another bean or two as well (if you have them– it never hurts to add more!).
OMGosh. My vanilla beans have arrived in the post today. I’m going to pop them straight into the the vodka bottle. I’m so excited to be doing this. thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Sally!
I was wondering if I could use the correct amount of beans and put them directly in the liquor bottles? Or if a canning jar is a better option?
Also some liquor comes in plastic bottles, if putting the beans directly into the liquor bottles is fine, does it matter whether the bottle is plastic or glass?
Thanks for the tips! Appreciate your blog very much!
Hi Sarah, if the amount of liquor is proportionate to the number of beans, you can certainly place them right into the liquor bottle. It’s fine if the bottles are plastic. Enjoy!
Thank you so much!! Looking forward to having our own homemade extract!
I have made three different types using, vodka, rum, and Bourbon.
Its been 11 months and my results are mixed. The rum tastes great (actually it was vanilla rum from the islands). My vodka and Bourbon both have a very strong alcohol taste. I’ve added extra beans to both but it doesn’t seem to do much difference. My beans were purchased from Madagascar.
I have run into the same thing. I’m almost at 12 months and both the bourbon and the vodka have a strong alcohol taste and are pretty light compared to store-bought. However I just did a side-by-side taste test with 2 store bought vanilla’s that I have in my pantry and the homemade ones are still better!
Bourbon takes 18 months to extract. If you don’t have the correct ratio of beans to alcohol, you will have a strong alcohol smell.
1 ounce of beans to 1 cup of alcohol.
Can you drop 20-25 beans in a quart bottle of vodka and just pour from there ?
Hi Mike, that should work!
I’m getting ready to make the vanilla… What would you recommend if you are using a 12.6 oz bottle… How many vanilla beans?
Hi Erica, use more beans when filling your 12.6 oz jar mostly full– for that jar, we recommend at least 12 beans, but feel free to add a couple more.
That may not be enough beans for 12.6 ounces. Vanilla beans should always be weighed. 1 ounce of beans for 8 ounces of alcohol. That’s just a single fold. I have 10 beans that weigh 1 ounce. 10 beans would not be anywhere near enough for 12.6 ounces of alcohol. Vanilla beans come in all sizes. For the best extract, weigh your beans.
1 ounce to 1 cup of 80 proof alcohol. Single fold.
1 ounce beans to 4 fluid ounces of alcohol for double fold.
I am new to this. I just started mine in September. After I use some of the vanilla from the bottle can I just fill the bottle back up to the top again if I’m not going to use it for awhile?
Yes, As you begin to use your vanilla, you can refill with a little vodka each time. See the full directions for more details.
Hello! I’m going to be making this vanilla for some of my gifts for the holidays! Question: If you choose not to keep adding alcohol, when do you remove the vanilla beans?
Hi Korinne, if the vanilla extract has already aged with the vanilla beans for as little as 8 weeks (but the longer, the better!), then you can take them out before gifting. Hope that helps!
I’m wondering if I made a mistake by using 100 proof vodka? Will that be too strong?
I have made it with both, I think the 100 proof did a little better job of extracting the vanilla, but it is hard to find, so I use 80 proof (40%), and it is a little cheaper, too.