Vanilla extract DIY!
I have this work friend that I made vanilla extract for a few years ago, or maybe it was last year? I don’t know, life’s a blur! But, I made some more the other evening to give as gifts!
Here’s what you’ll need:
vodka (cheaper stuff, like 80%) I got high test!! *it all bakes off anyway!
Glass bottle (I got this beauty at the dollar tree for, you guessed it, $1!)
small funnel, or something to pour the liquid with
vanilla beans (I ordered mine from Amazon, but you might be able to buy them locally)**3 whole beans per cup of vodka!**
kitchen scissors or knife to cut the beans with!
First cut the beans lengthwise, or in half. (Doesn’t really matter!) and put them in your container. Then, use that funnel to fill up the container with the vodka.
I have seen some really adorable labels for the vanilla, but I just went with chalkboard vinyl. At least the bottle could be reused afterwards!
After a week, it’s already looking darker and smelling wonderful!
Shake it at least once a week, or a couple times per week!
So, the bad part is that it’s not fully ready for 8 weeks! But, it tastes so much better than the commercial stuff! (Especially if you use that imitation stuff!!)
As the vanilla gets used, you can top it off with a little vodka! Basically, it lasts a really long time!
So, get started on making your own vanilla extract! I’ve read where you can use bourbon,so experiment away!
Enjoy Tiffany!! I’ll bring it in next week! 😉
llewellynhomestead 
Thank you for this. I definitely will try this if I can find vanilla in a local store.
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The beans can be costly, but just look around before you buy!
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I can well imagine… and real extract isn’t cheap either. It’s tasty but sometimes included in recipes more from tradition than necessity in my opinion.
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