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, 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!
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.
Could one theoretically cook off the alcohol for a non-alcoholic version, or would the alcohol be cooked off when you cook whatever recipe you use it in?
Hi Wesley, the alcohol will bake off in baked goods. We have never made a non-alcoholic version, but if you look up in the text above we link to a few tutorials on how to do it!
How many times can you refill the bottle with more vodka?
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.
I have glass jars with metal tops. There is a small piece of plastic in the lid. It that ok to use?
Hi Kathy, yes, that would be fine to use.
Hello, can spiced rum be used?
Hi Vickie, yes, you can use spiced rum here.
This stuff is absolutely delicious and I like the brandy and rum flavored ones even more. My favorite of the three is the rum flavored.
Hi Sally, this looks amazing and I am excited to make these for gifting! Would you be able to elaborate on your preferred sterilizing method? I am not experienced at fermenting/canning so I don’t really know much about sterilizing and the internet is full of different methods, many of which seem rather involved for the purposes here.
Hi Maggie, sterilizing the bottles is ideal, but we’ve skipped that step using the bottles shown with no problem in the outcome of the vanilla. If you use bottles or jars don’t have any plastic pieces attached, you can sterilize them before using by boiling them in water, or you can simply run them through a cycle in your dishwasher. Hope you enjoy the vanilla!
Can I reuse the vanilla beans after 12 months to start another batch?
Hi Cynthia, you can, but the vanilla will be less potent since they’ve already been submerged in a batch for 12 months. It’d be best to start with a fresh batch of beans.
Thank you Sally for your delightful website!
Nice to run into this recipe on your site! I’ve been making extract for about a year. I slit the beans and put ten of them into a fifth of 100 proof vodka–right in the vodka bottle! My belief is that 100 proof will produce flavor more quickly than 80 proof.
I’ll have to try infusing for 6 – 12 months. So far I’ve done 3 – 4 months, and the results have been gratifying. I have a trove of little two ounce bottles for gifting the extract.
Fun! Tasty!
I put my beans in about 10 months ago but it still smells very alcohol-y. Is that normal?
Hi Beth, does it smell like vanilla at all? You can try adding a few more split beans, giving it a shake every few days, and checking back in a month.
Can you mix both A and B grade beans in the same extract?
I started a HUGE (probably too huge) batch using about 30 grade A beans, a la Ina Garten. Based on what you’ve written, I probably don’t have enough beans in there.
Can I add grade B or should I stick with adding more grade A?
Thanks!
Hi Jeff, you can mix both.
Sally, you have some misinformation on vanilla bean extracts.
When you do the extraction with vodka after 12months and start using . If you add more vodka you needto restart your timer for extraction. ( another year).
If you use a a dark spirt like bourbon than it’s 18 to 24 months.
Go to indrivanilla.com on face and check out their files. It will give you the correct information.
Love this. Do you remember which bourbon you used for the batch you made 7 months ago?
Hi Kerry, Any brand will work – Evan Williams or Jim Beam are good options that we’ve used. No need to splurge on expensive alcohol!
This is my second batch of home made vanilla extract, looking forward to it. BUT my vodka was 35% by volume. DO I need to do anything different with 35% vodka ?
Hi Mark, 80 proof (40% alcohol) is ideal for vanilla extract. You extract may not be a strong/potent with a lower percentage.
Can you use tequila? my husbands friend gave him a $85 bottle of tequila. It would be handy to use it for this.
Hi Deborah, we haven’t tested it, but you can certainly give it a try. The flavor profile will, of course, be different. Before getting started, we’d recommend doing a quick search on what types of recipes it would work well in, to make sure you’ll have plenty of ways to use it. Let us know what you try! And if you’re interested, you can use your tequila in these two recipes: Mini Margarita Cheesecakes and Margarita Cupcakes.
I made this recipe last year, printed the labels and gave them as gifts to my baking friends. It was so appreciated. Doing it again this year. Next year I think I’ll try bourbon vanilla. Thank you so much, Sally, for this idea and recipe.
I’m going to try making my vanilla extract. What happens with tequila? Good? Bad? Thanks.
I have been making my own Vanilla Extract for 5 years. I use Vanilla Beans from Madagazcar. And a brown quart size bottle.
I can’t wait to make my own vanilla thank you so much for this
I LOVE my homemade vanilla. I have been making it for years. I always have one ready to use and one Brewing :). Thanks for sharing your recipe so even more bakers and discover how wonderful and tasty homemade vanilla is.
If you add more bourbon to the bottle after you use some, do you have to wait another six months how does that work?
Hi Terrie, you can continue to use immediately, or you can wait for it to age if you prefer. If it’s just refilling a small amount at a time, we’ll usually just start reusing again.
This vanilla would taste very watered down I have five bottles going since 2021. I have at least an ounce or more in each bottle. Two bottles using rum and three with vodka. I don’t split them because I don’t like the way it looks with the seeds floating around. When the “master bottle” gets low , I replenish it from one of the other bottles About once a year I replace the pods in the master bottle and rotate the old ones to another bottle. The original vanilla took at least a year before it was really dark and yummy. The vanilla in my master bottle is SO dark and delicious.
Curious why you are deleting my negative review? I’ll post it again. Ive been making extract for years and your information on vanilla extract is so misleading and incorrect. Standard vanilla extract requires a MINIMUM of one oz of beans per 8oz of alcohol. That’s for a decent single fold. You never ever go by bean count, only weight. Also, extract needs to extract for a minimum of 12 months, preferably longer. The longer it sits the better it will taste. You telling people to use a certain number of beans is going to leave them with vanilla scented alcohol and a waste of money and vanilla beans.I’ll keep posting if you keep deleting. Why are you against an honest review with the facts?
Hi Rebecca, your review wasn’t deleted. When you leave a comment, you will see it immediately on the page to show that it went through. On our end, all comments sit in pending until someone answers them. We do this to limit spam. Luckily another employee and I are working this weekend so we got to it as quickly as we could. I answered you below.
I have been making vanilla extract for years. It is so much better to let it sit 6 months are longer. Most of mine sits a year or longer. I have used vodka, bourbon, and rum. Vodka is the cheapest route.
Hi I understand Vodka is thr cheapest route, but which alcohol do you feel is the tastiest for baking? Thank you in advance for your thoughts. 🙂
What type of run do you use? I have spiced rum, would that be okay?
This is what I do when I need to replace the vanilla beans: Remove old beans to a clean jar, and fill with vodka. Replace with new beans in the existing jar. The “second-distilled vanilla” is not as strong as the original but over time, it becomes stronger. Whenever I replace my beans, I then replace the beans in the second jar with the beans from the original jar. It only after the secondary jar beans are replaced that I actually discard them.
Sally, I love your recipes but this vanilla extract recipe is incredibly incorrect. I’ve been making homemade vanilla extract for years and you should use a MINIMUM of 1 ounce of vanilla beans per 8oz of alcohol for a decent single fold extract. Never ever go by bean count. Extract also needs to sit for a minimum of 12 months. The longer it brews the better it will be. People really interested in making homemade vanilla should join indri vanilla fb group. They offer all the information you’ll ever need as well as offer coops of purchasing beans at the cheapest price you’ll pay for the best quality. This recipe is going to leave people with vanilla scented alcohol.
Hi Rebecca, thank you so much for the information. I’ve usually used 1/2 ounce per 8 ounces, and the beans are cut open to help extract more flavor. After 12+ months, it’s pretty decent vanilla to use in baking recipes. Let me look into this, and see if I can make improvements to this tutorial. Of course the more vanilla beans you use, the stronger the flavor.
This vanilla is wonderful! I made some with vodka and some with bourbon. The suggested bottles were perfect for holiday gift giving and my receiving friends were so happy with their vanilla!
This is a great recipe. I was given a bottle of Shenk’s Pure Vanilla Extract, made with bourbon right off the assembly line. Kept it for a year (still have it) I do not like it at all, way to strong even 2 years later. When I made your recipe I used Vodka, what a difference, to me, it is great and people I give it to really enjoy it. I make sure it is at least a year old before giving away.
FDA says to make extract use 1 ounce beans for 8 ounces of alcohol and wait for 12 months. Vanillapura.com has lots s of info on making of all kinds of extracts. They also sell vanilla beans at very reasonable rates
I’ve been making my vanilla in my Instant Pot for several years now. It’s so quick! Easy! And even better than waiting for weeks or months! Very delicious! This is the method I follow.
https://www.tidbits-cami.com/pressure-cooker-pure-vanilla-extract/