How to Make Vanilla Extract, Part One [and a Giveaway!]
Have you seen this one coming? You know I love vanilla and making things from scratch, so it was only inevitable that I learn to make vanilla extract. Luckily, the only thing that’s difficult about making vanilla extract is the waiting.
The main thing you need for vanilla extract is high quality vanilla beans. Vanilla beans are one of the hottest commodities in baking. They can cost a pretty penny and you don’t always get the quality you’re looking for. Not so with these amazing little beauties that Beanilla sent my way. These are the plumpest vanilla beans I have ever seen! They’ve got eight varieties of beans as well as vanilla paste, extract and powder.
Beanilla sent me four varieties: Madagascar, Tonga, Tahitian and India. They have slightly different notes, but they’re all plump and beautiful and full of flavor. I chose to use the Tahitian for the extract, mostly because the beans were shorter and they fit nicely into the mason jar.
So here’s what you need: some vanilla beans, some vodka, a paring knife, a clean mason jar, a dark place and some time. You can make as much extract as you want, but the ratio of vodka to vanilla beans is one cup for every three beans.* Here are your steps:
1. Slice each vanilla bean from top to bottom, leaving about a 1/2 inch uncut at the end.
2. Place the sliced beans in your jar.
3. Pour the vodka over top of your beans and screw on the top of the jar.
4. Give your jar a little shake and put it in a dark place.
5. Shake the jar every couple of days and in eight weeks, you’ve got the perfect extract.
Easy peasy. I can’t wait to unveil the finished product in January. It will definitely be a test of my patience. In the mean time, I have a little surprise for you. One lucky Oven Love reader is going to get these little beauties in the mail:
A vial of Beanilla India vanilla beans of your very own! You can make some extract, use the beans and pulp for ice cream or other desserts, put them in your sugar bowl.. there are tons of things to do with them. I’ll highlight some more vanilla recipes as we wait for the extract to finish up.
Just two simple ways to enter:
1) Leave a comment below with your email address telling me what you’d like to do with your beans.
2) Become a (first time) Facebook fan and comment again to tell me you’re now a fan.
The giveaway closes on Thursday night at midnight ET.
Can’t wait to hear all of your ideas for what to do with the beans. Thanks, Beanilla!
*EDIT: Just had a quick note to add from our friends at Beanilla. They recommend 5 beans per cup of liquid to get your best vanilla flavor with standard vanilla beans. That being said, Beanilla beans are true Grade A and closely monitored for vanillin content, so 3 Beanilla beans should be sufficient.
I would like to make lots of really yummy goodies for my house church with homemade vanilla extract from real vanilla beans!:) Also, I would love to make my hubby’s favorite ice cream for him from scratch: vanilla bean!
jillianevincent@gmail.com
I would LOVE to make cream cheese frosting with vanilla bean, vanilla bean cupcakes, and and vanilla bean frozen yogurt!
Even though it’s winter… I’d love to make homemade vanilla bean ice cream!
mccainsam [at] gmail [dot] com
You’re my favorite. I love that you did this.
I put vanilla extract in just about every dern thing I make!
I would use the beans to make my own vanilla extract. I’ve wanted to for a while, but haven’t been able to order the real beans needed to do so.
andy [at] dailydvddeals.com
yum! I use vanilla every chance I get, currently we are making malts at home with quality vanilla extract.
hollylocke@gmail.com
I definitely want to try my hand at making homemade vanilla extract as well.
abates1113@gmail.com
I’ve always wanted to try making my own vanilla extract! What a cool giveaway. 🙂
noca0603 @ gmail.com
Ooh, I love vanilla bean. I would make macarons and ice cream and cupcakes and probably lots of frosting. 😉
amanda @ fakeginger.com
I’m your newest FB fan! 🙂
amanda @ fakeginger.com
I love homemade vanilla… my mother used to make it… so yummy!
I love homemade vanilla… my mother used to make it… so yummy!
I would love to try making my own vanilla extract. I’ve been wanting to since I started seeing posts about how easy it is, but I haven’t been able to talk myself into forking over the cash for pricey beans.
ndshepherd (at) hotmail (dot) com
And I just became a follower on Facebook!
ndshepherd (at) hotmail (dot) com
I second what Jillian said, especially since we are in the same house church 🙂
My family has a specific fudge recipe that we make around the holidays and for winter events that would love a touch of freshness.
Vanilla whoopie pies, vanilla caramel cheesecake, vanilla moose…so much potential
I would make a Vanilla Bean Cheesecake! Its been years since I made one because the beans are so pricy for not great quality at the grocery store. I am now also DYING to make my own extract now! Might have to stop at a specialty store on the way home tonight to start it!! Love the blog Natalie!! Keep up the awesome posts! I start my day off checking for new posts each day! 😉
Casey
squirescl@gmail.com
I’ve already made my own vanilla extract, so I would use them directly in the recipes..maybe some macarons!
I’m already a facebook fan =)
I have never used vanilla beans, but I love vanilla. Maybe vanilla sugar??
New FB fan!
I would either make vanilla extract (something I have been contemplating for a while)… or vanilla sugar!
I would love to win this! I make my own vanilla extract so this would be great. Or I would use it in ice cream. Or vanilla sugar. Endless possibilites.
I’m a FB fan! I liked your Oven Love page!
I think I would make some vanilla extract! It would give me a cute little project and a way to count weeks during our upcoming deployment other than when he’ll be back! Would definitely be a distraction, and then bake something yummy for my hubs upon his safe return!
younghomewifey@aol.com
I would definitely make some vanilla extract! And vanilla bean ice cream.
I am currently brewing up some hard cider and making limoncello, but making my own vanilla extract had fascinated me for a while. These beans would go right into my own batch of extract!
New beans, different alcohol, interesting new vanilla!
Vanilla extract (which would be super ambitious for me lol) for homemade coffee creamer… mmmmmm yum. My husband loves vanilla in his iced coffee and I’d probably use it for that. I’m way too cheap to buy my own beans!!
I’ve been wanting to try this for ages…but never remember to look for the beans. We would use the extract for ice cream & potentially to add to some of the hubby’s home brew!
dillpicklepicnic – gmail
Homemade vanilla ice cream!!! Nothing like it!!!
Now that I have expert instructions from Ovenlove, I would try to make my own vanilla extract. I’ve been wanting to try this for a while.
I would love to make vanilla bean ice cream, since I’m craving it now that it’s cold (go figure)!
I would make vanilla extract and probably some other things too 🙂
This is something I have been wanting to make, glad to have a recipe to follow – Thanks I want to make vanilla bean pound cake.
Pancakes! Mm sweet oatmeal pancakes with cinnamon and vanilla – is it breakfast time yet?
I’d love to make my own vanilla and use it in my bread pudding!
I’d love to make my own vanilla and use it in my bread pudding!
I really want to make out of this world vanilla ice cream! I have a great recipe, but it’s just not the same without those little black specks, and that fresh vanilla flavor!
I’m right in line with you – I’ve been wanting to try to make my own vanilla forever. It is so simple and sounds amazing!
I would want to make ice cream..there’s never a bad time to make ice cream right? I’d probally use the leftover vanilla to make some vanilla sugar 🙂
nlschaeffer@hotmail.com
i would like to make lots of sugar cookies! or homemade ice cream…that is, if i had an ice cream maker.
courtneyg10@gmail.com
After my success with honey-walnut, I’d make vanilla schnapps!!
I hope I win the giveaway because I would make coffee cake!
Vanilla pudding! One of my favorites!
lynneck@gmail.com
I would use the beans to make the extract and then try and replicate a macadamia crusted mahi mahi over vanilla bean risotto which I had at a restaurant called “The Green Monkey” years ago and have never been able to forget…
Such a fun giveaway! I love vanilla beans. I would probably make vanilla spiced tea and tons of great baked desserts. I of course would use the used pods to make vanilla sugar…yum!
I’ve never used the vanilla bean but would love to try it.
lenatemplin@yahoo.com
I would love to use them to make a gluten-free (newly diagnosed!) vanilla bean cupcake with mocha frosting!
Already following you on Facebook (Ashley So)!
I would like to make my own vanilla extract. Oh and cupcakes! I would love to make cupcakes with real vanilla bean frosting.
Creme Brulee. Vanilla creme brulee is my absolute favorite. It’s been forever since I made it last, now if only I had an excuse to make it! 😉 I can’t wait to hear how the extract turns out and maybe take a stab at that too!
-Stephanie Chillas
Would love to try out some vanilla flavored Indian specialties (like kaju katli) with the indian vanilla beans.. 🙂
Ruth Irudayaraj
paulruthi@gmail.com
Meijer and the Commissary only have the 1 oz. bottles of vanilla extract. I would love to be able to stop buying them every month and go the do it yourself route. Plus I might save some for some homemade coffee liquor and give it a little vanilla twist.
I would make homemade fudge! Will try and make a batch of vanilla extract, didn’t realize it was so simple and easy to make! Already a fan!
I would like to make vanilla sugar to use in my baking in place of regular sugar. I also would like to make some homemade vanilla extract and use it in some awesome recipes I found for Creme Brulee French Toast and Cherry Vanilla Chicken. dahubler203@hotmail.com
How did you vanilla extract turn out? Any changes or suggestions you would recommend?