Eat it up yum

Food you can feel good about

Vanilla Extract

cookies, dessert, holidays / by

Photography and Styling by Elisha Sewell

The holiday season is in full swing. Time for dinners, parties, gatherings, and lots and lots of baking.

Whenever I bake, I like to use my own homemade vanilla extract. Full of deep, intoxicating vanilla beans it is heads and tails tastier than the store bought stuff. And a far cry from boring!

You can make vanilla extract to use in your own baking and as gifts for friends and family.

Vanilla Extract

  • 8 oz. 80-100 proof Vodka, Bourbon, or White Rum
  • 5 vanilla pods

Makes 8 oz. of vanilla

Directions:

  1. Cut the vanilla beans in half lengthwise with a pairing knife. Using the blunt side of the pairing knife, scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pods.
  2. Place the vanilla pods and beans in an 8 ounce jar or bottle. Pour the alcohol over the vanilla beans and pods. Seal tightly with a lid.
  3. Shake the bottle to mix the vanilla beans with the alcohol. Place in a cool, dark place for 12 weeks. (Shake occasionally to mix the vanilla beans with the bourbon.)
  4. Once you use all your vanilla extract, add more alcohol to the vanilla beans. The vanilla beans can be used at least 3 times to make vanilla extract.

Test Kitchen Notes:

Use an alcohol that is between 80-100 proof.

You can use different types of alcohol like bourbon, white rum, or vodka.

Some people say to use the cheapest alcohol you can find, but I like to start with a quality alcohol— it makes a difference in the flavor.

My favorite bourbon is Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon. My favorite rum is Selva Rey White Rum. My favorite vodka is Infuse Spirits Vodka or Prairie Vodka.

You can use the ratios in the recipe to make larger bottles of vanilla extract if desired. 5 vanilla beans for every 8 ounces of alcohol. (I like to buy a 750ml bottle of my chosen spirit, pour about 2 ounces of the spirit out of the bottle, then add 15 vanilla beans to the 750ml bottle of spirits.)

I like to use ethically sourced, grade A vanilla beans. I buy mine from Xocolatl Chocolate. The beans are sourced from a co-op in Uganda and a percentage of the sales goes to funding girls education. You can also source vanilla beans from retailers like Amazon.