This homemade vanilla extract recipe is one of those simple skills that turns everyday from-scratch cooking into the recipes your family asks for again and again. And the best part? It almost feels like cheating because you only need two ingredients: vanilla beans and vodka.
No special tools, no tricky steps. It’s easy enough to make with the kids, and it’s perfect for tucking into baskets of homemade Christmas gifts. Around here, vanilla goes into everything from baking and this homemade ice cream recipe for the ice cream maker, to beverages, so it’s good to always keep a jar steeping in the pantry.
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Quick Look at This Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe
- ✅ Hands-On Time: Less than 10 minutes
- ✅ Extracting Time: At least 60 days
- ✅ Yield: 8 oz.
- ✅ Tools: Mason jar and optional bottles for gifting
- ✅ Why You'll Love It: Frugal, easy, and makes a wonderful handmade Christmas gift!
- ✅ Tip: Use high-quality, strong alcohol (at least 35% ABV). This helps bring out and retain the vanilla flavors.
What Makes This Recipe Unique?
This homemade vanilla extract recipe isn’t just a fun project; it actually solves a lot of the problems we all run into in the kitchen and during the holidays. Here’s why you should make it yourself:
- Pure, Clean Ingredients - No fillers, additives, or watered-down flavors. Just real vanilla.
- Stronger, Richer Flavor - You get to control the strength, which means a deeper flavor for homemade eggnog, fudgy sourdough brownies, whipped cream, second-ferment kombucha, this homemade Instant Pot yogurt recipe, and so much more!
- Frugal - High-quality store-bought vanilla is pricey, and you can make your own for much less.
- Perfect for Gifting - No more last-minute scrambling for teacher, hostess, or neighbor gifts. A homemade bottle feels thoughtful and special.
- A Calm Holiday Helper - Making it ahead folds beautifully into a simple, stress-free holiday, right alongside making a homemade Christmas wreath, and DIY cookie mixes in a jar.
Key Ingredients
For measurements, check out the recipe card below.
- Vanilla Beans - You can absolutely find vanilla beans at your local grocery store, but you are likely to find higher-quality beans at specialty food stores. We source organic vanilla beans from Azure Standard. Homesteading Hack: If you’re ordering from Azure Standard for the first time, use coupon code HOMESTEADINGFAMILY15 for 15 percent off any order of $100 or more.
- Alcohol - Go ahead and use 70-proof alcohol if that’s what you have, but 80 proof is the sweet spot. It extracts the flavor gently and evenly. Anything higher can pull the flavor too fast and “burn” your beans, so stick with 80 proof for the best results.
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla beans lengthwise. This lets out the seeds and helps the infusion process.
Step 2: Chop the vanilla into ½” pieces. This will increase the surface area of the exposed vanilla bean, allowing it to infuse better.
Step 3: Put the chopped beans into the Mason jar with the alcohol. (Use about 6-8 beans for every 8 ounces of alcohol.)
Step 4: Make sure the beans are completely covered with the alcohol. Seal the jar, and store it in a cool, dark place.
Step 5: Shake the bottle once a week to help the infusion process. Let the vanilla steep for at least two months before using it. The longer it steeps, the stronger the flavor.
Step 6: If gifting, pour the finished product into bottles, add a whole vanilla bean for aesthetic appeal, cap, and label.
Tips for the Best Homemade Vanilla Extract
The ingredients you choose really do affect the flavor of your extract, and it’s helpful to understand the differences in taste and aroma. Use these charts to help you determine which ingredient combinations to use to make your signature extract.
Vanilla Beans
Choose grade A beans when you can. They’re plump, oily, fragrant, and full of moisture. That moisture is what infuses your extract quickly and richly.
| Type | Description |
| Madagascar Vanilla Beans | Sweet, creamy, classic vanilla flavor. These are the beans most people know and love. |
| Tahitian Vanilla Beans | Light, floral, a little fruity. These make a soft, delicate vanilla extract that’s wonderful in whipped cream and custards. |
| Mexican Vanilla Beans | Deep, warm, slightly spicy. These are incredible in chocolate recipes, caramel sauces, and holiday baking. |
Alcohol
You don’t need anything fancy, but you do need something strong enough to extract the vanilla compounds and keep the mixture shelf-stable. Your alcohol must be at least 35 percent ABV. Always choose alcohol without added flavors or sweeteners.
If you feel overwhelmed by choices, just start with vodka. It’s simple and reliable and gives you a beautiful, all-purpose extract.
| Topic | Description |
| Vodka | Neutral flavor; great if you want a clean, pure vanilla extract that works in everything. |
| Rum | Sweeter, deeper flavor; adds richness; lovely in holiday baking, custards, and chocolate. |
| Bourbon | Robust and warm: adds depth and a cozy, slightly smoky flavor. |
Ways to Use Homemade Vanilla Extract
Use your extract in:
- Homemade Ice Cream - Have you tried our homemade ice cream recipe for an ice cream maker?
- Cookies - During the holidays, make fruitcake cookies, or gift a bottle of homemade vanilla extract with this cookie mix in a jar.
- Candy - For a lower sugar alternative to cookies, try these chocolate coconut balls.
- Brownies - We keep a homemade brownie mix on hand for a quick fix, and make sourdough brownies when we have a little more time. To sneak in some nutrition or for a gluten-free option, we make these healthy black bean brownies.
- Sweet Breads - We love gluten-free pumpkin bread, easy rhubarb breakfast cake, and Nantucket cranberry pie.
- Cakes - Did you know that veggies can be hidden really well in cakes? Try our zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting, rich chocolate beet cake, or historical chocolate potato cake
- Yogurt - The most popular way to flavor this homemade Instant Pot yogurt recipe is with vanilla. It tastes delicious all on its own, or as a topping for sourdough pancakes, this healthy homemade granola, or this nutritious baked oatmeal recipe.
- Eggnog - You can add a splash of vanilla to your homemade eggnog if you want more depth of flavor without the alcohol content you’ll find in traditionally aged eggnog.
- Whipped Cream - Add a teaspoon of vanilla to your whipped cream before serving it over this homemade pumpkin pie recipe, Great Depression vinegar pie, or this pecan pie made without corn syrup.
- Drinks - Vanilla complements a variety of drinks, including coffee, lattes, second-ferment kombucha, and cocktails.
Storage Instructions
Keeping your homemade vanilla rich and full of flavor is really simple. Light and heat can dull it, so just tuck your jar into a cool, dark cupboard and let it rest.
Be sure you’re using a glass container with a good, tight-fitting lid. Alcohol can break down plastic over time, and you don’t want any of that leaching into your beautiful vanilla.
When stored properly, you can expect your vanilla extract to last a long time. The alcohol preserves it, so it stays good for years and only gets deeper and more flavorful as it ages.
FAQs
Vodka is my go-to because it gives you a clean, classic vanilla flavor. Just make sure it’s 80 proof for the best results.
Split and chop your vanilla beans, cover them with 80-proof alcohol in a glass jar, seal it, shake weekly, and let it steep in a cool, dark cupboard.
Absolutely. It’s cheaper, cleaner, richer, and you control the strength. Plus, it makes the best homemade gifts.
Use 6 to 8 good-quality beans for every 8 ounces of alcohol.
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Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe
Equipment
- Mason Jar & Lid
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- Additional Bottles
Ingredients
- 8 whole vanilla beans
- 8 ounces alcohol see notes for recommendations
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla beans lengthwise. This lets out the seeds and helps the infusion process.
- Chop the vanilla into ½” pieces. This will increase the surface area of the exposed vanilla bean, allowing it to infuse better.
- Put the chopped beans into the Mason jar. (Use about 6-8 beans for every 8 ounces of alcohol.)
- Pour the alcohol over the beans, making sure they’re fully covered. Then, seal the bottle well.
- Store the bottle in a dark, cool storage place. This keeps the extract’s quality and strength.
- Shake the bottle once a week to help the infusion process.
- Let the vanilla steep for at least two months before using it. The longer it steeps, the stronger the flavor.
- If gifting, pour the finished product into bottles, add a whole vanilla bean for aesthetic appeal, cap, and label.
Notes
| Type | Description |
| Madagascar Vanilla Beans | Sweet, creamy, classic vanilla flavor. These are the beans most people know and love. |
| Tahitian Vanilla Beans | Light, floral, a little fruity. These make a soft, delicate vanilla extract that’s wonderful in whipped cream and custards. |
| Mexican Vanilla Beans | Deep, warm, slightly spicy. These are incredible in chocolate recipes, caramel sauces, and holiday baking. |
| Topic | Description |
| Vodka | Neutral flavor; great if you want a clean, pure vanilla extract that works in everything. |
| Rum | Sweeter, deeper flavor; adds richness; lovely in holiday baking, custards, and chocolate. |
| Bourbon | Robust and warm: adds depth and a cozy, slightly smoky flavor. |
- Homemade Ice Cream - Have you tried our homemade ice cream recipe for an ice cream maker?
- Cookies - During the holidays, make fruitcake cookies, or gift a bottle of homemade vanilla extract with this cookie mix in a jar.
- Candy - For a lower sugar alternative to cookies, try these chocolate coconut balls.
- Brownies - We keep a homemade brownie mix on hand for a quick fix, and make sourdough brownies when we have a little more time. To sneak in some nutrition or for a gluten-free option, we make these healthy black bean brownies.
- Sweet Breads - We love gluten-free pumpkin bread, easy rhubarb breakfast cake, and Nantucket cranberry pie.
- Cakes - Did you know that veggies can be hidden really well in cakes? Try our zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting, rich chocolate beet cake, or historical chocolate potato cake
- Yogurt - The most popular way to flavor this homemade Instant Pot yogurt recipe is with vanilla. It tastes delicious all on its own, or as a topping for sourdough pancakes, this healthy homemade granola, or this nutritious baked oatmeal recipe.
- Eggnog - You can add a splash of vanilla to your homemade eggnog if you want more depth of flavor without the alcohol content you’ll find in traditionally aged eggnog.
- Whipped Cream - Add a teaspoon of vanilla to your whipped cream before serving it over this homemade pumpkin pie recipe, Great Depression vinegar pie, or this pecan pie made without corn syrup.
- Drinks - Vanilla complements a variety of drinks, including coffee, lattes, second-ferment kombucha, and cocktails.
