Homemade Vanilla Extract

[dtr_angel]

Has anyone made this before? I'd like to make up some for gifts for Christmas, hopefully it's not too late if I get it started this week. I've been googling but I cannot find a straight answer on how many vanilla beans I need for a 1/5th of vodka. Also what brand? I don't drink so I have no clue. Does it need to be high quality, or will any vodka do?

 

[RamrodinTonight]

When we've made it before, we used roughly a pint of vodka to 3 or 4 sliced beans. Then let it sit in a cool, dark place for as long as you can. The quality of the vodka isn't essential, don't by the cheapest thing out there but you don't need to spend a lot either. absolut makes nice round bottles.

 

[limace]

I just did 15 beans to 750 ml of bourbon, following directions I found online.

Found this online at the site where I bought my beans: https://www.beanilla.com/blog/homemade-vanilla-extract

 

[3boymthr]

I've done it a bunch of times successfully and once only half successfully ( you can sucessfully use the beans three times the they become iffy) BUT to have it ready by Christmas you will need to double or triple the beans. Mine has been distilling since june and I'm about 1/3 of the way to a usable vanilla with 4 beans. For a slightly different flavor you can also use rum which is what they used to do way back when. ETA -scraping the beans for the seedscan be difficult the first time around, it takes a little skill because the seeds are tiny and the beans are, well, i guess you could say slippery, if you miss getting some of the seeds when initially scraping the beans you can get them out by straining thru cheesecloth but this has the unfortunate side effect of absorbing some of the vanilla.

 

[pampam]

I've even made it with gin. It doesn't seem to matter much.

 

[aprilchem]

I think if you start now you might have to tell whomever you give it to that they should hold it for a while before they use it. I usually give my vanilla four months to steep.

IMO Amazon sells good quality vanilla beans for a good price. I've never found them to be dried out when I receive them. I usually buy them in bulk and make a lot of vanilla at once (several liters) because I use a ton of vanilla in cooking and baking.

 

[LJSquishy]

I haven't made it before but I've heard great things about the superior taste of homemade vanilla extract. I think Beanilla recommends doing it for 8 weeks so you'd have just enough time if you start now! Plus, if you leave the beans in the bottles you gift it will continue to improve the depth of the flavor if they don't use it *right* away which they probably would finish up their current bottle of store-bought extract first anyway.

I just bought beans from Beanilla to make my own almond milk and thought about making some extract as well.

 

[plummer925]

It really is almost too late for this year UNLESS...you can make it in pint jars - use 1 vanilla bean per jar and then fill with Vodka (slice it down the long way - not all the way through though - and kind of pull it inside-out - that will make it stronger and work quicker). I used Absolut Vodka. The batch I have has been in my closet for a few years - I only used 3 beans to a large bottle of Vodka. It's a beautiful amber color and tastes amazing! But if you do it in pint jars, let the people know to store in a cool, dry place and to shake it every couple of weeks and that it will last indefinitely!

 

[tvguy]

That vanilla extract would have to be pretty awesome. Have you priced vanilla beans? Unless you buy a whole bunch, they are $5 to $7 each online, more in the store.

 

[dtr_angel]

Thanks everyone, I think I'll wait until next year. I wish I would've thought of it sooner!

Now to try to decide what I'm making everyone (extended family - aunts, etc) trying to do something homemade this year.

 

[havaneselover]

That vanilla extract would have to be pretty awesome. Have you priced vanilla beans? Unless you buy a whole bunch, they are $5 to $7 each online, more in the store.

Wow! Makes the $7 I pay for 16 oz at Costco look very good.

 

[LJSquishy]

That vanilla extract would have to be pretty awesome. Have you priced vanilla beans? Unless you buy a whole bunch, they are $5 to $7 each online, more in the store.

No they arent...they are around $1-$2. I just bought 10 quality Madagascar Bourbon beans for $8 from Beanilla with free shipping. That's less than $1 each.

 

[3boymthr]

That vanilla extract would have to be pretty awesome. Have you priced vanilla beans? Unless you buy a whole bunch, they are $5 to $7 each online, more in the store.

Where are you buying them? I bought 4 at TJ Maxx with the bottle for distilling the vanilla for $8.99. They were more at Target but not that much more.

 

[wolf29]

Numerous top-rated sellers on eBay for under $1 per bean, free shipping.

 

[a742246]

Commerically, they use 13.35 oz of vanilla beans to make 1 gallon of vanilla extract. That's alot of vanilla beans. I used to pay $15.00 a pound for vanilla beans when I made it commerically.
Best way to make it:
Grind the vanilla beans in a coffee grinder. Mix with vodka. Add a little sugar, Shake every couple of days, in 1 month drain in a cheesecloth, and that's it.
You will have coldpressed Vanilla extract. Most large scale manufacturers use heat to speed up the process but that damages some of the delicate flavors.

 

[Forum Jumper]

This is an interesting thread. I wouldn't have known to try this. It sounds so easy. The end result is so pretty. I think this is a great idea for Christmas gifts!

 

[EMAW_KSU]

I use a half pound of beans chopped up in a 1750 ml of vodka. We gave some a Christmas last year that had aged for a year. I did one bottle with Madagascar Bourbon Beans and one bottle with Tahitian Vanilla Beans,

 

[AmyB2006]

I make this for Christmas gifts every year. I'm behind this year, as I haven't started yet.

I use the 4 oz bottles and I put 3 vanilla beans in 4 oz.

I order them in bulk.

I made a 1.75 bottle for my house. I used 35 beans in that one (roughly).

 

[tvguy]

No they arent...they are around $1-$2. I just bought 10 quality Madagascar Bourbon beans for $8 from Beanilla with free shipping. That's less than $1 each.

Beanilla says "starting at $4.99 each".

 

[limace]

I bought 25 grade B beans for $16.99 from Beanilla, including shipping.