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Learning how to make vanilla extract is the easiest thing ever. It requires only 2 ingredients and makes all of your baked goods taste and smell incredible. Homemade vanilla extract will be your secret ingredient for baking! Once you make your own homemade vanilla extract, there’s just no going back to the store-bought version. As a bonus, you can refill real vanilla extract with more vodka as it runs out so it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
These make for darling and thoughtful DIY Christmas gifts (see tutorial below). My cousin’s wife, Alla, shared this awesome idea with me for gifting homemade vanilla extract and now all my sisters and friends know exactly what they’re getting for Christmas! lol.
I included links to all of the tools and resources that I used to make these from the sweet little glass bottles on Amazon to the free labels I designed which you can print at home. There’s also a full visual tutorial on wrapping these in kitchen towels. I really enjoyed making these and I will enjoy giving them away even more!
Vanilla Extract Ingredients (makes 10 (4oz) jars):
20 vanilla beans
40 oz plain vodka* (80 proof works great)
It’s easy to scale this recipe up or down, the proportions are 4 whole vanilla beans per 1 cup (8 oz) vodka, or 2 vanilla beans per 1/2 cup (4 oz) vodka.
*It’s not necessary to get the most expensive brand of vodka; something middle of the road like Smirnoff triple distilled 80 proof will work just fine. I found this at the liquor store and paid $25 for a giant jug. I’ll be refilling my vanilla a long time :). My cousin used the Vodka sold at Costco (Washington Costco’s carry liquor, but Idaho’s don’t).
Tools you’ll need for Homemade Vanilla Extract:
Small funnel or measuring cup with pouring lip
10 (4oz) clear bottles with lids (avoid cork lids – alcohol evaporates through the cork)
Labels – you can save and print the labels I designed for FREE!
Kitchen scissors or sharp knife
How to Make Vanilla Extract:
1. Wash and sanitize bottles and lids. I washed with mild soapy water, rinsed then swirled with boiling hot water to sanitize them.
2. Cut beans in half then Split beans. I found this is easiest with kitchen scissors. Cutting them about halfway down the stem. If the beans are too dry to split, cut them into 1″ pieces. Place a total of 2 whole beans in each jar (or 4 split halves).
3. Use a funnel or measuring cup to pour vodka to the top of the jar. Cover tightly with lid and let them brew for 2 months, shaking occasionally.
Apply the FREE vanilla extract labels by printing them on label paper or by gluing them onto the bottles. If printing on the labels, make sure your printer is set to 100% and not “fit to page” which make shrink or stretch labels.
You should give the vanilla a little shake every now and then for the next couple of months as it sits. It will turn a beautiful amber color when it’s ready to use. The instructions are right on the label so you don’t have to wait that long to gift them ;).
For Creative Gifting:
12 yards of yarn or kitchen string
12 kitchen towels for gifting, preferably tea towel style
12 small/medium cookie cutters
How to Wrap a Gift With a Kitchen Towel:
Fold a kitchen towel in half lengthwise and then in half again lengthwise. Place vanilla in the upper left corner, fold over the bottom flap, roll into a log and tie the top with a string or ribbon directly over the next of where the bottle is sitting inside the towel.
How to Store Vanilla Extract
Keep your homemade vanilla extract in a cool dry place. Heat and light can cause it to turn cloudy.
If it does turn cloudy, murky, or muddy-looking, do the smell test and if it still smells good, it should be fine to use. Using 80 proof vodka, it is highly unlikely there is bacterial growth.
Sometimes the type of beans you get can leach pulp into the alcohol and you can strain out sediment if desired.
Vanilla Extract Recipe
Ingredients
Vanilla Extract Ingredients (makes 12 (4oz) jars):
- 20 vanilla beans, I used Grade B Bourbon
- 40 oz plain vodka*, 80 proof works great
Tools you'll need for Homemade Vanilla Extract:
- Small funnel or measuring cup with pouring lip
- 10 4oz clear bottles with lids (avoid cork lids)
- Labels
- Kitchen scissors or sharp knife
Instructions
- Wash and sanitize bottles and lids: Wash with mild soapy water, rinse, then carefully swirl with boiling hot water to sanitize them.
- Cut beans in half then Split beans (it's easiest with kitchen scissors), cutting them about halfway down the stem. If the beans are too dry to split, cut them into small 1" pieces so they don't stick up above the surface of the extract as you use it. Place a total of 2 whole beans in each jar (or 4 split halves).
- Use a funnel to pour vodka to the top of jar. Cover tightly with lid and let them brew for 2 months, shaking occasionally.
Notes
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Thank you for the great information. At Costco I saw their Gourmet vanilla beans and decided to try making vanilla extract for the first time. Now I read I needed grade B not the gourmet beans, and worried the Costco beans will not make a good extract?
Hi Kirsten, Grade A or gourmet beans are more expensive generally and softer so they are used for baking since it’s easier to scrape out the seeds. They do still work for vanilla extract.
Hi I made these for upcoming Mothers Day Gifts. I notice that some bottles have like almost an algae line of demarcation on the inside. Is this normal? Smells good and I used the correct vodka. Clean bottles went through dishwasher and dried completely. I did however use grade A organic Madagascar Vanilla beans.
Hi Jamie, I haven’t had that experience, but the only thing I can think of is it could have been the beans if they had any kind of coating or sediment on them. YOu could try straining the extract and pouring it and the beans into a fresh bottle.
Hello
Can i replace the Vodka with a non alcoholic Liquid and would give the same result
Thanks
Hi Marwa, I don’t know of anything else that works as well.
When you refill it do you have to wait another 2 months?
Hi Sade, I like to refill when it gets about halfway empty to keep the vanilla submerged. If you wait to refill until it is completely empty, you will have to wait the full time for it to become flavorful and change color.
Hello! How many times can you refill until you need to replace with new beans altogether
Hi Billy, it will lose color with every refill so I would suggest adding a new piece of vanilla if I were refilling from empty. I usually add more vodka as I use it – when it is 1/3 to 1/2 empty, I’ll add more vodka
What blank label like Avery is needed to print on? Thinking about doing as a group with my supper club girls.
Hi Joanne, I have links to the label paper (it was a solid label from which I cut out the circles). It would work to also go to avery website and design then print on round labels from avery if you prefer. They have a great label maker free online design tool.
What’s the difference between Grade A & Grade B Vanilla beans? Can you use Grade A?
HI Diana, Grade A is definitely useable, it is just the softer, more expensive vanilla bean that is generally used for baking because it’s easier to scrape out the seeds and extract flavor quicker.
Can you use vanilla bean paste? By using the equivalent to vanilla bean? I absolutely love your recipes and tips. I especially love to watch your videos. So happy I subscribed. Thank you for all you do.
Hi Karen, unfortunately, that would not work well here. The paste is usually a substitution for vanilla extract but it isn’t normally used to make vanilla extract. I’m so glad you enjoy our videos and recipes! Thank you for that feedback.
I cannot print the labels for the vanilla. Can you help?
Hi Kathy, try downloading the file first or click the print button within the google drive application rather than File –> print. I am seeing it load on the full page of labels.
Hi Natasha, love your website. Want to change your label abit, being in Australia, we don’t use FL Oz. Would it be possible for you to send your label to me as a word document, so I can change it? I understand though if you would rather not.
Hi Tarn, there isn’t an easy way to do that from my end. For a quick conversion, there are 8 oz in 240 ml so 48 oz = 1920 ml = 1.92 liters. I hope that helps!
Hi Tarn! Being in South Africa, I always have to convert my many American recipes to ml and gm. Easiest for me is to remember to multiply by 30, thus 1 fl oz = 30ml. I know that still does not change your label, and you might have to add ‘120ml’ by hand if you cannot change the template?
What length vanilla beans do you use for the 4 oz bottles? 4″ or 6-8″ beans that you cut down to size? Thanks.
Hi Sylvia, we have all of the tools and supplies listed in the recipe and a photograph used for reference. We used these Vanilla Beans here.
How long until this expires if stored properly and no additional vodka is added?
Hi Jessica, from what I’ve read, the extract never really expires – it just lasts and lasts
It never expires.
Hi love your recipes as for the vanilla alcohol is not in my home sad I know but do u know any other ingredients to replace it and can children have that in a recipe ????
Hi Mo, I haven’t tried vanilla extract any other way so you might have to do a google search. Im not sure.
Mo…we do not have alcohol in our home either. But I do have vanilla extract, which is made of vanilla bean extracts and alcohol. The homemade version here makes exactly what you already use in baking and flavoring. The hardest thing I had to do in this recipe was go in the liquor store to buy the Vodka..very strange and awkward for a non-drinker!
I found a website which says that you can substitute the alcohol called for in any extract recipe with 3 parts liquid glycerine and 1 part water. Perhaps try that? (Also replace Vodca with Bourbon if preferred).
Good Morning,
I bought distilled vodka 80 proof.
Can I use this to make vanilla extract?
Jae
Great question Jae. We have this in the recipe “It’s not necessary to get the most expensive brand of vodka; something middle of the road like Smirnoff triple distilled 80 proof will work just fine. I found this at the liquor store and paid $25 for a giant jug. I’ll be refilling my vanilla a long time. My cousin used the Vodka sold at Costco (Washington Costco’s carry liquor, but Idaho’s don’t)” I hope that helps.
I received one of these as a gift and have used most of the bottle. I love it!
I was just at the grocery store and asked for the smallest bottle of Vodka. I got home and was unpacking my groceries and found that the cashier gave me Gin. Do you know if that will work?
Or do I need Vodka?
Hi Luda, I have not tested that with Gin to advise but it may work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Gin would probably not be good in this recipe. Gin has a more pine flavor
Hello Natasha,
Appreciate and regard your enthusiasm and knowledge demonstrating your cooking recipes on Facebook.
The Vanilla Extract is intriguing me to make for Holiday Gifts…Other than baking or pancakes recipes;
What are other purposes for Vanilla Extract?
A) Drinks (?) Alcoholic and Non Alcoholic.
B) Food Recipes or Appetizers/
Many Thanks for Sharing!
Hi Joselle, we only using vanilla extract for flavoring of desserts and in baking.
Can you use brown bottles instead of clear for the vanilla?
Hi Barb! Yes, you sure can!
Hi Natasha,
I am making your recipe for homemade vanilla extract. I love the label you created but I was wondering if you could create labels with 8 oz. instead of 4 oz. I am not very good with computers and my husband said it is harder to change jpg.
Thank you.
Hi Denies, I only have these in this size but the labels are fairly large. I think the would work for a larger jar
Hi Natasha! I just made some vanilla extract within this last week. I kept the beans whole, but sliced down the length of each bean. I put about 5 beans in each 8 oz. bottle. I was expecting to see the vanilla beans floating around, but don’t really think I’m seeing any. Does that mean something’s not right, or does it take longer for them to be released from the pods?
Hi Joann, typically you might see a few seeds settle at the bottom if you split the beans but it shouldn’t fill the bottle. Vanilla extract is normally deep amber color and clear of particles.
Can I reuse the beans,like you said we could pour in more vodka as we use it,so that means only a couple times,or is it after you use the entire jar,u can’t pour in a new jar of vodka?
Hi Kristina, you can reuse them over and over but I would replace the beans with new ones after using them 2-3 times. Hope this helps
This is wonderful! Can’t wait to try as I do use vanilla extract a lot. Do I need to wash the vanilla pods before soaking them in volka? Thanks!
Hi Catherine, we didn’t have to do that.
Thank you!
Just got done making these this weekend and realized I had only used half the amount of alcohol mathed out. After looking everything over again I accidentally bought 2 ounce jars instead of 4. I still used one and a half vanilla beans so is my vanilla going to be OK or should I buy the 4 ounce jars and transfer everything from the 2 ounce jars over to the 4 ounce and add more vodka to fill up the jars?
Worried!
Hi Jamie, they will still be great and you will have wonderfully flavored concentrated vanilla extract.
phew! Thank you!!
In my opinion it will be better. Most recipes call for twice the amount of this recipe. After three months of letting it soak I am going to add more beans.
You actually can use less extract than called for in recipe if it is very strong.
okay good to know! Thanks!
I made 12 bottles and plan on gifting them for Christmas. Where did you get the kitchen towels pictures please?
Hi Amy, I purchased them at Cost Plus world market and I believe they were standard tea towels.
Thank you!
looks like a great recipe- I bought 3 vanilla beans and a 750 ml bottle of vodka-Is that enough vanilla beans for this size bottle?
How long does it need to set for ?
Hi Barabara, here is what one of our readers wrote, I hope you find this helpful in regards to the 750ml bottle. “Hello- in response to this question, if I may give my own experience! Last year I bought a 750 mL glass bottle of Smirnoff vodka and placed 10 sliced vanilla beans directly into the bottle. It worked beautifully and lasted me almost a whole year. I never refilled bottle with more vodka as I went, I never thought I do that and wonder if it’s too late now to refill the whole bottle or start from scratch again with new beans/vodka. Thank you Natasha for this recipe!”
When should you discard the beans and start fresh?
Hi Ronald, you can reuse them over and over but I would replace the beans with new ones after using them 2-3 times. Hope this helps
This looks great! I’ve always wanted to make my own! Great gift idea as well! But a question… how long can I store/keep/use this after its ready to use?
Thankyou!
Hi Nancy, I keep it at room temperature in the cupboard.
Yes but how long will it keep? Fresh without spoiling..
Thankyou
Hi Nancy, great question! Vanilla extract can last for years and doesn’t really have an expiration date that I am aware of.
The expiration date is the same as the alcohol that you use. The beans are no different than the worm in taquilla.
Thank you for sharin that Jason!
Thank you so much! I plan to make Christmas gifts for my clients with this. Question: I’ve always seen vanilla extract in amber bottles. Does it need to be protected from light or can I just go ahead and order the clear bottles. Thanks again!
Hi Laura, I have read that may reduce exposure to damaging light but if you store it in a dark place or a pantry out of direct light that a clear glass would work fine.