Homemade Vanilla Extract

I don’t know about you, but I go through vanilla extract like water.  I use it in practically every baked good.  Buying the little McCormick bottles can add up quickly and become a costly expense.  Homemade vanilla extract is so easy to make, it tastes great in baked goods, and it requires only two ingredients — alcohol and vanilla beans!

The catch?  It takes two months from start to finish.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 2 months

Ingredients:
– Vanilla beans
– Alcohol (vodka, rum, or bourbon)

(The proportions for the vanilla beans to alcohol is as follows: 8oz of alcohol to every 3-5 vanilla beans)

Method:
1.  Using a knife, split the vanilla beans horizontally.  Place in a glass jar with a tight lid.
2.  Pour the alcohol in the jar and seal tightly.

 

*Note: after the two-month period, you can now open the bottle and remove the vanilla beans.  Or you can replace the vanilla beans or just let it stay.  It will smell a bit nutty, that’s perfectly normal.  Just use as normal in your baked recipes.  I wouldn’t suggest using the vanilla extract in anything that is not baked, as the alcohol still remain in the extract.