I put off making my own vanilla extract for a ridiculous amount of time. I never seemed to have the necessary quantities of vanilla beans and booze in my house at the same time, or the patience or forethought to wait 8 weeks to have vanilla. So I would make the 10 mile trek over to Penzeys Spices and get a bottle of their single-strength vanilla extract, because it’s the biggest bottle for the lowest per-ounce price I could find short of online shopping. Even though that’s over $40 a bottle, I convinced myself that the cost of a bottle of vodka or bourbon plus the cost of vanilla beans must be more expensive.
When I finally broke down and did the math, I realized that even though the up-front cost might be greater, the per-ounce cost is less than half of what I was paying at Penzeys! Price-wise, the only comparable deal is to get a 32-ounce bottle of Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract, which is revered as one of the best quality vanillas on the market. The only problem is finding the 32-ounce bottles in stores (I’ve never seen them), so you have to find an online retailer, which could add shipping expenses. Smaller quantity bottles of Nielsen-Massey and other vanillas are even more highly priced per ounce. Let’s see how the prices line up:
Homemade Vanilla: ~$30.00/32 oz = $0.94 per oz
Nielsen-Massey: ~$35.00/32 oz = $1.09 per oz
King Arthur Flour: $22.95/16 oz (plus $10 shipping) = $2.06 per oz
Penzeys Single Strength Vanilla Extract: $40.99/16 oz = $2.56 per oz
Penzeys Double Strength Vanilla Extract: $59.99/16 oz = $3.75 per oz
My choices above reflect what I consider to be the best easily-accessible commercial pure vanilla extracts available in the United States. You can certainly get other brands for even cheaper (McCormick and Kirkland’s come to mind, if you buy the 16 oz. bottles). I’ve used all of these vanillas at some point in my life, and I have no problems with how they make my desserts taste, overall. (See my Baking Basics article on vanilla to learn more about when it’s okay to use imitation or lower-quality vanillas.)
So if it’s possible to get vanilla extract for cheaper, why bother making your own? There are a few reasons. Making your own vanilla is more sustainable than buying from the store. You can add new beans and top off the alcohol to continue replenishing your vanilla extract supply, so you never run out. And if you leave the beans in, the extract will only get stronger and better, which can’t be said for most store-bought vanillas, since they don’t usually come with the beans.
But the most important thing you gain from making your own vanilla extract is control. Penzeys’ and Nielsen-Massey extracts have added sugar. Some other brands have corn syrup. And with any commercial brand, you have little to no control over the quality or type of vanilla bean being used or the type of alcohol. The most commonly used bean types in commercial vanillas are Madagascar and Mexican. But what if you want to experiment with Ugandan or Indian beans? Or maybe you want to use whiskey or rum to impart some nuanced flavor. Most store-bought vanillas just use vague “alcohol.”
I currently have two large bottles of vanilla extract in my house: one made with Madagascar beans and bourbon, the other made with Madagascar beans and vodka. Plus, I have several small bottles made with vodka and various types of beans. You might not be as crazy as I am, but I think it’s nice to have options. So, how do you make your own? Simply follow the recipe below.
HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT
- 6 vanilla beans (I like the beans from Beanilla!)
- 2 cups (16 fluid ounces or 480 mL) alcohol*
- With a paring knife, split each bean in half. Place the split beans into a 16 ounce bottle. (Darker glass bottles work best, but a clear bottle can be use if you store the vanilla in a dark place, which you should do anyway.)
- Use a funnel to pour alcohol into the bottle with the beans. Cap your bottle and shake. Store in a cool, dark place for at least 8 weeks, shaking the bottle every week or two.
- After 8 weeks, use your vanilla in any recipe as you would store-bought vanilla. Top off the bottle with alcohol whenever the beans are exposed. Replace the beans with new beans every 6 months or so. Shake the bottle whenever you happen to think about it.
- *Use vodka for the most basic vanilla, or experiment with bourbon, rum, or other types of liquor. The quality of the alcohol does NOT need to be top-shelf, so save yourself the money and go with some cheaper hooch. Use your money for top-notch vanilla beans, instead!
