If I cannot get my hands on 100% certified organic extract vanilla beans, I personally find Madagascar Vanilla Beans to be the best for homemade extract and you get the most bang for your buck! Play with various vanilla beans, you can try Tahitian, Madagascar, Mexican and more – each type of bean has it’s own subtle flavor profile.For an alcohol-free vanilla extract use vegetable glycerine instead of alcohol.For fun flavor variations try your favorite bourbon, rum or brandy instead of vodka.Either way, this is still cheaper then most organic vanilla extracts you buy at the store and you can be sure that it is not only the highest quality and most tasty vanilla extract you’ll ever have, but you can rest easy knowing there are no extra additives and it’s 100% gluten-free! With a decent quality vodka and organic extract grade vanilla beans, each of my 8 ounce jars tend to run me less than $10, this can be made even cheaper with a less expensive vodka. Oftentimes they aren’t the prettiest or most perfect beans and they may be broken or have splits, but because of this they are usually much cheaper than regular whole vanilla beans and they are perfect for making homemade vanilla extract with. These are usually drier than normal vanilla beans, so they have lower moisture content. Simple, no crazy math, no crazy precise measuring.įor quality of beans, I suggest 100% certified organic grade 1 extract vanilla beans. This makes things very easy as I divide this amount among four 8-ounce containers, and it’s very easy to divide the 1/4 pound of beans amongst them. The recommended ratio of vanilla beans to vodka that I have found works best is 1 quart vodka to 1/4 pound of dry vanilla beans. If you are sensitive to certain grain-based vodkas, I do recommend selecting a certified gluten-free vodka, I like and use Tito’s. Cheaper, many times, is better since there are no distinguishing flavors from the vodka, as it can be with a pricer spirit, which can interfere with the vanilla flavor. To start, for a standard vanilla extract, I recommend an inexpensive vodka, at least 70 proof. Plus, this delicious homemade vanilla extract makes an amazing thoughtful gift. But, it is all more than worth it when you end up with the tastiest, most incredible flavor – perfect for all of your baking needs. You do need a little patience while the flavor of the vanilla beans is extracted, which takes several weeks. You literally need just two ingredients, alcohol and vanilla beans and just a few minutes of prep time. Making homemade vanilla extract is so easy. No need for step-by-step photos on this one, just one quick step and then we wait. So, I thought an easy, no frills tutorial would be perfect. I know it’s been a while since I have shared a Tutorial Tuesday post with you guys, but it’s been a busy few weeks.

Homemade vanilla extract mold