I have a serious crush on vanilla. Not the imitation stuff, which is chemically synthesized from wood pulp, but real-deal vanilla extract made from actual vanilla beans. I covet it in cookies, fancy it in homemade blender ice cream and it’s an absolute must in buttercream frosting. Heck, I add it to pretty much every dessert I bake, not to mention my chia pudding and cold brew.
That said, I’m breaking up with the store-bought stuff. Sure, it can be pricey, ranging from $1-2 per ounce, but that’s not grounds for our conscious uncoupling. The reason isn’t about cost: it's about contentment. I make my own granola and brew my own kombucha, and the value of doing it yourself is infinitely more satisfying than picking it up at the supermarket. And it’s not like vanilla is tough to make; it requires only two ingredients, it’s apparently fool-proof, and it makes the best bottled food gift ever. Time to get my vanilla on!
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The first thing you need are vanilla beans. Before buying them, know this: 1) Their taste varies slightly depending on the country of origin (Madagascar and Bourbon vanilla, both from Madagascar, are strong and assertive; Tahitian vanilla has tropical, floral notes; and Mexican vanilla is slightly spicy), and 2) Grade B beans are ideal for extracts (go for Grade A when you're using the whole bean in desserts). I was feeling tropical, so I bought a 25-count of Tahiti Grade B vanilla beans online for $40. Not cheap, I know, but vanilla cultivation is super labor intensive—the beans come from an orchid that has to be pollinated by hand—so you're not going to find a 'budget' bean. Having said that, the beans in homemade extract go a long way and you get bang for your buck.
The only other ingredient you need is vodka, and this is where you can skimp if you like. You could hypothetically bypass the top shelf stuff and grab a budget bottle of Bankers Club 80 proof vodka for $6.) Vodka is the most neutral flavor, but you can also use bourbon, brandy or rum.
You also need bottles. Clear works best for infusing, that way you can see the color change (just store it in a dark cabinet). For this I used flip-top bottles I already had, but any bottle with a top works. For the finished product, bottle in 2- or 4-ounce amber-colored glass to protect from light and sun degradation. I ordered these ones online, 12 bottles for $12. Other than that, a funnel comes in handy, and I already had one.
There’s no magic number when it comes to ratio of beans to booze. Some websites suggest 2 vanilla beans per cup; others say 8 beans. The other debate is to split or not to split the beans; Martha Stewart splits, slicing the vanilla beans lengthwise before covering in vodka, Ina Garten does not. In the name of experimentation, I did one 8-ounce bottle with 4 split beans, another with 5 whole beans and a third with 6 beans plus a splash of brandy. Once my bottles were topped up, I tucked them into a dark cupboard, turned the bottles every so often and waited.
One thing the experts do agree on is that making vanilla can’t be rushed. Like wine, it only gets better with age. The minimum infuse time is 1 month, but even then my batches weren’t as rich-hued as I’d hoped, so I waited another three weeks until they turned a rich brownish color. The split bean was slightly darker than the whole bean and the brandy version darker still, and they all smelled heavenly, so sweetly sublime that I inhaled each over and over again. But how did they taste?
First off, I wouldn’t recommend sampling straight-up vanilla, store-bought or homemade. Both have a decidedly alcohol taste. For the real taste-test, I knew there was only one answer: time to whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies! So I mixed up the ingredients, added my brew and instantly the entire bowl wafted up with vanilla—and the luscious scent got even more pronounced when they went in the oven. Mmmmm!
I crunched the numbers and it cost about $4.50 per 4-ounce bottle. That’s $2 cheaper than the Trader Joe’s version I usually buy. Since my three batches tasted the same, next time I’ll use 4 split beans per 8-ounces of vodka and let it infuse 3 months or more. I should also note that the glass bottle made the DIY version feel infinitely more upscale than store-bought—plus I now still had all of the spent pods, which can be reused to make more extract or turned into vanilla sugar. Even more vanilla bean bang for my buck!
But like I said, this wasn’t about price, but pride. Making something, nurturing it, and then enjoying the fruits of my labor in cookies was pure satisfaction. Oh, and I know what I’m giving away for Christmas this year.
How to make vanilla extract
12 vanilla beans (Grade B), split lengthwise
1 750ml bottle high-proof vodka
3 8-ounce glass containers with lids
6 4-ounce amber glass containers
1 funnel
Divide the vanilla beans amongst the 8-ounce containers (4 beans each). Pour vodka over beans and secure lid. Place in a cool, dark place for 2-6 months, shaking jar occasionally. Using funnel, pour finished extract into 4-ounce containers.