Easy Bourbon Vanilla Extract
My Easy Bourbon Vanilla Extract is so easy to make and it brings a rich, caramel-spiced depth to both sweet and savory recipes. It's deep, mellow and a little nostalgic!
Equipment
- small, sharp knife
- cutting board
- glass measuring cup
- 8 oz. glass mason jar or other glass jar with lid
- glass extract bottles (optional)
Ingredients
- 6 Grade B vanilla beans
- 8 ounces (227g) bourbon
Instructions
- Using a small, sharp knife, slice each vanilla bean lengthwise to expose the seeds. Leave the bean attached so it stays together.
- I like to cut my beans in half (make them shorter) to make sure that they will all be covered with bourbon in the jar. If they are too long, they won’t be fully covered with the alcohol.
- Add your vanilla beans to a large glass jar like an 8 oz. Mason jar.
- Pour bourbon over the vanilla beans and make sure they are completely covered. (If the beans are not completely covered, they can start to mold.)
- Label and date your jar and shake.
- Store your extract in a cool, dark place like a pantry or a cabinet for at least 2 months before using. If you can store it longer, like 4-6 months, it’s even better! (I waited 2 months for my first batch and it was still amazing.)
- Shake your bottle once a week or more to help the extract infuse evenly.
- Once your extract is ready, you can strain out the beans if you like your extract to be smooth. (I like to transfer my extract to individual bottles when it’s done.)
Notes
Calorie content is based off of 1 teaspoon of extract.
After vanilla extract is ready to use, I transfer to dark (amber) bottles that I previously saved from store-bought extracts. If you only have clear bottles, that will still be fine.
Store in a cool, dark cupboard or pantry. Homemade vanilla extract has an indefinite shelf life if stored in a cook dark place.
Never refrigerate. This can cause crystallization.