By Lisa Sheffer
Welcome to the world of vanilla beans! Before we begin, take a deep breath--it's going to be ok. This isn't as scary as it seems.
Now, let's talk about making your first bottle of vanilla extract!
Put vanilla beans in a bottle with some vodka. Put a lid on it. Put it in a warm, dark place. Let it sit for a good long while.
You're done.
Seriously, that's all that it takes to make vanilla extract. It is unbelievably easy and simple!
But, obviously, there's a lot of ambiguity in there.
How many vanilla beans do I need? How much alcohol do I need? Can I use other kinds of alcohol besides vodka? How long will it really take? Is there anything I can do to speed it up? It doesn't seem to be working, am I messing this up?
Let me address them now.
How many vanilla beans do I need?
The United States Food and Drug Administration requires a minimum of 2.65 ounces of vanilla beans per 750 ml of 80 proof alcohol to qualify as regular strength, or single fold, vanilla extract. In our collective years of experience, and hearing feedback from thousands of home vanilla extract makers, we find the best results are a little heavier on the vanilla beans than what the FDA suggests. Our house rule is 1 ounce of vanilla beans to 1 cup of 80 proof alcohol, or 1 gram of vanilla beans to 10 mL of alcohol. If you want an extra-rich extract, we suggest 1.5-2 ounces of vanilla beans per cup of 80 proof alcohol. That's what we call making a doublefold extract.
Here's a great chart for quick calculations!
What kind of alcohol do I need?
Any alcohol in the 70-120 proof alcohol range will work to pull out the alcohol-soluble flavors from the beans. 80-100 proof is even better. However, if you put your vanilla beans in something that already is strongly flavored, the gentle, warm vanilla notes may never overcome the base alcohol's strength. For beginners, we recommend neutral alcohol options, such as Vodka or White Rum. Vodka and rum both are right at 80 proof or 40% alcohol by volume, which is perfect for making extract (not flavored ones, though--make sure you're looking at the pure stuff), and they allow any variety of vanilla bean to shine.
How long is this going to take?
Now, that is the million dollar question. There are so many factors that go into the development of vanilla extract. The short answer is we suggest budgeting a year. You can start taste-testing and smelling it sooner to determine doneness, and you may feel like it's ready sooner, but if you head into this project understanding it will likely take a year, you won't be as let down, should it not be ready in 3 weeks like that influencer promised. Keep in mind--your extract is done when you like it.
A year is a long time, so naturally, people have tried all kinds of things to speed up their vanilla extract. Some of these methods work better than others, and some are safer than others too. Please check out this blog post about the safest, most effective ways of speeding up your vanilla extract, if you want to do that.
Oh no, I feel like I messed this up! Should I throw it away?
NOOOOOOO!!! Please don't throw away your vanilla extract!
There are a lot of things that can feel concerning when you make your first bottle of vanilla extract. The good news is, Vanilla extract is pretty forgiving. Most issues can be corrected by giving the extract more vanilla beans, more time, and keeping it warm.
But it really looks weird! I'm not convinced that this is ok!
Vanilla beans are an agricultural product, so there can sometimes be little floaties (bean particles) or oils that muck up the sides of the bottle.
Generally, this is less common with whole beans than cut or split vanilla beans, and especially if the extract is cold (don't refrigerate) but some vanilla beans are oilier than others, so it can happen. We suggest keeping it in a warm, dark area, and giving it a good shake every now and then--be careful not to drop it!--and try not to fret. If it's really full of goobers when you're ready to use it, and you're really unhappy with the transparency of the finished extract, try passing it through a fine mesh strainer or even through a coffee filter. That will, of course, halt the development of the extract as you've removed all the bean particles that are contributing to the flavor, but you'll end up with a cleaner extract. Please read more about the common errors people make while making extract and how to address them here.
And there you have it, dear beanies! You've got this. Keep it simple, make it fun, get your ratios right, give it enough time, keep it warm, and you'll have phenomenal homemade vanilla extract that will enhance everything it touches.