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by Leslie Farin

You may ask, is it worth it to make your own vanilla extract?  The answer…absolutely!

Not only is it less expensive, but the flavor is worlds apart from your average extract found on supermarket shelves. And the best reason yet, making your own vanilla extract is one of the easiest recipes to make. All you need are vanilla beans, vodka (or other liquor), and a little bit of know-how. A little patience comes in handy too since you need to wait a few months for the final product to be ready to sample.

Gourmet cook and founder of BassAss Boards of Texas, Rose Jones, shared the recipe she and her business partner, Margaret English, use for their vanilla extract . Make sure to choose good quality ingredients for the best flavor!

“BadAss” Home-Made Vanilla Extract Recipe

yield: approximately 3 cups of vanilla extract

Ingredients:

12 Bourbon Madagascar Grade B Vanilla Beans  
12  Tahitian Grade B Vanilla Beans 
1 750ml Vodka

(Note: if you prefer to make a smaller quantity, for example 8 oz (1 cup), use 3 of each type of the beans and 250 ml vodka)

Directions:

Cut vanilla beans into 1 inch pieces with a knife or scissors, then place them in a glass jar with a screw top lid. (An empty liquor bottle works well for this purpose.)
Cover the beans with the vodka. Screw on the lid and give it a good shake.
Put the jar with your beans and vodka in cool, dark place and shake once a day for several months (at least 2). The longer the vanilla sits, the stronger the flavor will be.

*Special BadAss thanks to Lucie Batte for sharing this recipe!