2024 Homemade Vanilla Extract Cost Update:
The cost to buy enough vanilla beans to make approximately 2 cups of vanilla extract is around $40-45CAD, and you will also need to use 2 cups of vodka (a 750mL bottle goes for around $20). So all in, you're looking at a cost of at least $50.
However, buying a similar amount of pure vanilla extract at Costco costs about $20CAD. If you do find a reasonable deal on vanilla beans, go ahead and make your own - it really does taste great! If not, you might be better off buying vanilla extract for now.
Well, the Holidays have officially come and gone. While I'm sure many of you are eager to pack away the decorations and forget about all the hubbub until next December, I say now is the perfect time to get a head start on your gifts for next year.
Or your Christmas baking (don't worry, you won't actually be baking anything yet). There's a reason you need to think ahead sometimes with gifts, at least if you're making them. Sometimes it takes a really, really long time to make something good. As is the case with Homemade Vanilla Extract.
Don't worry - even though you need to start making your vanilla soon in order to get it packaged up for Christmas next year, you certainly won't be working on it all year. It's very low maintenance. All you need to do is get some vanilla beans (I ordered mine from Beanilla and was very happy with both the price and quality), slice into them, stuff them into a glass bottle and fill it up with vodka. Let it hang out in your pantry for the next several months, but don't forget to give it a good shake every now and then.
This was my first time making vanilla from scratch, and I didn't really know what to expect. The instructions I was working off of (from Beanilla) said it would only take 8 weeks to turn a bottle full of vodka and vanilla beans into vanilla extract.
But the 8 week period came and went and I was not confident that it was ready to use - it still smelled heavily of vodka. In fact, 8 MONTHS passed by before I decided it was ready. HOWEVER: in hindsight I think it would have been ready sooner.
The only vanilla I had to compare to was some heavy-duty stuff from Mexico. When I ended up buying a bottle from Costco, it smelled just like my homemade vanilla. But, there is no harm in letting it sit for months - the longer, the better. Perhaps mine took longer because I wasn't shaking it as often as I should have (once or twice a week).
When you decide your vanilla is done, you could either decant it into smaller bottles to give away, or you could just keep it for yourself and use it as is. No need to remove the vanilla beans.
In fact, with the beans still in there, as you use the vanilla, you can top it off with small amounts of vodka every now and then for a few months. If you notice the potency of the vanilla start to drop off, stop adding extra vodka.
If you're a baker, or you know anyone that bakes, this will definitely get used. Just make sure to start another batch well before you use your current bottle up.
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice up the length of each vanilla bean, leaving the bean attached at one end.
- Place vanilla beans into a well-sealing glass bottle or jar that is large enough to hold the amount of vanilla you want to make.
- Pour vodka over beans, using a funnel if necessary. Shake vigorously.
- Store in a dark, room temperature place for several months, shaking vigorously once to twice per week.
- When vanilla is done, you will still be able to smell the vodka, but it will also smell strongly of vanilla. Use vanilla directly from this container, without removing beans or decant into smaller bottles to give as gifts. If the beans remain in the vanilla, it can be topped off with small amounts of vodka occasionally for a few months. Stop adding vodka when the vanilla's potency decreases.
Richard Tooley says
I have seen vanilla beans for sale in the Mexican grocery stores too.
Lisa says
I am so curious where to find vanilla beans at that price. I live in Ottawa and would love to know where you bought them.
Carissa says
Great question Lisa! I ordered my vanilla beans from Beanilla. I was happy with the price and quality of the vanilla beans I received, and have tried ordering elsewhere with less than satisfactory results. However, I live in the US and I have not sourced vanilla beans from Canada. Beanilla does ship to Canada, but their website does not specify how much they charge for shipping. It will also end up costing more due to the exchange rate.
I am not familiar with Ottawa specifically, but if you want to find vanilla beans locally, you could try Bulk Barn or any independent baking specialty stores.
Natalie says
Hi Carissa! I was looking into doing this but the cheapest I can see 25 beans for on Beanilla is just under $115 CAD. How are you finding your bean pricing in the US with everything happening in the vanilla market?
Carissa says
Expensive here too...but not quite as bad. I updated the post (at the top) to reflect current prices. Thanks for reminding me 😉
Joanne McKinnon says
2 vanilla beans for $15 in Edmonton, Alberta!