Homemade bourbon vanilla extract is a rich and flavorful way to elevate your baking and cooking game. High quilty vanilla beans are infused with bourbon whiskey. Resulting in a complex and intense flavor profile that has a hint of sweetness. Making vanilla extract at home is easy and affordable with an end product that will enhance your baking creations.

Bourbon vanilla extract has been long admired by culinary enthusiasts and professional bakers alike. This rich, warm extract is known for its decadent aroma and rich flavor profile. Which makes it a favorite ingredient to be used in a wide variety of recipes.
Made with Madagascar vanilla beans and bourbon liquor, bourbon vanilla extract is often considered to be a higher-quality vanilla flavoring.
The process of making bourbon vanilla extract is a time-honored tradition that involves carefully steeping vanilla beans in alcohol to create a concentrated, flavorful liquid. Resulting in a rich, amber-colored extract that has depth and complexity of flavor.
So if you are looking to add a new dimension of flavor to your baking. Try making a batch of this easy homemade pure vanilla extract, it's sure to take your baking creations to the next level.
Elevate Your Recipes With Homemade Vanilla Extract
This homemade bourbon vanilla extract recipe is a delicious way to take your baking and cooking up a notch. The rich flavor profile of this extract is the result of using the highest quality ingredients such as grade b vanilla beans and bourbon whiskey.
Unlike artificial vanilla flavorings which often contain additives like added sugar and preservatives. Homemade vanilla bourbon is a pure and natural ingredient that provides a unique depth of flavor. This can make a big difference in the final outcome of your baking or cooking creations.
Bourbon extract can be used in a variety of sweet and savory recipes from ice cream to our chocolate chip cookies with walnuts recipe as well as savory dishes like glazed carrots. This extract pairs nicely with desserts that have warm and rich flavors such as chocolate, caramel, and pumpkin.
Since I do a lot of baking I have found it both easy and economical to make my own vanilla extract. I have tried flavorless alcohol but my personal favorite is making homemade vanilla extract with bourbon. I think it's the unique curing process of the bourbon that makes this the best homemade vanilla extract.
It can also make the perfect gift idea for those friends and family members that have a love of baking. Make up small bottles filled with a few ounces of vanilla extract to hand out at Christmas as gifts.
Trust me once you try this easy vanilla you will never want to go back to store-bought varieties again. I'm not a bourbon connoisseur but I really enjoy my homemade vanilla extract made with bourbon.
How To Make
Making homemade vanilla extract is quite easy to do. All you need is your favorite bourbon, I like the flavor profile that Buffalo Trace provides. It already has a hint of vanilla, along with notes of brown sugar and spice which adds to the depth of the vanilla extract flavor.
You will also need high quality whole vanilla beans. Grade b vanilla beans will provide a deeper vanilla flavor which is perfect for extract. I prefer to use Madagascar vanilla beans also known as Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans.
Tahitian vanilla beans will work, these beans are plumper than other beans which means they have more vanilla caviar. However, from what I have read Mexican vanilla beans from the genus Planifolia are the best beans in the world.
A glass jar of some sort that can be sealed is needed for fermenting, I have used swing top bottles or mason jars. The actual liquor bottle will also work just fine, I believe I have one of those on my shelf as well.
Start by using a sharp knife and cutting down the center of the vanilla pod. You just want a slit through one layer of the beans' skin. Slicing the bean will allow the seeds to infuse with the bourbon. The seeds are what gives the extract the flavor and aroma.
I like to then cut the whole bourbon vanilla bean in half, this will allow them to sit at the bottom of my glass container, making sure they are covered in the liquor. Pour the bourbon of your choice into the glass container. Once sealed give the bottle a vigorous shake to help the bourbon infuse with the vanilla seeds.
Store in a dark dry place for a minimum of 6 weeks, I prefer and recommend storing longer. I have some vanilla that I fermented for 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. The longer the fermenting time the stronger vanilla flavor the extract will have.
Once your homemade bourbon vanilla extract is ready to use you may want to filter the vanilla seeds out. I prefer to allow the specks of vanilla seeds to show up in my baked goods.
Benefits And Tips
Using homemade bourbon vanilla extract has many benefits. It's rich in flavor that is hard to replicate with store-bought extracts. The bourbon gives it a slightly smoky and sweet taste that will enhance the flavor of your recipes.
It can also be used in a variety of recipes including baked goods, desserts, and beverages. There are also health benefits, vanilla is known for its antioxidant properties. Which will help with inflammation and protect against cell damage.
Homemade bourbon vanilla extract is cost-effective in the long run. Especially if you are like me and do a lot of baking. A bottle of store bought vanilla can be expensive for much fewer ounces.
And lastly, it can be customized to your liking. I find that three beans to 1 cup of bourbon makes a great flavor, you may find you want more or less beans. The type of alcohol and type of vanilla bean used is what will determine the overall flavor of the extract.
Now for some tips to help you get the most flavor out of your homemade bourbon vanilla extract.
The key to making a delicious vanilla extract is to use high-quality ingredients like choosing fresh vanilla beans that are moist and aromatic. A good quality bourbon that will complement the vanilla flavor.
The longer the vanilla extract has to steep the stronger the flavor it will have. Aim for 6 weeks, but don't be afraid to steep longer than that. I prefer to allow my vanilla extract to steep for a year. Don't forget to shake the jar regularly to mix the ingredients and distribute the flavor.
Use the whole vanilla bean more than once, I have a small bottle in my kitchen that I refill with the larger bottles. Once the larger bottle gets low enough to where the beans are almost sticking out. I will refill it and place it back on the shelf for a year. I will only do this twice and keep track of how many times on the label.
Label your bottles, especially if you are making vanilla extract with other liquors. I will also put the date on the label, then when I refill it I will put the new date on it. This helps to keep track of when the vanilla was made.
Store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight or heat such as a dark cupboard. I have a small pantry for my canned goods in our basement where I keep my homemade vanilla extracts that are fermenting. Try experimenting with different types of bourbon and vanilla beans to create your own lovely vanilla extract.
If you enjoy the luxurious well-rounded flavor of homemade bourbon vanilla extract then you may also enjoy these other homemade recipes.
Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract
Enhance the taste of your recipes by making your own homemade bourbon vanilla extract. Infuse whole vanilla beans in your favorite bourbon for a complex flavor profile with a hint of sweetness. This extract is perfect fro baking, cooking, or adding to your favorite beverages.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Bourbon
- 3 Large Madagascar Vanilla Beans
Instructions
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Cut a long slit down the center of each of the vanilla beans, so they are open and exposing the vanilla seeds. You only need to cut through the top skin of the vanilla bean. I also like to cut each of the beans in half to allow the bean to sit at the bottom of the jar.
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Place the vanilla beans into a jar or mason jar or split the beans into multiple jars.
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Pour the bourdon into the jar and place the lid on.
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Shake the jar vigorously to help release the vanilla seeds into the bourbon.
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Allow the bottle to sit a minimum of 6 weeks, I have found the longer it sits the better the flavor the vanilla extract will have. I have let some of my bourbon vanilla extracts sit for a year.
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Place the bourbon vanilla extract in a cool dark place to ferment, shaking the jar once a week.
Recipe Notes
The longer the homemade bourbon vanilla extract sits the more flavor the extract will have. I recommend allowing it to sit for 6 months to a year for best flavored bourbon vanilla extract.
When your homemade bourbon vanilla extract is ready to use you can filter the beans out if you like.
My Creative Manner uses a program that collects nutritional information. The nutritional information may vary depending on ingredients used, so this should be looked at as an estimate.
Sammy
I use this recipe all the time. I love how it add more flavor to all my baking recipes.
Jennifer
I'm happy you like this recipe. I agree it does add so much more flavor to my baked goods.