Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (2024)

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This frugal recipe is a guest post from Rachel!

The Instant Pot(AKA Instapot) is pretty amazing! This lovely little kitchen appliance is always blowing my mind. I’ve thought about making vanilla extract a handful of times. The normal process for making vanilla extract is incredibly simple. You fill a jar with vodka, throw in some vanilla beans, and screw on the lid. Then let it sit for forever while you forget you even made it! Luckily, when you make vanilla in the Instant Pot you have ready to use vanilla extract in under an hour! Plus, your house smells amazing! That makes it a pretty perfect recipe in my book! If you have an Instant Pot, youhave to try this recipe for Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to Amazon and/or Etsy, which means that I may earn a small commission from some of the links in this post. Please see our Disclosure Page for more information.

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (1)

When you’re finished making your homemade vanilla extract, you’ll want to find some ways to put it to use! You could always bake with it, like in this yummy cherry vanilla bread. Or you could use it in homemade beauty products, like my homemade vanilla whipped body butter!

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot

Ingredients

Vodka – 40% alcohol
4 Madagascar vanilla beans
1 cup water
Quart canning jar
Scissors

Directions

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (2)

1. Toughly wash and dry your canning jar and scissors. Cut the vanilla beans in half and place them in the jar.

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (3)2. Fill the jar with vodka to the thread lines. Leave the lid off.

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (4)3. Put the trivet on the bottom of the Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup of water. Next, position the canning jar on the trivet.

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (5)Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (6)Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (7)Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (8)4. Lock the Instant Pot’s lid into place and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook the vanilla extract using the manual button on high pressure for 40 minutes. To release the pressure, use a long utensil to turn the pressure valve to the open position. Be careful, steam will shoot out.

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (9)Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (10)5. Use oven mitts to remove the jar of vanilla from the Instant Pot. Let the extract cool completely before screwing the lid on the jar. Putting the lid on the jar while it is still warm will cause it to vacuum seal. Your homemade vanilla extract is now ready to use right away! Leave the beans in the jar to allow the flavor to strengthen over time.

Store in a cool dry place. The alcohol smell will lessen over the next week.

As mentioned in the recipe, I left the vanilla beans in the jar so that the flavor can continue to strengthen as it sits. When the vanilla is gone, I’ll use the beans to make something else. I see some homemade vanilla bean paste in my future!

I didn’t test this vanilla for shelf life, alcohol level, or anything else. Normally vanilla extract has a shelf life of a couple years. This homemade vanilla extract may or may not keep that long. From what I have read it seems it will last at least a year, but I won’t have it long enough to find out! This recipe made 1 quart of vanilla extract, but I do so much baking that it will only last me about 2 months.

This recipe was adapted from TIDBITS pressure cooking vanilla extract.

Have you ever made homemade vanilla extract using the traditional method?

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (11)

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Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (12)

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot

  • Author: A Cultivated Nest
Print Recipe

Description

Easily (and quickly!) make your own delicious homemade vanilla extract in your Instant Pot!

Ingredients

Scale

  • Vodka – 40% alcohol
  • 4 Madagascar vanilla beans
  • 1 cup water
  • Quart canning jar
  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Toughly wash and dry your canning jar and scissors. Cut the vanilla beans in half and place them in the jar.
  2. Fill the jar with vodka to the thread lines. Leave the lid off.
  3. Put the trivet on the bottom of the Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup of water. Next, position the canning jar on the trivet.
  4. Lock the Instant Pot’s lid into place and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook the vanilla extract using the manual button on high pressure for 40 minutes. To release the pressure, use a long utensil to turn the pressure valve to the open position. Be careful, steam will shoot out.
  5. Use oven mitts to remove the jar of vanilla from the Instant Pot. Let the extract cool completely before screwing the lid on the jar. Putting the lid on the jar while it is still warm will cause it to vacuum seal. Your homemade vanilla extract is now ready to use right away! Leave the beans in the jar to allow the flavor to strengthen over time. Store in a cool dry place. The alcohol smell will lessen over the next week.

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. Please see our Disclosure Page for more information.

About Rachel:Rachel is a big believer in living life as your best self. She likes her coffee black and loves to curl up with a good book. At HyperHypoMama.com she writes about creating a healthy life with Thyroid Disease through food, yoga, and love.

You might also be interested in: 10 Yummy Instant Pot Recipes You Have To Try!

Homemade Vanilla Extract Made in the Instant Pot- Easy Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

How is vanilla extract made step by step? ›

Instructions
  1. Slice each bean lengthwise and place in bottle. ...
  2. Pour one cup of vodka (or alcohol of your choice) into the bottle. ...
  3. Shake once or twice a week.
  4. Wait at least 8 weeks, but 4-6 months is ideal. ...
  5. Presto, your alcohol has turned into delicious homemade vanilla extract!

How many vanilla beans does it take to make a quart of vanilla extract? ›

Add 5 or 6 of them to each 8-ounce jar, or 20-24 vanilla beans if you are doing a larger batch in a quart-size jar for personal use. If you are using smaller, 4-ounce jars, you will need to cut the beans in half so they fit and use only 2-3 beans per jar.

What is the best container for homemade vanilla extract? ›

I like to use pint-sized mason jars with plastic lids. Waxed Paper: A piece placed between the lid and the jar helps to keep the extract from leaking when you shake the jar. It also helps to create a better seal. Vanilla Beans: Grade A Madagascar vanilla beans are best.

How long does it take to make homemade vanilla extract? ›

You only need 2 ingredients for homemade vanilla extract: vanilla beans and vodka. Let the vanilla beans infuse the vodka for as little as 8 weeks, but for optimal flavor, wait at least 6-12 months before using. Homemade vanilla is more cost efficient than store-bought options. You can try homemade vanilla sugar too.

Can you make your own vanilla extract? ›

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract
  1. 4–6 whole vanilla beans.
  2. 1 cup (8 oz.) vodka or other 70+ proof alcohol.
Jul 14, 2023

How long does homemade vanilla last? ›

If you make homemade vanilla extract correctly, it should maintain its quality for 5-10 years, depending on storage conditions. Due to its long shelf life, homemade vanilla extract makes a wonderful gift for friends and family. I always start a batch of it in the summer so it's ready for Christmas gifts come December!

Is it cheaper to make your own vanilla extract? ›

Step-by-step photos and instructions for how to make the best Homemade Vanilla Extract! All you need is vodka, vanilla beans and a few tips and tricks. You'll find that homemade vanilla is less expensive (store-bought vanilla extract can cost $4 an ounce) and more flavorful than store-bought, and it's so EASY to make!

Can Homemade vanilla go bad? ›

What is the shelf life of my vanilla extract? When stored properly, vanilla extract will keep indefinitely, but using it within five years will allow for best flavor and aroma.

Can you put too many vanilla beans in vanilla extract? ›

The nice thing about making your own vanilla extract is that you can add more or less beans as you'd like.

What kind of vanilla beans are best for making extract? ›

Indonesian Vanilla – The beans from Indonesia are mass-produced and usually a grade B bean. For making homemade vanilla extract, this is the type that is recommended. They may be a bit more brittle and dried out which makes them perfect for the long soaking in vodka or bourbon.

How dark should homemade vanilla extract be? ›

The liquid should be dark golden or brown. The darker the color, the stronger the vanilla flavor. If you've left the vanilla seeds in the bean, there should be lots of little flecks that have settled to the bottom of the jar. When you shake it, the extract should look almost opaque.

Should homemade vanilla be stored in a dark bottle? ›

Select a dark glass or amber-colored bottle for your vanilla extract. Light can degrade the quality of the extract by breaking down its aromatic compounds. Dark glass helps to protect the extract from light exposure, preserving its flavor and aroma. Air can also impact the quality of vanilla extract over time.

Does vanilla extract have to be in amber bottles? ›

Vanilla is sensitive to light which is the reason we provide amber bottles with our kits. Clear bottles do not protect vanilla extract from sunlight which will degrade the flavor. Vanilla extract should be stored in a dry place away from direct sunlight, preferably in a cupboard.

How much does homemade vanilla extract sell for? ›

I estimated that a quart of my homemade extract cost me around 30 bucks to make (that's about $7.50 per 8oz bottle, as compared to the $10-20 you might expect to pay at the store).

How is real vanilla extract made? ›

Vanilla extract—the kind that explicitly says “pure vanilla extract” on its label—is made by soaking vanilla beans in an alcohol solution to “extract” (get it?) all of their flavor compounds. According to the FDA, vanilla extract must be at least 35% alcohol with a minimum of 100 grams of vanilla beans per liter.

Why don't you have to be 21 to buy vanilla extract? ›

In many places, vanilla extract is considered a food product. and is available even if you're not legal drinking age. Vanilla extract contains alcohol.

Why do you need alcohol to make vanilla extract? ›

This allows the flavour compounds from the pure vanilla bean to infuse into the alcohol/water mixture, which then forms the pure vanilla extract. While vanilla beans can be extracted without alcohol, it is very slow, ineffective and results in a lower quality vanilla extract.

What are the raw materials in vanilla extract? ›

Vanilla extract is a solution made by macerating and percolating vanilla pods in a solution of ethanol and water.

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