Make Your Own Vanilla Extract *UPDATE*

[The_ChiHa]

Great post! I never thought of this and now I can't wait to try this!!

[JadedOne]

I am sooo interested in how this is gonna turn out.........

[funkensteins]

I am doing the exact same thing right now, only its lemon extract I am making. Just slice the yellow parts off of the lemon peel (Now white just thin slices of yellow) Get as much as you can, and put 1 lemon worth to every 1/2 cup of vodka or something like that. I don't think the quality of the vodka willl affect it that much, since one recipe I found called for adding 50% water to 50% vodka and the peel. I did it more like 10-90 it has been a few days, and I could not resist opening it and smelling, and there is almost no vodka smell left! I can not wait to try the vanilla, maybe I will give homemade extracts to everyone for christmas next year!

[HSG]

What a great idea! Also love the lemon extract recipe. Please post results.

[cottonpatch]

ok, I bookmarked this so I can see how it turned out!  I hate buying vanilla it's so expensive, I cringe everytime I run out!

[hollywood suicide]

Very interesting! Keep posting!

It might be worth a shot, since I dont think I could buy vanilla extract in this country at all :/ And its so nice to try out new cakes and stuff ^^

[ysmeine]

I did this but used a light rum that was leftover from making Mohitos. It turned out very nice. I am planning to use some to make a vanilla syrup for coffee as I love vanilla in my coffee.

[cassiege]

Wow, I'm glad so many people are interested! It's very exciting, but it's hard to wait for the month to end. So, thanks again for so many comments! I really hope it works so that I won't disappoint everyone.

I am doing the exact same thing right now, only its lemon extract I am making.

What a fabulous idea! I hope it works out for you, please tell me how it goes. 

I did this but used a light rum that was leftover from making Mohitos. It turned out very nice. I am planning to use some to make a vanilla syrup for coffee as I love vanilla in my coffee.

Oooh! I'm glad it hear it turned out well and great idea!

So, thanks again, everyone, for the continued interest!

[Feliciter]

Awesome idea!!

[Lazurii]

You can keep on adding vodka as you use the extract for a while, it doesn't water down the intensity.

Another favorite is to put the vanilla beans in sugar.  Voila!  Vanilla sugar for tons of yummy stuff.