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Easy DIY Extracts
Skip the store bought stuff and make your own extracts.
Debbie Wolfe
Makes 8 ounces of extract per flavor.
Ingredients
- vodka
- 3-4 vanilla beans
- 1-2 lemons
- handful of fresh peppermint
- 3 half pint canning jars with lids
Debbie Wolfe
Homemade flavored extracts are unbelievably easy to make and taste better than the store bought stuff. It’s also much more economical to make your own. DIY extracts make great gifts for all the food lovers in your life.
You can’t really mess up this recipe. Add more or less of the flavorings depending upon how strong you want the results to be. Also, you don’t have to buy the best quality vanilla beans to make an extract. You will also get a much better deal ordering the vanilla beans in bulk online than buying them individually at the grocery store.
Debbie Wolfe
Prep the Lemon and Mint
Wash and dry the peppermint leaves. Remove the leaves from the main stem. Peel the lemon rind off of the lemon. Make sure you avoid the bitter white pith.
Debbie Wolfe
Vanilla
Chop the vanilla beans into 1-inch pieces. It is not necessary to scrape the vanilla seeds out.
Debbie Wolfe
Add to Jars
Add the vanilla beans, peppermint and lemon rind to the half pint jars. Fill to just below the bottom screw ring on the neck of the jars.
Debbie Wolfe
Let it Sit
Wipe down the rim of the jars. Add the lids and let the jars sit in a cool, dry area for at least a month. Give the jars a shake every other day or so (or when you remember). When you are ready to use, strain out some of the extract into a smaller jar or bottle. Keep the unused portion in the original jars with the flavorings.
Debbie Wolfe
Homemade extract will basically last for years. You can keep adding vodka to the jar as you use it, but the resulting extracts will get weaker.
