Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract

What You’ll Need to Make Bourbon Vanilla Extract

You need very few kitchen tools to prepare your own vanilla extract from scratch. The main thing to remember is to wash the glass bottles before filling them with the bourbon vanilla! The alcohol will sterilize the jars, but obviously you want everything to be squeaky clean beforehand. 

• Glass bottle with lid — I prefer using glass bottles rather than glass jars because it makes it easier to measure out the vanilla extract when baking. However, you may use any air-tight glass container to make bourbon vanilla extract.  
• Funnel — Is necessary for cleanly pouring the bourbon into the smaller glass bottles. 
• Glass measuring cup — For measuring out the bourbon. 
• Paring knife and cutting board — For slicing open the vanilla beans to expose the seeds. 
• Kitchen scale — Optional, but useful for measuring out the exact quantity of vanilla beans. You’ll want roughly 1 oz. of vanilla beans per 1 cup of bourbon. 
• Bourbon — Generally speaking, I prefer making vanilla extract with bourbon that has tasting notes of vanilla and / or caramel. 
• Vanilla Beans — Madagascar vanilla beans are my personal favorite because of their strong, creamy flavor.

Selecting Your Vanilla Beans

Traditionally, “bourbon vanilla” used to refer to the type of vanilla beans used in the extract, NOT the type of alcohol used! “Bourbon vanilla” is actually the generic term used for Vanilla planifolia, which is the most popular type of vanilla bean. 

This type of vanilla bean originated in Mexico, but in the 1800s the French developed vanilla plantations on the island of Reunion. At the time, the island was called the Ile de Bourbon — hence the name bourbon vanilla. 

For this homemade bourbon vanilla extract recipe, I recommend using Madagascar vanilla beans (sometimes called Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans). These are the most common vanilla beans sold at major grocery stores and are known for their strong, creamy flavor. 

Another reason I love this variety of vanilla bean is because it contains lots of seeds. All of those seeds are packed with vanilla flavor, and once they’re extracted in the bourbon you’re left with a potent vanilla extract. 

Katie’s Tip: Dry, brittle, or shriveled vanilla beans will release minimal flavor. In my experience, my local grocery store does not sell the best-quality vanilla beans. As such, I suggest ordering your vanilla beans online for the best selection and prices. 

Other Popular Types of Vanilla Beans

With all that being said, you can make bourbon vanilla extract using any type of vanilla bean you like. There are more than 150 varieties sold around the world, so feel free to experiment until you find your favorite! 

Other popular varieties of vanilla beans include: 

• Tahitian vanilla — has a stronger floral flavor, with chocolate undertones 
• Indonesian vanilla — is milder in flavor 
• Indian vanilla — has a very full vanilla flavor, with chocolate undertones 
• Mexican vanilla — is very bold, with a slightly smoky flavor 

How to Make Vanilla Extract with Bourbon 

Homemade bourbon vanilla extract is incredibly quick and easy to prepare! Just keep in mind that the vanilla beans need to sit in the bourbon for at LEAST 4 weeks before the vanilla extract can be used. 

1. Using a small paring knife, slice the vanilla beans in half lengthwise to expose the seeds. 
2. If preparing the bourbon vanilla extract in smaller glass bottles, you may wish to cut the vanilla beans in half crosswise so that they can be fully immersed in the bourbon. 
3. Transfer the vanilla beans to the glass bottle.
4. Using a funnel, pour the bourbon into the bottle. The vanilla beans must be fully submerged. 
5. Seal the bottle and store in a cool, dry place for at least 8 weeks before using. I recommend gently shaking the bottle once a week to aid the brewing process. 

Katie’s Tip: After your vanilla extract has aged to your liking, strain the vanilla beans out of the extract and let them dry. Then, use them to make vanilla scented sugar. 

Recipe Tips

Recipe FAQs 

Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can You Make Vanilla Extract with Bourbon? 

Absolutely! You can make homemade vanilla extract with bourbon as well as other liquors such as vodka, brandy, and rum. 

Bourbon is sweeter than other types of whiskey, and its undertones of vanilla and caramel pair beautifully with the natural flavor of the vanilla beans. 

What’s the Best Bourbon for Vanilla Extract? 

Look for a bourbon that’s at least 35% ABV or higher (which is 70 proof). You don’t need to purchase the most expensive bourbon for making DIY vanilla extract, but you also don’t want to buy a super cheap, bottom-shelf bottle. 

Specific brands of bourbon that I recommend include:  Bulleit Bourbon, Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey, Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon, and Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon.

How many vanilla beans should I use per 8 ounces of bourbon?

Many sources say you’ll need 1 ounce of vanilla beans per 8 ounces of alcohol. That’s roughly 6 to 8 beans per 1 cup of bourbon. (A kitchen scale is useful for weighing the vanilla beans and bourbon.)

However, you can use more or less vanilla beans depending on how strong you want your extract to be.  

How many 8-ounce bottles can I make with a 750 ml bottle of bourbon?

750 ml = 25.3605 ounces – that’s roughly 3 cups worth of homemade vanilla extract! 

How long does it take to make vanilla extract?

I recommend waiting at least 8 weeks before using your DIY bourbon vanilla extract. 

However, the longer the vanilla beans sit in the bourbon, the stronger and richer the extract will be! You can likely use it by the 4-week mark, but the extract won’t be at its full potency by then. 

How can you tell when vanilla extract is ready to use? 

You’ll know that your bourbon vanilla extract is ready to use once it’s a rich brown in color, smells strongly of vanilla (you shouldn’t be able to distinctly smell the bourbon), and is fairly opaque in color. 

You should also see lots of little flecks at the bottom of the bottle — those are the extracted vanilla seeds! 

Can I use another type of alcohol to make vanilla extract? 

Yes! You have a few different spirit choices when making homemade vanilla extract:

• Vodka is most commonly used when making vanilla extract. It’s flavorless, so you’ll wind up with a pure vanilla-flavored extract. 
• Rum is a popular alternative and makes for a sweeter extract. 
• Brandy would also work. It also creates a sweeter extract, but less so than rum. Brandy is a good in-between choice that falls between neutral vodka and super sweet rum. 

Homemade Vanilla Extract Uses

The most obvious way to enjoy your homemade bourbon vanilla is in any vanilla-flavored dessert, like ice cream or creme brulee. However, vanilla extract is used in most every baked good to add layers of flavor. 

Remember that vanilla isn’t just “vanilla flavored;” it has those nuanced notes of oak, caramel, and flora that work well in everything from chocolate brownies to spice cake! 

• Whipped cream or stabilized whipped cream
• Creme brulee
• Caramel sauce
• Homemade soft caramels
• Vanilla cut-out cookies
• Vanilla cupcakes
• Cookies (try almond butter cookies, white chocolate lemon coconut cookies, or pistachio cookies)
• Vanilla spiced pear butter
• Glazed walnuts
• Panna cotta
• Brownies (try classic chocolate brownies or sea salt brownies)

Katie’s Tip: You can also add a splash of vanilla extract to a bowl of plain yogurt to flavor it, stir it into your morning oatmeal, add it to chia pudding and overnight oats, and so much more!