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

Is instant pot vanilla good? ›

Yes, one hour! If your mind isn't blown yet, consider this: The Instant Pot will also give your homemade vanilla extract the intensity of aged homemade extract or high-quality store-bought vanilla. This vanilla extract is sweet and heady with a rich perfume and is only a few jars and an electric pressure away.

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? ›

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract. Split the beans partway down the middle. Use kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to cut the vanilla beans in half most of the way up its length. 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.

What are the disadvantages of an Instant Pot? ›

Con– The Instant Pot uses steam under pressure to cook food and not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot. I attempted a crustless quiche which turned out well but it was too wet and moist to my liking and I prefer to cook it in the oven with dry heat.

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.

Is it cheaper to make your own vanilla extract? ›

A bit of simple math reveals that homemade vanilla extract is the more economical choice. Say you buy two 4-ounce bottles of the good vanilla extract from the grocery store every year. If each jar costs $18, that's $180 over a five-year span.

How many times can vanilla beans be used to make vanilla extract? ›

It is up to you when you want to discard the old beans and start fresh. I choose to use them 2-4 times, depending on the quality of the beans, how long the extract has been sitting and if I've been careful about making sure the beans stay submerged at all times.

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.

Does homemade vanilla extract still have alcohol? ›

Vanilla extract may contain up to 35% ABV, which is the equivalent of a shot of hard liquor like vodka or bourbon. This means vanilla extract can get you drunk, but it also puts a person at risk of alcohol poisoning.

Is homemade vanilla better with rum or vodka? ›

With Vodka, you get the taste of the pure vanilla bean, as the alcohol is completely tasteless. With Rum, you get a very sweet taste and the maximum vanilla taste. With Bourbon, while you do get a wonderfully enhanced vanilla taste, there are specific smoky notes that emanate through the extract.

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.

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.

What is the best vanilla bean for extract? ›

Madagascar vanilla is a great choice vanilla bean for making vanilla extract. The aroma of vanilla from Madagascar is just what most people expect when it comes to vanilla beans. Rich, buttery, creamy, with little notes of smokiness and soft cocoa undertones.

Does Instant Pot make food taste better? ›

Flavor Infusion: The high pressure and temperature environment in a pressure cooker or instant pot allow flavors to infuse more deeply into the food. This means that spices, herbs, and seasonings will have a greater impact on the overall taste of the dish.

Are vanilla pods worth it? ›

THE BOTTOM LINE: Though we hate discarding the pods, their flavor isn't close enough to extract or to beans to warrant the time and effort it takes to turn them into powder. BAG THE (SPENT) BEANS: Vanilla pods aren't a good substitute for beans or extract.

Is vanilla extract as good as pods? ›

Vanilla extract makes a great substitute for Vanilla Pods when you haven't got any available. It is difficult to say exactly how much to use, but a good guide is using 1 teaspoon in place of one Vanilla pod.

Which vanilla is best for cooking? ›

The bold, robust flavor of Mexican Vanilla Beans is perfect in recipes where vanilla is playing a starring role which makes it perfect in rich baked goods, cheesecakes, chocolate desserts, custards, crème brulee, ice cream and sweet breads.

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