Homemade Vanilla Extract with Rum
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Let’s talk about how to make vanilla extract with rum!
Making homemade vanilla extract takes just a few minutes of hands-on time, and including rum adds an incredible depth of flavour. The perfect addition to cakes, cookies and cocktails!
There is something about the taste of vanilla that brings together all kinds of other flavours. Like a super smooth canvas, it provides the perfect backdrop to any flavour masterpiece you choose to create on top.
Good quality extracts can be pretty pricey, but if you can get a good price on alcohol and have access to vanilla beans, it can be cheaper to make your own vanilla extract.
It’s easy to make, but I have some tips and tricks to help you along the way, including the addition of rum to make the extract super rich and flavourful.
Adding rum to the extract takes it to a whole other level, with the sweet notes of the rum rounding out the vanilla.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and printable recipe, or keep reading for ingredient tips and process photos.
Vanilla Extract Ingredients
There’s a short ingredient list here for this vanilla extract recipe: You’ll just need vanilla beans and your choice of alcohol (we’ll talk more about the alcohol below).
What Kind of Vanilla Beans Should I Use?
I like to look for “Grade B” or “extract quality” vanilla beans. These are beans that are drier, sometimes on the smaller side, and they usually don’t look as pretty, meaning they are generally cheaper than the plumper, Instagram-worthy “Grade A” vanilla beans.
But the Grade B beans still pack the same flavour punch, and once they’ve soaked in alcohol, they plump right back up and start infusing their flavour into the alcohol.
There are several species of vanilla available, and they have slightly different flavour profiles, so if you’re really into it, you can try out the different types to see which you prefer. They’re all delicious, though, so you really can’t go wrong.
As for where to buy vanilla, that will depend on where you live, so it’s worth having a look around to see what’s available.
What Is the Best Alcohol for Vanilla Extract?
To make a basic homemade vanilla extract, you can simply buy a bottle of vodka, pour a little out, shove in your beans, top it back up, and be done with it. This will give you a very “pure” vanilla flavour, and that’s why many recipes only call for vodka.
But let’s be honest, I like to be a bit extra sometimes, and my extract is no exception. So that’s why I add rum.
Rum
Rum has a smooth, sweet smell and flavour because it is made with byproducts of the sugar-making industry, such as molasses, which are fermented and distilled. The sweet and almost caramel-like flavours are what give rum its distinctive taste.
Choose a dark or gold rum – white rum doesn’t quite have the same flavour.
You can experiment with using spiced rum, but bear in mind that the flavour may overpower the vanilla flavour.
If you use only rum, the rum flavour can overpower the vanilla somewhat, so I like to use a combination of vodka and rum.
Wondering what brand of alcohol you should buy to make your extract? To be honest, any good-quality brand should do the trick. I tend to use Smirnoff vodka and Coruba rum.
Just check the alcohol content on your vodka, as this can vary; around 37% – 40% is ideal. Very cheap vodkas may have a much lower alcohol content, and these aren’t good for making extracts.
To make my homemade vanilla extract more cost-effective, I buy the alcohol when it’s on special or from duty-free shops if we’re travelling. This can considerably lower the price.
You can also experiment with using other liquors. I like using bourbon or whiskey in place of rum sometimes.
How to Make Vanilla Extract With Rum:
You will need a glass bottle that holds roughly 1 litre. You don’t have to buy a fancy one; you can recycle an old vodka bottle. That’s what I usually do, but I used this slightly more attractive swing-top bottle for these photos.
Split the beans down the middle, leaving the stalk end attached.
If you love to have vanilla seed flecks in your baking, then scrape the seeds from the bean with the back of a knife and pop the seeds into the bottle. If, like me, you prefer to choose when you want seeds (and achieve that by adding prepared vanilla paste), then don’t worry about scraping the beans; just split them.
Some seeds will, of course, escape their pods, and this is a good thing. Seeds = flavour. But they will settle to the bottom of the bottle, and you can decant your extract into smaller bottles, leaving most of the seeds behind, or strain out the seeds using a fine sieve once your extract is ready.
Fill your bottle up about 1/4 of the way with rum. Rough measurement is fine if you don’t want to fuss around with cups and whatnot.
Pop your vanilla beans into the bottle, split-end down. This will make it easier to remove the beans from the bottle when you’re done with them.
Shove ’em all in.
Then top up the bottle with vodka.
Then all that’s left to do is clean off any seeds from around the top and put the top on the bottle.
Give it a good shake, then pop it in a cool, dark place.
Shake it as often as you remember to. Once a week is ideal, but if you forget, then don’t worry, it will be fine.
Now is the hard part, waiting for it to be ready.
How Long Does Vanilla Extract Need to Steep?
Some extract recipes say you can use it in as little as 6 weeks. I don’t think the flavour is anywhere near developed enough at this stage; the alcohol smell is still pretty overwhelming, with the vanilla smell trailing way behind.
In my opinion, it needs to sit for a couple of months, minimum. Give it a sniff after this time, and if the vanilla scent is the one that hits you first, then it’s ready to use. If not, wait a bit longer. I like it best when it has sat for 4-6 months.
If you want to give some extract away as a gift before it has had sufficient sitting time, then simply pop a note on the label to say when it will be ready.
For a continuous supply of homemade rum vanilla extract, I like to make a new bottle every six months or so, so that by the time I have finished one bottle, I have another that is dark, delicious and ready to use.
And considering how easy it is to make, making it regularly isn’t too much of a hardship.
If you’re interested in seeing the colour changes that a vodka-only homemade vanilla extract goes through, then check out this (somewhat badly captured) photo. The first bottle is clearly (bad pun) a bottle of plain vodka. The second is just after adding the beans, and the third is the extract after six-ish months. All of that colour is flavour, people!
Quick Vanilla Extract FAQ
Recipes to Use Your Vanilla Extract
- Gluten Free Vanilla Cookies – The perfect gluten free cut-out cookie.
- Easy Chocolate Mousse – My original 3 ingredient chocolate mousse uses just cream, chocolate and, you guessed it, vanilla.
- Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats – Packed with marshmallows and lightly flavoured with vanilla.
- Sugar Syrup for Cakes – Add another delicate layer of flavour to your cakes with a vanilla syrup.
- And while it doesn’t have vanilla in it (although it could if you wanted), if you’re a rum fan, you’re going to want to try my Rum Caramel Sauce recipe.
Homemade Vanilla Extract With Rum
Instructions
- Pour the rum into a 1 litre bottle.
- Split the vanilla beans down the middle lengthwise, leaving one end attached. You can scrape out the seeds and add them to the bottle if you like. Poke the beans split end down into the bottle.
- Fill the bottle to the top with vodka. Wipe away any vanilla seeds from the top of the bottle, and put on the lid or stopper. Shake well.
- Store in a cool dark place for at least 3 months (6 is better, if you can wait.) Shake the bottle as often as you remember to.
- It’s a good idea to label your bottle with the date you made it, so you know when to start checking it. If you’re experimenting with different alcohols, different vanilla beans and different numbers of beans, then make a note of that too.
- Once the extract is ready, I like to decant it into a smaller bottle to keep in the kitchen, and leave the bigger bottle, with the beans still inside to continue maturing in flavour. When putting the extract into a smaller bottle, you can strain out the seeds if you want to.
