It goes without saying that I use a lot of Vanilla Extract. So it was a no brainer for me to make some Homemade Vanilla Extract in my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
You are probably wondering why I decided to use my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Instead of the traditional way. Simple. The vanilla extract can be used almost immediately for baking when made in your pressure cooker.
The traditional way of making vanilla extract requires you to wait almost 2 months before you can use it. Who has that much time?
You are going to be inclined to use the most expensive Vodka you can afford for this recipe. Save yourself some money and buy the cheap stuff. You will not notice the difference when all is said and done.
The idea here is to make this vanilla extract at home for less than what it would cost you in the stores (which is pretty expensive for the real stuff).
You have many options when it comes to selecting the vanilla beans. There are many sites out there that dissect the different types of vanilla beans out there so I won’t go into it here. Personally, I decided to go with a Tahitian Grade B Vanilla Bean that I found on Amazon at a reasonable price.
Once done, it is important to store your vanilla extract in a cool dark location. The extract should never be exposed to direct sunlight.
Since I was giving the vanilla extract away as Christmas gifts, I decided to put mine in these cute little 4-ounce amber bottles that I got on Amazon.
I recommend letting the vanilla extract sit in the jar for a couple of weeks before using it. The extract will smell like alcohol when it first comes out of the Instant Pot but will mellow out over time. Much of this depends on the quality of the vanilla beans you are using.
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
If you have any questions about your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, I suggest you visit Instant Pot’s Official Customer Care Center.
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Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Homemade Vanilla Extract recipe in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (see recipe card for quantities): Vodka and Vanilla Beans.
How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract in the Instant Pot
- Pour the entire bottle of Vodka into the Instant Pot.
- With a sharp knife, cut the top layer of the bean lengthwise. Once cut, you can either place the cut vanilla beans into the vodka or optionally scrape the vanilla seeds out and place the beans and seeds in the vodka.
- Seal the lid and cook on High for 60 minutes. Once done let the pressure release naturally (until the pin drops). This can take quite a bit of time so be patient.
- Remove the beans from the Instant Pot with tongs and place them into sterilized jars. If the beans are too long for the jars, cut them to size.
- Pour the vanilla extract into a large glass measuring cup ensuring to scrape all the seeds out of the pot.
- Use a funnel to pour the vanilla extract into each bottle. Loosely put the cap on each bottle and let cool for about 15 minutes. Tighten the cap. Wait until completely cooled before applying any labels.
Printable Recipe Card
Instant Pot Homemade Vanilla Extract
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IngredientsÂ
- 1.75 L Vodka, 80% proof minimum
- 10 Vanilla Beans
Instructions
- Pour the entire bottle of Vodka into the Instant Pot.
- With a sharp knife, cut the top layer of the bean lengthwise. Once cut, you can either place the cut vanilla beans into the vodka or optionally scrape the vanilla seeds out and place the beans and seeds in the vodka.
- Seal the lid and cook on High for 60 minutes. Once done let the pressure release naturally (until the pin drops). This can take up to 10 minutes.
- Remove the beans from the Instant Pot with tongs and place into sterilized jars. If the beans are too long for the jars, cut them to size.
- Pour the vanilla extract into a large glass measuring cup ensuring to scrape all the seeds out of the pot.
- Use a funnel to pour the vanilla extract into each bottle. Loosely put cap on each bottle and let cool for about 15 minutes. Tighten the cap. Wait until completely cooled before applying any labels.
Notes
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I decided to make this vanilla instead of buying store bought vanilla. It was great. I will never buy store bought vanilla again. The best I have ever used.