Alcohol-Free Vanilla Extract

Ingredients

• 10 oz Food-grade vegetable glycerin (Food-grade non-GMO glycerin; vanilla beans should be completely covered.)
• 5 Organic Madagascar vanilla beans (Cut lengthwise and then in half.)
• 1.5 cup Water (For the electric pressure cooker insert; place the jar on a trivet above the water.)

Steps

1. 1

   Measure the food-grade vegetable glycerin. Cut each vanilla bean lengthwise, then cut the beans in half.

2. 2

   Place the cut vanilla beans in a heat-proof glass jar with a metal lid. Pour in the glycerin, ensuring that the vanilla beans are completely covered.

3. 3

   For the pressure-cooker method, screw the lid onto the jar, but do not tighten it completely.

4. 4

   Add the water to the electric pressure cooker insert and place the jar on a trivet. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook at high pressure for 35 minutes.

5. 5

   Allow the pressure to release naturally. Carefully remove the jar and let it cool completely. Once cool, close the jar lid fully and store the jar in a cool, dry place.

6. 6

   Shake the jar a few times during the extraction period. The pressure-cooked vanilla extract is ready to use after 2–3 months and will darken as it sits in the pantry.

7. 7

   For the method without pressure cooking, close the jar lid after adding the glycerin and vanilla beans, then store the jar in a cool, dry place. Shake the jar a few times during extraction; the vanilla extract is ready after 6–8 months and will darken as it sits in the pantry.

8. 8

   After use, the vanilla beans can be reused to make additional extract or vanilla sugar and desserts.

Notes

The pressure-cooking method reduces the extraction time from 6–8 months to about 2–3 months. The vanilla beans can be reused for additional extract, vanilla sugar, or desserts. The source also notes that vodka may be substituted for the glycerin for an alcohol-based version, but that variation is not alcohol-free.

Nutrition per serving

• condiment
• extract
• alcohol-free
• halal
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• make-ahead
• pressure-cooked