Instant Pot Vanilla Extract
Instant Pot Vanilla Extract shaves so much time off of the homemade vanilla making process! I used the shake and sit method for years but putting it under pressure in my Instant Pot speeds up the process significantly!
Instead of shaking for months I have delicious, ready to use, Pure Vanilla extract in just a few weeks!
I use this in my Coconut Milk Yogurt, Blender Muffins, and Grain Free Pancakes!
For the last several years I’ve been testing vanilla extract in the pressure cooker. I’ve tried several different methods that yielded very similar results. The one below is great!
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If you make this recipe please share a link to the recipe online and tag me (@instantloss)! I love to see what you are cooking up in your kitchen!
Brittany Williams has taken the weight loss world by storm with her best-selling Instant Loss Cookbook. After reaching a peak weight of 260 pounds and spending a lifetime struggling with obesity, yo-yo dieting, autoimmune diseases, and chronic fatigue, Brittany changed her relationship with food and lost an astonishing 125 pounds in a year through diet alone.
Brittany’s latest book, Instant Loss Eat Real, Lose Weight shows how to make this a sustainable lifestyle with kid and family-friendly meals—from Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal to Cowboy Chili to Easy 2-Minute Pork Chops. Members of her growing community have reported losing 50 and even 100 pounds themselves! This cookbook will help others achieve similar success with simple, delicious meals, nearly all ready in 30 minutes or less.
Instant Pot Vanilla Extract
Print RecipeIngredients
- 12 Madagascar Grade B Vanilla Beans
- 1.75 liter of Vodka 80 proof+ (I buy the cheapest bottle at Costco, Kirkland Brand)
Instructions
- Using a knife cut a line through the top layer of the vanilla bean long ways and scrape out the vanilla beans with a spoon. Add vanilla beans and seeds to the Instant Pot.
- Add vodka to the pot.
- Place the lid on the pot and turn the vent valve to the SEALING position.
- Using the display panel select the MANUAL function. Use the +/- buttons to program pot for 65 minutes.
- While the pot works it's magic, sterilize your glass bottle(s), tongs, and funnel.
- When the time is up allow the pot to naturally release the pressure, about 50 minutes.
- When the pin has dropped open your Instant Pot and remove the vanilla beans with tongs. Place the vanilla beans inside you glass bottle(s).
- Using a funnel transfer the vanilla to your chosen glass storage bottle(s).
- Store vanilla in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight. Let sit for three weeks, minimum. Shake the bottles up whenever you think about it.
Notes
3. It will smell a lot like vodka when you remove it from the pot but don't worry that smell eventually goes away, just give it time.
4. The longer you let it sit the more the flavor will develop and the stronger the vanilla becomes.
5. Make at your own risk, I've been using this method for three years but putting alcohol in a pressure cooker isn't recommended by all and could potentially be hazardous.
How long does it last?
Indefinitely if you store it properly.
What a great idea this is! I still don’t have an IP but I’m a huge fan of DIY vanilla extract. I don’t bother scraping the vanilla beans. I cut them up into small pieces and boy oh boy is that vanilla extract great. I use Prairie organic vodka. Your posts are terrific, Brittany. I’m waiting for a killer price on the 6-quart. Naturally, my luck, Amazon did not put it on sale on the big sale day.
I am confused about the vanilla bean. You slice it and then scrape it with a spoon, and then are you putting all of that into the instant pot? Or are you separating what you scraped out? I’ve actually never seen a vanilla bean so that’s why I’m confused. Thanks.
Hi Suzanne, You put it all into the Instant Pot. The seeds and the bean pod. 🙂
At the end do you put the vinilla bean in the bottles you are storing or do you throw it away
I distribute all the beans/seeds into the bottles. 🙂
What is the proper way to store?
In a dark place. I store it in swing cap amber bottles in the pantry.
What do you use that much extract for, and can you use it in coffee as a poor man’s French Vanilla flavoring (with some sort of ‘cream’ substitute)?
It lasts me about a year and a half. 🙂 Vanilla just gets better as it ages. You could totally use it in your coffee. You could use vanilla extract and pumpkin for a pumpkin latte or add some full fat coconut milk instead. So yummy!
When I was a Realtor, we told our clients to put a couple of drops of vanilla on their light bulbs. It makes the house smell like you have been baking!
Am I suppose to strain out all the little bits that are left or do i put that into the bottles also?
You put allll that yummy in the bottles. 🙂
Where would I get swing cap amber bottles? Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Nanette, I got mine from amazon. Here’s a link!
http://amzn.to/2iKCfM2
did you do manual high or low pressure? thanks.
High. 🙂
Being in Canada, if we cut the recipe in half, do we also cut the time in half for the IP? We’ve not had our IP very long so not sure of timing. Our bottle of Mexican Vanilla we bought 29 years ago is almost done, so use it sparingly.
Time stays the same. 🙂
Okay, this may seem like a silly question, but is this vanilla extract that you use for baking, e.g., for cookies, cakes, etc?
Yep! 🙂
Dumb question but I have never canned anything so what is the best way to sterilize your bottles?
I just boil mine. 🙂
I have a electric pressure cooker how would I adapt this receipt to work in it .i know I will get a IP one of these days. Thank you
Thank you for posting the recipe, I cannot wait to try.
Does this measure out the same as recipes that call for extract?
Do you have suggestions for making other extracts? (lemon, rum, etc…)
Yep, exactly the same. 🙂 I haven’t tried making any other extracts yet so no advice on that front. 🙂
I’m thinking about doubling this recipe for Christmas gifts and adding a bit of moonshine to it. Is there no danger of explosion or alcohol vapours being released and catching on fire? Many other recipes keep the alcohol in a mason jar inside the insta pot….
Your link to Madagascar beans shows 10 beans in the package, not 12. Can this still be made with 10?
Hi Diane,
Yes, it can. 🙂 They don’t sell the pack I bought anymore unfortunately but 10 will suffice.
Made the instant pot recipe and the bottom of the jar fell off when I removed it from the pot. Followed recipe exactly , even using the same jar as you have pictured, and now I am afraid to try again due to the expense of the beans and the liquor. Do you think that this could be made in a stainless pot like when doing pot-in-pot meals?
I hope this isn’t a stupid question. Can I use this homemade vanilla extract in things that aren’t cooked (icing, etc) and it still be safe for the kiddos? I’m trying to figure out since there is alcohol, it doesn’t cook out in foods that aren’t cooked. Thank you for your help!
All vanilla extract is made from alcohol.
The IP recipe calls for 2 cups vodka versus the traditional recipe calls for 1 cup of vodka, is it because of the different method used? I want to make sure it is not a typo 😊. And can I use any glass bottles? Like for example bottles from store bought spaguetti sauce and re-use them for this purpose after boiling them to eliminate the original taste ir smell?
Another question: Do I strain the vanilla extract before pouring into the brown bottles or can I use it as is, with seeds in the potion? I know I leave the bean inside, it’s the seeds that are inside. It for gifts and wondering if it would be ok and look nice.
I made this about 8 months ago and it still smells like vodka very strong. Do you think I could add more vanilla beans? I wonder if the beans I had just wasn’t enough. I used the vodka from Costco. Thank you
Yes, if it still smells like vodka I would recommend adding more vanilla beans. There is no harm in adding more.
Hi thank you so much for your recipe, would I be able to reuse the beans to make another Instant pot batch of Vanilla extract after this one? Would the beans still be safe to use having been heated up in the previous batch?
Yes you can reuse the same beans. When I reuse my beans I always use half reused beans and half fresh beans.
I have a couple of questions:
1. Do you sterilize your bottles in the Instant Pot? If so, what settings and how long?
2. I made the vanilla last night, but was out for the evening and forgot to bottle when I returned. It’s still in the IP sealed. Do I need to bring to pressure again, or should it be safe since it’s alcohol and still sealed in the IP?
Thank you
3. How do you store your extra fresh Vanilla Beans after the vacuumed sealed bag
4. How do you store the Vanilla Beans that you don’t put into the bottles and how long do they last? What do you do with them?
Thank you!!!
Hi Kelly! 1. No I don’t have an Instant Pot with a sterilize function. 2.It’s totally safe to take it out, no need to bring it to pressure again. 3. You can vacuum seal them again. 4. I recommend storing vanilla beans in a tightly sealed container, either a glass jar in the pantry. Hope that helps 🙂
I really am looking forward to making this recipe, but I’m confused about how to portion it out. The recipe calls for 12 vanilla beans and makes 55 ounces. You left a link for the 16 ounce, swing cap amber bottles that you use. Do each of those bottles still only get one bean each? Is there a specific number of ounces that should be poured with each bean?
Hi Lindsay,
Thanks so much for reaching out. You may be looking at the shake and sit version of this recipe, but if you are using your Instant Pot you would be cooking it all together and then you would be pouring it into your containers of choice to store. But if you are shake and sit version you would portion the beans out into the amount of containers that you have. Hope that helps! Wishing you all the best!