How to Make Instant Pot Vanilla Extract in Just One Week
Vanilla extract is a kitchen staple, but have you ever tried making your own? With the help of an Instant Pot, you can create a batch of rich, aromatic vanilla extract in just one week—perfect for baking or gifting! Say goodbye to the long wait and hello to a quick, simple, and impressive homemade treat.
Vanilla extract has always been my go-to homemade holiday gift, and it’s still one of my favorites to share. The flavor difference is incredible—there’s simply no comparison to the store-bought stuff. And with pure vanilla extract prices soaring these days, it feels like gifting liquid gold!
For nearly a decade, I’ve been making vanilla extract as Christmas gifts, and every year I find myself scrambling. The process takes at least three months—six months, or even six years, if you want that rich, aged flavor. But all that changed when I figured out how to make vanilla extract in my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. Now, instead of waiting months, I can have a batch ready to gift in just one week.
Using the Instant Pot not only speeds up the process, but it also enhances the flavor, giving the extract the depth and richness of aged, high-quality vanilla in a fraction of the time. So now, my favorite homemade gift is not just the perfect touch for the holidays—it’s a perfect last-minute gift too!
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
Making homemade vanilla extract is easier than you might think, and the key lies in using high-quality ingredients and the right equipment. Here’s everything you’ll need to get started:
- Grade B Vanilla Beans: These are the go-to choice for extracts because they’re more flavorful and aromatic than Grade A. Their slightly drier texture makes them ideal for releasing those rich, signature vanilla notes.
- 32 oz. Vodka: Any unflavored vodka will do, but mid-range brands tend to strike the perfect balance between quality and cost.
- Pint-Size Glass Canning Jars: New jars with tight-sealing lids ensure your extract stays fresh and free of contaminants. Choose jars with lids and rings for a secure seal.
- Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker: This modern marvel makes quick work of the traditional months-long process. Just be sure you’re using a 6-quart model or larger with a trivet. Important: Do NOT use a stovetop pressure cooker for this recipe—it’s not safe.
Step-by-Step Instant Pot Vanilla Extract Recipe
Making your own vanilla extract with an Instant Pot is simpler than you might imagine. Follow these steps, and you’ll have rich, flavorful extract ready to elevate your recipes in just one week.
1. Prep the Vanilla Beans
Start by cutting the vanilla beans into 1-inch pieces. Slice each piece lengthwise, but don’t separate them completely—keep them connected. No need to scrape out the seeds; they’ll naturally release their flavor during the extraction process.
2. Fill the Jars
Divide the vanilla bean pieces evenly between two pint-sized canning jars. Fill each jar with vodka, stopping about 1 inch below the rim to leave room for expansion during cooking.
3. Seal the Jars
Secure the lids and rings loosely—just finger-tight. This allows pressure to escape safely during cooking while keeping the jars sealed.
4. Prepare the Instant Pot
Place a trivet at the bottom of your Instant Pot and set the jars on top. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot.
5. Cook Under Pressure
Seal the Instant Pot lid and set it to high pressure for 30 minutes with the valve in the “sealing” position. Once the timer is up, let the pressure release naturally, which should take about 20 minutes.
6. Cool the Jars
Carefully remove the jars from the Instant Pot—they’ll be very hot! Set them aside to cool completely before handling further.
7. Shake and Store
Once cooled, place the jars in a dark cupboard. Shake them daily for one week to help release and blend the flavors.
8. Enjoy Your Homemade Vanilla Extract
After a week, your vanilla extract is ready to use! Pour it into smaller jars for gifting or keep it handy for baking. Either way, you’ll enjoy rich, aromatic vanilla goodness in every drop.
Pro Tip: Save the vanilla beans in the jar! They’ll keep infusing flavor as you use the extract. For extra longevity, you can top off the jars with more vodka as needed.
Creative Gifting Ideas for Your Vanilla Extract
Hot Sauce Bottles
Gift bottles as seen in the photo above are sold as “hot sauce bottles,” and just perfect for gifting gourmet extracts. They come in 12- or 24-packs including screw-on lids, dripper inserts, and black shrink bands.
To fill the bottles with vanilla extract, use a small funnel and pour it in—completely unfiltered. To add a touch of class, I drop in 2 or 3 of the vanilla bean fragments from the brew. Then screw the lid on very tightly, slip a black shrink band over the bottle’s neck, and hit it with a hot hairdryer. That shrinks it to fit and creates a lovely note of security.
Personalized Labels
Personalized labels add a special touch to any gift, making it feel unique and thoughtful. These printable labels that you can easily customize using your home computer allow you to add your own personal greeting or message. If you prefer a more hands-on approach, you can opt for kraft labels on a roll, where you can handwrite your message for an extra personal flair.
Bonus Tips for Reusing Vanilla Beans
You can use the same vanilla beans over and again to make extract in the future. Just replace the liquid you poured off for your own baking or for gifts with new vodka. Either process again in an Instant Pot or tuck away in a dark cupboard for a nice long soak over the coming year. The beans do lose their intensity over time, so dropping a few new beans into each new batch works fabulously. Shhhh! I’m still using beans I bought in 2013 in batch after batch … after batch!
What if I don’t have a pressure cooker?
No worries! You can still make delicious homemade vanilla extract without one. Check out my traditional non-pressure cooker recipe and instructions for homemade vanilla extract for an easy alternative here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vanilla Extract
Will a 60-minute cook work even faster?
This is weird, but no. I've tested pressure cook times up to 90 minutes. The difference between that time and 30 minutes, has nothing to do with the taste of the finished extract—but the beans begin to break down after 30 minutes. That makes the extract cloudy and muddy, a condition you do not want to create. At 30 minutes the extract comes out delicious, clear, and gorgeous. Shaking the extract at least once a day for a week increases the intensity and color of the extract as it releases all those beautiful teeny vanilla seeds, making it super gift-worthy. You can achieve a darker more intense flavor in 30 minutes by increasing the number of beans.
Where do I buy vanilla beans?
You can find them in some supermarkets, warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's, or online. Prices have come down considerably (don't skimp here), so shop around. Just recently I scouted like a cheapskate and found the best online price for Madagascar Grade B beans at Amazon. This year I purchased the Tahitian Grade B Vanilla Beans featured above.
What is the best type of vanilla bean?
Vanilla grown in Madagascar is known for its high quality and the best flavor, although beans grown in Tahiti and Mexico make a fine extract, too. Grade B beans, surprisingly, are better than Grade A for extracting. They're cheaper too.
Why are vanilla beans so expensive?
Vanilla beans are among the most labor-intensive crops globally, with their price reflecting challenges like hand pollination and years of tree maturity. Beyond farming, factors like global economics, climate, and consumer trends also drive costs. In the 1980s, artificial vanilla (often flavored with castoreum from beavers) led to a drop in real vanilla demand, pushing farmers toward crops like coffee. By the 2010s, the clean-label movement revived natural vanilla's popularity, creating new demand. Cyclones in Madagascar, theft, and shifting regulations add to the price volatility. In 2023–2024, oversupply briefly lowered prices, but a 2024 cyclone reignited scarcity fears. Farmers face pressure to harvest early, affecting quality, while sustainable vanilla remains a small part of the market. Vanilla’s high cost stems from labor, weather, and fluctuating demand, with efforts to stabilize and promote sustainability shaping its complex future.
Do I have to use vodka?
No. An alternative food-grade glycerin version of vanilla extract will make a fine substitute. Just don't expect anything close to high-quality, excellent vanilla extract. Personally, I'd look for another type of homemade gift altogether than compromise with glycerin which does change the flavor.
What kind of vodka?
Opt for a mid-range, unflavored vodka with 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof)—you’ll find this clearly labeled on the bottle. To keep costs low, check for sales. For example, I recently snagged a 2-quart bottle of Fleischmann’s Royal Vodka for just $6.99 on sale. It worked perfectly!
What is the shelf-life of vanilla extract?
Because of the alcohol content, pure vanilla extract has an indefinite shelf life. Bonus: If you leave pieces of a vanilla bean in the extract, the flavor will continue to intensify over time.
Instant Pot Vanilla Extract
Ingredients
- 10-12 Grade B vanilla beans
- 32 oz plain vodka 40% alc/vol, 80 proof
Instructions
- Prep the Vanilla Beans: Slice the vanilla beans into 1-inch pieces and cut them lengthwise halfway (don't scrape out the seeds—they'll infuse naturally during the process).
- Jar the Beans: Divide the vanilla bean pieces between two canning jars.
- Add the Vodka: Pour vodka into each jar until it’s about 1 inch below the rim.
- Seal the Jars: Screw on the lids loosely (finger-tight) to avoid any pressure build-up.
- Pressure Cook: Place a trivet in the Instant Pot, then set the jars on top. Add 1 cup of water to the pot. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 30 minutes, with the valve on "sealing."
- Release and Cool: After cooking, let the pressure release naturally for about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the jars (they’ll be hot!) and allow them to cool.
- Shake and Wait: Place the jars in a dark cupboard and shake them well every day for the next week. That’s it—you're ready to gift your homemade vanilla extract!
Nutrition
Question: What’s your go-to homemade gift idea? Would you give vanilla extract a try, or do you have another DIY favorite? Let me know down in the comments section below.
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It’s been a month since I’ve cooked my vanilla in the instant pot, religiously shaken the containers daily and today was the day to put them in my gift jars. I decided to give it a quick taste and it tastes like straight vodka, very little vanilla taste 🙁 I followed your recipe exactly, even using Madagascar vanilla beans ordered specially. Hopefully, with more time the ‘vanilla’ will become vanilla. Guess I’ll go Christmas shopping because I can’t give this out as gifts. So disappointing.
Have you ever tasted store-bought vanilla extract by taking a swig straight out the of the bottle? I’m guessing no … I mean, who would do that?!
Pure vanilla extracts typically contain 35% alcohol by volume (70 proof) as required by FDA standards for vanilla extract in the United States.
Grab a bottle of McCormick Pure Vanilla extract (or whatever you have on hand). Give that the same taste test you gave your [awesome] homemade brew. I think you will be very surprised as it tastes much like what you have made!
I think your brew is just right. In fact, I just ran down to taste test mine as you did with your’s (I have never done that before, either!). Whew! Like vodka straight up. That’s the very reason I wouldn’t leave a bottle of it sitting out within reach of children.
My advice: You can relax. You’ve made something wonderful for the lucky people on your Christmas list!
I don’t have instant pot what can I use. Have everything else?
I’ve been making Instant Pot vanilla extract for a few years now. Friends and family anticipate their amber jars filled with goodness each year.
I’ve also made lemon, coffee, coconut, orange and chocolate extract, but have not attempted almond extract. I may try it this year.
My first attempt: somehow the loosely covered jars LOST half their contents in liquid (which ended up adding to the 1 cup of water for pressure cooking, diluting it).
Any idea why?
I don’t understand how the jars would overheat and cause the contents to expand and overflow.
It makes me want to forget the idea.
I’m guessing your jars were too full. Hard to know without more detail
I have a 35 year old 8 qt. stove top pressure cooker that I use for everything you all now use instant pots for and have never had a problem. You stated NOT TO USE A STOVE TOP PRESSURE COOKER but you don’t say why. Could you share the reason as I really don’t care to buy a new contraption just to make vanilla. Please sure the logic behind that statement, it would be appreciated.
It’s too difficult to regulate the temperature on a stove top pressure cooker. And I have never attempted to do this with a stovetop pressure cooker, so the warning in the post is to cover any liability I might have in that regard.
I was a little nervous but I am excited to say it worked beautifully. I thought I would share a tip. I misplaced my trivet during our recent move. I got creative and used 4 mason jar rings in the bottom of my InstantPot. I added 2 more rings to keep the glass from accidentally touching the sides. Worked like a charm! Thank you so much for all you do, Mary!
I have an 8 quart Instant Pot. Does anything differently need to be done in the 8 qt instead of the 6 qt??
Where did you get the nice labels for the vanilla? Is there a link you could share?
Avery labels for inkjet and laser printers, Amazon
I only have an mini instant pot. Would that still work??
Yes, you may need to process one jar at a time, but it will work fine.
Where did you get you labels? Love them!
Avery is one brand of labels. Those pictured are printable in your home computer. They come with a template to set it up with your unique words, greeting, etc. You can also get these kraft labels on a roll, where you handwrite your message etc. Here’s a link to Amazon that will show you all the options!
Can your other extracts (Vanilla, Lemon, Almond, Chocolate, Coffee) be made in the Instant Pot as well? If so, is the method the same?
I have not tried that, but I wouldn’t hesitate at all. Yes … follow the same protocol. Let us know how that turns out for you!
Hi Mary,
Was thrilled to find your recipe for the vanilla extract! Yesterday I made my first batch and today I got curious about the scent and the flavor, so I opened one of the pint jars. The aroma was intoxicating! However the extract still has a strong vodka flavor to it (I did a little taste test). Will this “vodka” flavor dissipate over time, especially in the first week? I will be very diligent about shaking the jars!
I’ve been a fan for years and really enjoy all your tips and hacks! 🙂
Colleen
The process of extracting takes time. I assume you used the Instant Pot method, which gives the process a kickstart! Give it a few weeks. You’ll find that it gets better and better … homemade vanilla is at its peak at 2 years.
Mine had a very heavy scent of alcohol. Is that normal?
Thank you for sharing this great short-cut, Mary! I have a large InstaPot and have made 4 pints at a time. The liquor is infused with such a deep brown color when the jars come out of the pot – definitely a significant time saver!
Mary, please help!!
I’ve been reading your e-newsletters for many years.
Vanilla is getting to be a fortune here in Canada so back in October I bought vodka, bourbon, and vanilla beans. The beans arrived yesterday (perfect timing!!)
However. I’m not sure how hurrying the process of vanilla along in the instapot would affect the integrity of the alcohol. Doesn’t alcohol burn off with heat? And , isn’t it the alcohol that gives the extract the indefinite longevity. ? So if I boil off the alcohol , wouldn’t I be affecting the lifespan of the extract ?
Hi Tara, Your worries are unfounded. The process will not “boil off the alcohol.” That would require evaporation over a long period of time in an open environment. Even then, water and alcohol bind with each other, which means that as long as there is still a trace amount of water left in a jar, bottle, or food there will be a trace amount of alcohol as well. As for making pure vanilla extract in your Instant Pot, make sure the jars are covered as instructed. This process works great and has been well-tested. You’ll be happy with the results. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
This was so fun! I bought a kit with amber bottles, funnels, chalk labels and marker pen. Can’t wait to gift them!
I agree with Ilene. Clean jars via dishwasher can be achieved. New (or almost new) rings are usually in stock at a canner’s pantry. New lids are at the moment still iffy. Purchasing new jars with rings and lids…..next to impossible still, with the pandemic and all. Why not use your jars & your rings and purchase new lids if they can be found?
Do I need new pint mason jars or can I just clean in a dishwasher beforehand ?
Make sure they’re clean. You don’t need new jars.
Hi Mary:
Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge over the many years that I’ve subscribed to your emails and newsletter.
For simplicity, could I split the whole bean lengthwise first, before cutting them into smaller pieces? Seems like it would be easier to do that than splitting a bunch of smaller pieces. Please advise.
Thanks again!
I don’t think that will work because in Mary’s description above, once you cut the bean into 1 inch pieces, you only cut that piece halfway lengthwise, so, if you cut it longways first, you will end up with pieces that are cut all the way through which is not how Mary said that the pieces should be cut for the recipe.
Thanks Maria, and not to belabor this, but I didn’t mean to split the bean lengthwise into two halves, but to basically “butterfly” the whole bean first before cutting it into smaller pieces. It seems like one is doing the same basic cuts, regardless of whether the bean is whole or cut into smaller pieces?
I suspect that my preferred method may be a little more efficient, though I’m never above admitting when I’m wrong.
It’s okay to use beans cut the beans all the way thru. Any method of cutting will allow the tiny specks inside those pods to escape and that’s what we want! I cut them partially to allow that process to happen more gradually.
Maria,
Look at the picture Mary used in the article of how to cut the beans, she did not “butterfly” them down their entire length. For each 1 inch piece, she left the top half completely intact and cut the bottom half in two. Picture a squid with 2 tentacles, lol. Like I said, look at her picture 🙂
Sorry, my comment should have been directed to Lou, not Maria.
Whichever is easier! Both options will work well.
How many vanilla beans do you put in each pint jar?
Found it, 10-12 vanilla beans
I clicked the link for the vanilla beans and noticed that the package said not to try to slice grade B vanilla beans, just to chop them into pieces. Thoughts??
Alice … I cut these beans into pieces and also slit them lengthwise always with great results. I have no idea about the directive you refer to. Sorry!
I followed instructions and used b grade beans and the vodka specified. Cooked then in the one pot, shook them daily and I noticed that there were black speckles in the jar. Are these the actual beans? Or is it just a different part of the bean? When I bottle this, I dont neccesarily want to have these in my flavoring correct? In addition, I’d like to try and use the beans again and was wondering if I shoud just use the bean pod itself or the black speckled part too. Please advise.
Black speckles are the precious, awesome tiny vanilla beans, or maybe “bean-ettes!” That is exactly right. As yo bottle the vanilla some will end up in each bottle. And the big pieces of vanilla (let’s call them the pods) that remain—you can use them again and again! Just as they are. Add new prepped beans now and set the jar in a dark cupboard. Shake it regularly and you’ll have next years batch of vanilla brew.
I’m not sure why it says that. I’ve done both, but if you want to be precise, follow the package directions,
Instead of 2 pints jars could I use four 1/2 Pint jars then they would be ready to gift. OR should I pour into dark brown bottles for gifting & using for myself. What is the shelf life of this vanilla?
Thank you for all you do!!
Shelf life is forever. Indefinitely awesome!
SunnieB asked 2 questions but you only answered the second one.
Thanks, SunnieB! I like to pour the extract into bottles for gifting because I don’t want to include the beans tht I can use again (and again) in future batches with the gift. I do put 2-3 pieces of beans in the gift bottle for aesthetic appeal.
Can I use any electric pressure cooker or does it HAVE to be an Instant pot. If so, then what would you set it on since there is no “sealing” option?
Also can you do more than 2 jars if they fit in the pot on the trivet? Thanks
I have not use another type of electric pressure cooker, so I’m hesitant to say for sure one way or the other. However pure vanilla extract does not require sealing of the jars. That is the nature of alcohol. It does not spoil, does not go bad; does not require that it be pressure sealed.
Mary, tried your version last year and this year tried the Instapot version. Like the easier, shorter Instapot way. But I had a problem understanding what you meant about putting the canning lids on loosely-“finger tight”? Wasn’t sure what that meant so just screwed lids on without that last turn or so to tighten down. The result was that when the cooking time and venting was up and I lifted the lid I found about 1/4 of the vanilla liquid had evidently boiled out of the jar and was mixed with the water added to the pot before cooking. Is that normal or did I not tighten jar ring enough? Can you describe the tightening process further? Or could I have filled the jar too much? I hated to loose any vanilla in this way.
Also, now that these jars are sealed can I open and pour into smaller gifting jars or does it need to be kept sealed until used. I have been asked if it needs to be refrigerated or can just sit on dark shelf once used by recipient?
I’m going to guess that you overfilled the jars in the Instant Pot. Finger tight means screwed on but not super tightly. You are going to have nearly a pint of vanilla in each of the processing jars, which would be a huge amount for a gift. The smaller bottles like the “hot sauce” bottles shown are a good size for gifting. You would fill them from the large pint processing jars. Hope that makes sense to you.
Can I use another brand of electric pressure cooker?