Easy Instant Pot Recipe for Homemade Vanilla Extract

This week, I started baking cookies to give to my friends as Christmas gifts. Every year I think I’ve purchased enough ingredients, but inevitably I will run out of something. This year my butter and vanilla supplies are running low. I’m not quite up for churning my own butter at home. But thanks to my Instant Pot, vanilla doesn’t require a trip to the grocery store anymore.

Now, you can make vanilla extract with your Instant Pot. The Instant Pot vanilla is just as good as the aged, high-quality variations found in stores. The traditional vanilla infusion process takes up to a month or even as long as a year. With the Instant Pot, it is, well, instant!

Instant Vanilla Extract

Grab your Instant Pot and follow this recipe to make your own vanilla extract. Here’s what you need to infuse your own vanilla extract at home:

• Instant Pot
• Grade B vanilla beans
• mid-price 80 proof vodka
• 16-ounce glass jars with lids
• water
• tongs

Start by splitting each of the vanilla beans in half lengthwise. Then, place two beans in each jar and pour fill with vodka. Place the lids on the jars and tighten by hand. Prep the Instant Pot with the trivet and set jars inside. Next, pour water into the Instant Pot and seal. On manual mode at high pressure, let the jars cook for one hour. Then, leave the pot for an additional hour or more until  pressure releases. After pressure releases, the jars will still be hot. Use tongs to move them to a towel or rack to cool. And voila, vanilla extract.

This homemade vanilla extract is ready to use the next day. When stored properly, it won’t spoil. Just keep it cool and in an airtight container. As a result, it makes a great gift for foodie friends.

Instant Pot literally fuels a healthy lifestyle. It has already helped many people lose weight and keep up with dietary restrictions. Some have lost more than 100 pounds. In fact, Instant Pot replaces a whole cabinet of appliances in your kitchen. It seems there’s nothing this magical, high-tech pressure cooker can’t do.