Homemade Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract

We use quite a bit of vanilla at our house and we use it for more than just baking.  We also use it in our smoothies and other raw treats so I didn't want the alcohol in it for the flavor and other obvious reasons.  Anyway I also didn't want sugar, coloring or other additives.  So the vanilla we were buying wasn't what I would call cheap.  I figured there must be a more affordable way to have good vanilla!  I knew people could make their own but that usually required vodka!  Remember I wanted to avoid the alcohol.  Anyway this was my solution.  It's much cheaper and still gives our food that great vanilla flavor!  I think I will make a few jars to rotate because the longer it sits the better the vanilla flavor absorbs in.

Homemade Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract

1 jar tall enough for the vanilla beans

5-10 whole vanilla beans

2 parts vegetable glycerin

1 part water

Cut vanilla beans in half the long way and place them in the jar.  You may scrape the inside of the beans out and put into jar first, so it will take less time to gain plenty of vanilla flavor but this is messy.  Fill the jar 2/3 of the way with the glycerin and the last 1/3 of the way with water.  Shake to mix.  Let sit for at least a  few weeks in your cupboard shaking often.  Then for best vanilla flavor let sit in a dark place for 6 months, I have skipped this part if I needed vanilla sooner but it does make a better vanilla.  Then use just like vanilla!  You can reuse the vanilla beans and just refill with the water and glycerin when it's gone.  The beans should last for some time when you notice it's lacking in flavor then you may want to rotate some of the beans through.

Note: If jar you use is more then 8-16 ounces in volume you will need more vanilla beans.  A quart jar will need about 20 vanilla beans.