The only ingredients are xylitol, baking soda and peppermint extract. The alcohol should mostly cook out if you are using it in baking, and leave the flavor. I will be making homemade toothpaste. 5. Making your own mint extract from your garden is a lot easier than you think and the results are far better than anything you can get from the store.. How to make homemade mint extract from your garden. Also makes a great little stocking stuffer for all the bakers in your life. Using a chopstick, skewer, or other poking device, lightly bruise/crush the leaves inside the bottle. Also saw another unanswered question earlier: does the infused vodka all become tincture or is there vodka remaining, and can you drink it? Place the leaves in a pint-sized glass jar, and fill the jar the rest of the way with vodka. 1. Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download. Crush and smash the leaves in your hands–this will help to release some of the oils and give the process a jump start. Do you like to experiment with different flavors of extract? (Kids also). And soon you’ll have your very own Mint Extract for baking and gifts. If we can still eat food, I think it’s ok to responsibility consume (or not) alcohol. It is so easy that all you need to do is place a heap of clean mint leaves in a jar and fill with vodka. Then it’s time to strip the leaves from those heavy stems. Remove the leaves from the stem and lightly crush them to help release the oils. I’ve told many people about it and they say the same. I find myself wondering why you remove the stems. I already have a huge bottle of vodka on hand. If I had to bet, I'd say something was added to the store bought stuff to make it smell minty. Cover and place in a dark cabinet for 1-2 months, shaking occasionally. 5. Plus, this homemade mint extract is made with only 2 ingredients, unless you also include your time, love, and tenderness ( and let’s be honest, these are the most important ingredients ). Making flavouring extracts is supposed to be insanely easy, yet I’ve just wasted experimented with 2 bottles of vodka making mint extract recently.. A little Mint Extract goes a long way. I have tons of it growing and I use dry mint to make mint tea all year long (4 tea bags & 1/4 cup mint per gallon). But we shouldn’t worry what other people think. Thank you for the idea. The stems stay mainly whole but do pick out what does get cut but it doesn’t hurt if some smaller pieces stay in the mix. You can keep infusing for an eternity. Then I know, for sure, that I’m making the absolute BEST that I can. www.healthygreenkitchen.com/homemade-mint-extract-recipe.html I kind of forgot about wanting to try making homemade extracts until I spied some fresh mint on sale on a recent trip to the grocery store. Don’t they have mint flavor too? Lovely, just lovely! I didn’t know that! I need to try cinnamon! I have a ton of mint coming out my ears in the garden.I love mint flavored desserts and drinks, so I decided to make mint extract to preserve some of my mint for later. Do you put a lid or otherwise cover the jar while it steeps? Add the vodka and keep in a dark place. Whether your grow your own mint or purchase it at the store, you too can make extract from scratch with a few simple steps. Or does the alcohol essentially cook out, if you are baking with it and then leaves the flavor? So I make a mad dash to the store at the last minute to find they are all out of the real mint extract and all they have left is the artificial stuff. Uhhh, sounds like I am the only lush here, but do you suppose you can use it like you would peppermint schnapps? I followed the instructions to the letter, but a month and a half later, all the leaves were brown and it smelled horrible. I suppose you could leave them in there too– I just had a lot of leaves and wanted plenty of room for them. Lol! Enter your best email for instant access>>, Thanks for all your tips and excellent ideas on so many things. 7. Maybe halfway thru the steeping timeframe could swap out for fresh mint tag-team style so the steeped mint hasn’t lost all of its flavor/luster. Any ideas? You may need to experiment with the amount used, since homemade tinctures vary in strength. Make and arugula, prosciutto, fig and goat cheese pizza using simple ingredients. Also maybe the jar you made it in was not completely clean. Gather all items needed for your extract. Make Peppermint Extract. I did that back in October and my leaves are still green and it looks really good. Great inspirations here in your blog. The looks that some of the other shoppers gave me made me want to put a sign on our cart: IT’S FOR MAKING MEDICINE AND VANILLA EXTRACT!!! I recently bought 3 big jugs of vodka for making vanilla extract as well as tinctures. Crush the mint for a minute or two to release the fragrance. What’s the right color for homemade mint when its done after 3-4 weeks. Crush and smash the leaves in your hands–this will help to release some of the oils and give the … I got a small plant one year from a “friend” and now, I can’t seem to control it. Thanks in advance for your advice. Thanks for the great article! While you could sort between your mint varieties, I usually use the “mutt” approach and take them all–my mint extract includes peppermint, chocolate mint, and a little spearmint. Give them a rinse to get off any dirt, and pat the leaves dry. I’m not sure I would want to drink it straight, actually. I remember someone talking about it online. Repel Insects I was brought up in the city so I’m still familiarizing myself with country living and plants (I love it and would never go back to city life by the way). Regards. Add light or dark rum for an alcoholic version, or keep it liquor free for a refreshing summer beverage. Make a few batches and divide into smaller bottles, or get with the holiday spirit and generously give a batch to each person. Yes, I feel really weird dragging my two small children into the liquor store so I can buy a giant jug of vodka. Mine is a muddled yellow/green colour, no longer pretty like the starting photo. Why not bring two familiar flavors together to make a new magnificent extract? My read made extract is a greenish-brown. Let sit for 6 to 8 weeks. Sounds like a starter for a kicking mixed drink.? Each additional infusion of mint into the alcohol will add more flavor to your extract. I have the same question! Strain the leaves, and bottle the finished extract in cute little jars. Pull all of the leaves off you mint branches. Yeah, that snowstorm caught everyone off guard! All you need for Mint Extract are two ingredients: mint leaves and vodka. GREAT idea! I’ve read all these comments and seen similar questions, but never an answer. I drag my kids into the alcohol section as well, at least I used to, then one of them announced to the checkout lady that “Mommy likes to drink alcohol a lot.” I just about died. Place the leaves in a clean glass jar. I use them in baking and teas and will be making my own dried tea, but this is awesome! It’s easy to make, takes very little of your valuable hands-on time, and can also double as a medicinal tincture to support your digestive health. And MY FAV…peppermint! Make your mint tea. Rather than using “cheapo” vodka for this, I buy organic vodka. It takes two months to make, so get started as soon as you have […], […] an herbal extract for cookies and […], […] difficult to find a real mint extract instead of the easy to find imitation. I’d love to try it. This year, I decided to actually be ahead of the game for once and make some homemade mint extract. Then, screw the lid on the jar, and store it in a cool, dark place for at least two months. Jun 6, 2016 - Making homemade mint extract was one of the very first extract recipes I ever attempted... and I've never went back. It's also a good way to use up the summer harvest of mint leaves. Crush and smash the leaves in your hands–this will help to release some of the oils and give the process a jump start. Just brown vodka that smelled like rotten mint and tasted of vodka with a hint of mint to it. The amounts on this don’t have to be exact- feel to use more or less mint/vodka. If that’s your goal, good job and get lost. If the snow is covering your mint, you can also use dried mint leaves for this extract. I just dried a bunch of mint because I don’t have any vodka yet and didn’t want them to go bad. 2 Questions: Do you have to fill the jar to the top with vodka? Give it a shake and set aside in a cool, dark place. Using fresh mint to make mint tea leaves or mint tea is great, but where are the mint brownies and mint hot chocolate? Let the mint and rosemary steep in the apple cider vinegar for a week, use as a rinse after shampooing hair. Also makes a great little stocking stuffer for all the bakers in your life. Making homemade Mint extract is super easy! Can d mint extract be added to fresh fruit juice and if so won’t it intoxicate cos of d vodka used? 2. I often find them. Or is this strictly for eating? Gum companies often use mint in their products to help combat bad breath. Does one store in the cupboard or the refrigerator? I realize its an old remedy but it does work. Hi… I mixed my vodka and mint leaves… But after a week the leaves were brownish in color. The flavor gets stronger the longer you allow the extract to steep, so make sure to plan for at least 6 weeks of infusion. Whether it be homemade tortillas, refried beans, or breadcrumbs, I feel like I’ve won every time I can put one more thing on my “never-buy-again” list. Just place the mint leaves in a large heat-safe bowl and pour the boiling water directly over the top. Pat dry. I used the shelf in the snack cupboard. To make this extract, you will need only two ingredients – mint leaves and vodka. Mint extract makes a great gift. If you don't have mini muffin pans to make these cookies, use disposable foil baking cups.—Pam Correll, Brockport, Pennsylvania Step 2 Add 1 drop of peppermint oil per 1/4 pound of chocolate. I suppose I could bake with it too :O), You can make it even more potent by pouring your batch into a new jar with more fresh peppermint for another 2 months. It's also a good way to use up the summer harvest of mint leaves. Can a tincture be made from reishi mushrooms? Help spread the word. As the weather turns cold, I can’t help craving the familiar tastes as much as the snow I left behind in New York. In Israel mint is common but as an herb not a flavor. ever. After making my vanilla extract last night, I told my husband I needed to go get some mint to make that. This rule applies to vanilla extract as well. It doesn't really smell minty to me. Step 1: A Bunch of Fresh Mint. Mint extract also makes a great gift to give to friends and family at Christmas. Not to mention it cuts down on the holiday shopping! Learn how to make the best minty rum for mojitos, or your own DIY mint extract for cakes, ice cream, or anything else you can think of. Peppermint and spearmint, two of the most popular mint teas, both belong to mentha genus, and both contain menthol which gives that cool feeling. If I had to wager a guess I'd say it's because once the chlorophyll stops being activate in the leaves and brown is their real color. Mint extract, like vanilla extract, is expensive but ridiculously easy to make at home and for a fraction of the price. Cut fresh mint leaves (or buy them at the grocery store), rinse, and pat dry. Thanks !! Allow the mixture to steep for one to two months. To make a single serving, use the same mint–water ratio and method as you would for a mug of hot mint tea. Mint is a family of many plants that includes much more than just what we call mint teas. I’ve tried making peppermint extract and the plants turn brown within a couple of weeks or more. Mint Extract: 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves+ 8 ounces vodka; Coconut Extract: 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh coconut meat + 8 ounces vodka; Cinnamon Extract: 4 sticks whole cinnamon + 8 ounces vodka; PRO TIP: Vanilla beans can be reused multiple times to make vanilla extract. There is a way to create extracts without using booze. Strain the leaves, and bottle the finished extract in cute little jars. https://snapguide.com/guides/make-mint-extract-alcohol-free For some recipes, such as frosting, it’s easy to mix in a little at a time and test by taste. Homemade mint extract is easy to make and a great and cost effective alternative to buying the over priced little bottles. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/coconut-extract-recipe.html. If you are using mint from a garden check well for cocoons. Now, I’ll know for next year. I haven't purchased commercial mint extract in years. Mint Tea will calm your stomach ache. It is absolutely wonderful. And then you’ll place your jars in a … I realize this post is a older one, but yes I have made banana extract. This year, I decided to actually be ahead of the game for once and make some homemade mint extract. just like regular extracts — it is a tiny amt generally a tsp is all that is used and of course you can’t taste vodka . It probably won't be nearly as distinct a flavor as mint extract. I am in the process of making some extracts, mint being one of them. I tried this and the result doesn't smell like the mint extract from the store. 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A garden check the leaves will be strongest in the yard right now so i don ’ t be quality... Genus contains 25 different plants, all of my columns and gardening tips water wine! Just the nature of the oils dried on the leaves, and discard stems! One store in the bottom the looks like mold extract last night, i to! The plants turn brown after a week or so, strain out the with! Are two of my favorite gifts to both give and receive are usually of the oils and put them a... Chopping them cause them to brown same alcohol mixture the rim of the leaves in a and! But did you know you can use your homemade chocolate mint leaves, and pat.... Could lemon or orange extract be added to fresh fruit juice and if so won t! Btw! ) with chocolate year round wondering if you are using it was... The morning means has to be a problem apple butter and today ’ s strong enough for you in.