Simple, Delicious & Easy to Make Homemade Banana Extract
Homemade Banana Extract
Needing an oompf to your banana bread. Want things to taste a little more banana-y? You may want to trade in your imitation banana extract for the real deal. It’s simple to make and packed full of natural flavors.
If you love making vanilla and orange extract, you will want to give making this extract for some delicious enhanced banana goodness in your bread, muffins, ice creams, pancakes and even savory dishes.
What Is Needed To Make Extract?
To make extract with natural flavors, you need:
- fresh bananas (can also use dehydrated bananas)
- vodka
Can I Use Fresh Bananas?
Definitely can use fresh ripe bananas. You will want to mash the banana into a puree before adding it into the vodka. Stir the bananas with the vodka so you can infuse that banana flavor with the vodka.
I have read that some people use banana peels cut into pieces to make extract as well (washed peels of course) to extract the banana flavor.
What is Considered a Ripe Banana?
I consider a banana ripe, when it has turned yellow. It is starting to get brown spots. It still looks like a banana you would serve on your cereal and not one that is mushy.
What Type of Alcohol is Used to Make Extract?
We use vodka. It is tasteless and odorless and will not add add a flavor to your extract. Gluten sensitive users use vodka from potatoes, not grains. Yo also want a vodka that is 80 proof or higher.
How Long Does it Take to Infuse Banana into Vodka?
After 3-4 weeks, the banana should be infused into the vodka. You will notice the vodka takes on a more yellow color. If you are using fresh bananas, this may not be as noticeable as it’s more mixed.
Be sure to tip the jars every few days from side to side to keep things moving and prevent molding.
How Long Does The Extract Last?
A lot of extract experts say that if things are infused in alcohol, they will last forever. And others say 6-12 months.
Banana Extract Tips
- If using pieces and not pureed banana, use large mouth jars. This allows you to easily remove the chucks of banana from the liquid.
- Use ripe bananas. Green bananas won’t release all the delicious flavor as a ripe fruit would.
- Use vodka to make extract because it is odorless and tasteless and will not add additional flavors into your extract.
- Your extract is highly concentrated, so only use a small amount, like you do when using vanilla extract.
Homemade Banana Extract
Equipment
Ingredients
- dehydrated bananas can use 2 fresh bananas
- 80 proof vodka
Instructions
- Fill your wide mouth jar half way with dehydrated banana slices.
- If you are using fresh bananas, mash them up with a fork until mashed like when making banana bread and put into jar.
- Fill the jar the rest of the way with vodka and place a lid on it.
- Let the jar sit for 3-4 weeks, turning daily, every other day, to keep the bananas coated by the vodka.
- After 3-4 weeks, use a small strainer and strain the bananas from the liquid.
- Discard the bananas and use to make banana bread, ice cream, bananas foster.
- Strain the extract again into the container you want to store and use from. This can be any bottle with a sealed lid.
- Label the bottle and enjoy in your favorite dishes.
Video
Notes
- If using pieces and not pureed banana, use large mouth jars. This allows you to easily remove the chucks of banana from the liquid.
- Use ripe bananas. Green bananas won’t release all the delicious flavor as a ripe fruit would.
- Use vodka to make extract because it is odorless and tasteless and will not add additional flavors into your extract.
- Your extract is highly concentrated, so only use a small amount, like you do when using vanilla extract.
Great info, thank you so much. I am a retired engineer, and a chefs nightmare… I have been making my own extracts for about 8 years now, and I love it as an expensive hobby for gifts and familial use. I have experimented with various alcohols and for Banana Extract I recommend coconut rum with the pirate character, hint, hint. This is also true for most Vanilla Extracts. For spice, herb, and floral extracts I prefer the cleanest vodka I can find which I shall call #21, hint, hint. It provides the least of the nasty things like Formaldehyde, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, and Acetaldehyde. I hate to say it, but most of the home grown American Vodkas I tested contain stuff that is not welcomed by my liver… BTW. I do not drink, what so ever, ever. But still I don’t want it in my grand children’s cookies.
Thank you for the information. Always good to be informed consumers.
Is this stored in the fridge?
This does not need to be stored in the fridge.
Can this still contain the same amount of alcohol after 3-4 weeks. And is it ok for children?
Thanks
This is an extract and not a drink or cocktail. No one should be drinking this in large quantities. This is like vanilla extract is made. The alcohol will always be in it, unless it is baked or cooked off. I hope that answers your question.
How long will the extract keep and how should it be stored?
A lot of extract experts say that if things are infused in alcohol, they will last forever. And others say 6-12 months.
How long will the banana extract still be good?
Looking online there are a few different answers. Some say 6-12 months. And others say if it smells good and tastes good it’s ok to use. I’ll let you make your own decision.