Homemade lavender extract made from fresh or dried lavender buds and vodka. This extract is great for baking or homemade lotions and lip balms.
This was submitted by Katja of Savory Lotus!
I love to garden, and I especially love to grow flowers. I love that their main purpose is to just be beautiful. A couple of years ago, I planted several lavender plants in my garden in hopes of creating a wall of lavender. This year, I am swimming in lavender. Did you know that lavender has other uses besides looking and smelling amazing? I like to use it in my baking to add a subtle floral touch. For me, it evokes a feeling of old-fashioned love.
Making lavender extract to use in the kitchen is simple. All you need is alcohol and some lavender flowers. I generally use vodka for my homemade extracts as it has the most neutral flavor. I go for the mid-grade kind, not too cheap and not the expensive stuff. Sometimes I harvest my own lavender flowers from the garden and dry them by hanging them in a warm place out of the sun. I find that using dry herbs for extracts reduces spoiling issues as dried herbs do not have any water content. If you decide to purchase lavender flowers, I recommend getting organic lavender (like this) to avoid any harmful sprays/chemicals that may be used in commercial flower growing.
I use glass jars when making extracts to avoid harmful plastics leaching into my edibles. I often use recycles glass jars or wide mouth mason jars.
Generally, I let my lavender extract sit for about a month, but it can be used after about 2 weeks. As with all extracts, the longer you let it steep, the stronger it will be.
BTW, Lavender extract makes a great gift. I use small amber glass bottles like THESE to store it in as gifts. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to let the lavender steep before you want to give it away.
What to do with Lavender Extract?
Once you have your amazing extract made, there are so many wonderful uses for it.
I use it for:
- cookies (Lavender Shortbread cookies)
- adult cocktails (think Lavender Lemon Drop or Lavender Margarita)
- lavender whipped cream (great with coconut cream)
- ice cream (check out my coconut mint ice cream recipe)
- cheesecake
- chocolates (OMG… have you tried a Lavender Chocolate Truffle?)
- Skincare (like this great homemade lip balm recipe)
- And of course, gifts (a homemade gift is always appreciated)
FAQ
I honestly haven’t tested this recipe with ground lavender. I have used lavender buds, which works well.
This recipe uses vodka and fresh lavender herbs to make lavender extract.
Yes, if you’re baking the vodka will dissipate during the baking process. In ice cream, you only use a small amount so there’s very little vodka in the ice cream.
It’s really simple to make lavender extract! Simply follow the instructions in the recipe card below.
This lavender extract is a concentrated lavender elixir and is the only homemade lavender concentrate you can make at home.
Lavender Extract
Homemade lavender extract made from fresh or dried buds, and vodka. This extract is great for baking or homemade DIY potions.
Ingredients
- A glass jar with cap
- 2 cups vodka
- 1/2 cup organic lavender flowers, dried
Instructions
- Place lavender flowers into glass jar.
- Pour vodka over flower and place cap securely on.
- Give a little shake and place out of direct sunlight.
- Let sit for at least 2 weeks, giving it a little shake once in a while.
- Strain through a sieve, gently pressing flowers to extract all the goodness. You can strain again through a sieve lined with an unbleached coffee filter if you want.
- Place in a clean glass container with a tight cap. Keep out of direct sunlight.
can you use the leaves? or just the flowers? and also do you have to dry them if you take the already dry flowers off the plant?
Just the flowers and yes, as there may still be some moisture!
Can you use the lavender oil for soap making?
Yes, you can use lavender oil in soap making.
I followed instructions perfectly except I let mine go past 2 weeks. I checked it at 2 weeks and it smelled BEAUTIFUL and sweet. But I let it go another 2 weeks and it turned a little brown and lost that perfect smell. I highly recommend following the recipe and no more than 2 weeks 🙂
How do I know if I did it wrong? Mine sat for 20 days and it smells funky. Not as sweet as I’d imagined. I used dried lavender from our yard.
If you plan to let it sit longer than two weeks, strain and remove the flower buds and then it should be fine.
Nice recipe but the badly placed ads are annoying
Hit reader view on your browser and they will disappear ?
Using vodka in ice cream, is it OK for kid’s?
I. Don’t recommend giving children ice cream infused with vodka or any alcohol you can’t boil or cook long enough to remove alcohol out. It’s not like i using 1 tsp of extract.
Mt lavender infused vodka turned into a brown color, can i still use it for baking?
How long should this extract last for (before it goes bad)?
I was wondering the same….did you get any answer?
Can i use this method to put in my mist diffuer?
1 to 2 months. keep it cool in a jar with a lid.
Love the idea for lavender extract. Where do you buy the dark glass bottles?
I buy my bottles and labels on Amazon. I can purchase bottles in a variety of sizes and colors.
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Would this work with ground lavender? I dried our lavender and we ground it up with a coffee grinder.
Trying this today! What a great idea 🙂
there are brands of vodka that are not made with corn. i have a kid with a corn allergy, so i’ve had to research. you’ll have to go to a real liquor store to get the brands as they are obscure ones you’ve probably never heard of before. google “corn free vodka” and you’ll get the complete list.
thanks!
What brand of vodka do you buy? Is any old vodka ok or is there somewhere to buy organic? I don’t know much about alcohol, but I think I read that many times it contains GMOs from the corn it is distilled with.
If your using it to store it or to give away as a present does it have to be in an amber jar or botle or can it be in a clear one???
Amber bottles help stop light from breaking down the contents. If it’s kept in a dark place it should be fine if in a clear bottle. I use clear bottles.
How would you make Lavender oil..not for baking but for baths and such…would you do the same thing as far as dying them out and then adding them to organic oil instead of alcohol?
You could steep some dried lavender in an oil of your choice, like probably olive oil or fractionated coconut oil, but lavender essential oil is a pretty involved thing that requires a steaming apparatus and a TON of lavender flowers.
That would be a lavender (or any other herb) infused oil, great for cooking. And yes, you are right, it takes equipment and a lot of flowers to get pure essential oils.
Have you done this with any other flowers?