The short answer: to make peppermint extract, pack a cup of fresh peppermint leaves into a jar, bruise them, and cover them with 240 ml of vodka at 40% alcohol. Keep it dark for 4 to 6 weeks, shaking weekly, then strain. Start in late October and it is ready for holiday baking.
Homemade peppermint extract tastes of the fresh leaf, with a green edge. Shop extract is peppermint oil dissolved in alcohol, so it hits harder and can taste like toothpaste. Yours is gentler, which makes it hard to overdo in brownies, hot chocolate and icing. You need fresh mint, vodka and 4 to 6 weeks.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Work | 15 minutes |
| Wait | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Ratio | A loosely packed cup of leaves per 240 ml vodka |
| Keeps | A year or more, closed, cool and dark |
Ingredients
- A large bunch of fresh peppermint: about a loosely packed cup of leaves (around 30 g)
- 240 ml (1 cup) vodka, 40% alcohol (80 proof)
- A clean glass jar with a tight lid
Which mint? Peppermint gives the classic cool, strong taste. Spearmint is sweeter and softer, closer to chewing gum. Both work; just label the jar.
How to make peppermint extract
- Wash and dry. Rinse the mint and dry it fully. Water in the jar weakens the extract.
- Pick the leaves. Strip the leaves from the stems. Stems add a woody taste.
- Bruise. Roll the leaves between your hands or press them lightly with a spoon. This releases the oils.
- Cover. Pack the leaves into the jar and pour in the vodka. Every leaf should be under the liquid.
- Wait. Close the jar and keep it in a dark cupboard. Shake it once a week for 4 to 6 weeks.
- Strain and bottle. Pour through a fine sieve or coffee filter into a clean bottle.
How to tell it is ready
- It smells clearly of mint first and alcohol second.
- The colour has turned from green to olive or amber brown. That is normal.
- A drop in warm milk tastes clearly of mint.
Strain by week 6. Leaves left longer start to taste of hay.
A stronger peppermint extract
For more punch, do a second soak. After 3 weeks, strain out the leaves and add a fresh cup of bruised leaves to the same vodka. Wait another 3 weeks.
You can also reduce part of the alcohol to make the flavour more concentrated. The NOIDS Herb Lab Evaporation function reduces liquids with a boiling point no higher than 100 °C (212 °F). It runs at about 50 ml an hour and stops by itself at 102 °C (215.6 °F). Mint aroma is delicate, so reduce by a third at most and taste. Use food-grade spirits only, in a room larger than 50 m³ with fresh air, at least 5 m from any open flame. The Condenser collects the alcohol instead of letting it into the room.
How to use peppermint extract
| Bake or drink | How much |
|---|---|
| Brownies (20 cm tin) | 1 to 2 tsp |
| Buttercream or icing (250 g sugar) | 1 tsp, then taste |
| Hot chocolate (1 mug) | 1/4 to 1/2 tsp |
| Peppermint bark (200 g chocolate) | 1 tsp |
These amounts are for homemade extract. If a recipe was written for shop extract, start with about double the amount it gives and taste.
Peppermint extract or mint syrup?
Both bring mint flavour, but they do different jobs. Extract is strong and used by the teaspoon in baking, chocolate and icing. It keeps for a year. Mint syrup is sweet and alcohol-free, used by the spoonful in lemonade and iced tea. It keeps a few weeks in the fridge. Make extract for the baking cupboard and syrup for summer drinks.
Common mistakes
- Wet leaves: water dilutes the vodka and the extract keeps less well. Dry the mint fully.
- Stems in the jar: they add a woody, bitter note. Use leaves only.
- Leaving it too long: after about 6 weeks, mint can taste like hay. Strain on time.
- Weak spirit: below 35% alcohol, the extract pulls out less flavour and may not keep.
- Too much at once: taste as you bake. A little goes far in icing and chocolate.
Gift bottles
- Bottle it in small 50 to 100 ml bottles. Leave the sprigs out: leaves left in turn the extract hay-like.
- Label it with the date, the mint and "1 tsp in brownies or icing".
- Pair it with a jar of vanilla extract for a baker's gift set.
Want to bottle more flavours? Vanilla extract and almond extract use the same jar, the same vodka and the same wait.
Questions
How long does homemade peppermint extract take?
4 to 6 weeks in a dark cupboard, shaken once a week. Start in late October and it is ready for December baking.
Can I use dried mint?
Yes. Dried leaves are more concentrated, so use about half the volume. Fresh peppermint gives a brighter, cleaner taste.
Why did my peppermint extract turn brown?
That is normal. The green colour fades as the leaves sit in alcohol. The taste is what matters.
How long does peppermint extract last?
A year or more. The alcohol preserves it. Keep it closed, cool and out of the light.
Is homemade peppermint extract as strong as shop extract?
No, it is milder. Shop extract is peppermint oil in alcohol. Start with about double the amount and taste as you go.
