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You are here: Home / Recipes by Category / Miscellaneous / Pressure Cooker Almond Extract

Pressure Cooker Almond Extract

August 26, 2017

Last modified on December 10th, 2020

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Pressure Cooker Almond Extract: Made with peach pits, sweet, fragrant, divine

We're “crackin'” the code for Pressure Cooker Almond Extract today!  Hiding deep inside a peach stone is the answer to sweet amaretto scented extract.  Read on for the secret!

Pressure Cooker Almond Extract in a glass jar

Caution: Never make Extract in a stovetop pressure cooker or near an open flame.  My recipes are written for electric pressure cookers only.  Always use a Natural Release, never a quick release.

For more information on making Pressure Cooker Extract, see this article: Instant Pot Vanilla Extract Research

Pressure Cooker Almond Extract!  This was not an easy recipe to “crack” but I finally figured it out. The secret to homemade almond extract can't be found in an almond at all, although I tried very hard to make that so. I used regular almonds, blanched almonds, toasted almonds, but they all smelled like . . . well, nothing. So I gave up.

Then one day I ran into this article. Turns out the secret to good almond extract actually lies in the center of a peach stone. I didn’t believe it at first, but after I cracked open a peach stone and removed the white kernel from inside, one sniff told me I had found gold. It was the most dreamy smell, reminiscent of store bought almond extract, but so much more pleasant (this coming from an almond extract hater).

Peaches and peach stones on a white background

Rather than bringing home 20 peaches and opening them all at one time, I simply stored all the peach stones in a gallon size freezer bag in the freezer as my family ate peaches. For all of you who buy insane amounts of peaches for canning and jam making this time of year, this will be an excellent thing to do with your peach stones. To think, all these years we threw them away! It’s just plain sad how many glorious, fragrant peach kernels I’ve put in the trash over my lifetime!

Check out this quick video to see how Pressure Cooker Almond Extract goes down!

Couple of quick notes before you tackle your own Pressure Cooker Almond Extract:

First Note

The flavor of this extract for me is a cross between vanilla and almond. It’s not quite as abrasive as store bought almond extract but carries the same notes with a sweet, soothing smell similar to vanilla. It’s hard to describe, but I made Frozen Whipped Cream Dollops with it one day, and they were a raving success eaten just straight out of the freezer. It substitutes beautifully for anything you already use vanila for. The taste is not as powerful as store bought almond extract though and I found I had to use twice as much to get the flavor to stand out.

Peach stones in a white bowl

Second Note

Cracking open those peach stones is no easy task. I tried it on my kitchen counter (bad idea), a vice I stole from my husbands toolbox (squashed my fingers and may have cursed once . . . or more), then finally discovered that the cement pad on my back porch was the perfect solution. So grab a mallet, a towel that you don’t like (it may get holes in it), and your frustration over kids smearing toothpaste all over the bathroom, and then crush those peach stones like a boss!

Broken peach stones with a small hammer in the background

Third Note

Add a vanilla bean to your almond extract. You will die of happiness and your friends will pay you hundreds of dollars for your “Top Secret Extract”.

Fourth Note

I’ve read this can be done with cherry and nectarine kernels too, although I’ve never tried it.

Fifth Note

The fragrance seems to vary in potency from one peach variety to the next and I haven’t quite nailed down which ones are best since stores don't specify the variety. But I have a good feeling that sweet summer peaches are gonna be magical. Let me know if you find a good variety and I’ll update the post!

Close up of Peaches and peach stones on a white background

Sixth and Final Note

If you don't already know, peach kernels contain cyanide which I was very concerned about until I read that many of the foods we eat such as almonds, spinach, black beans, soy etc also contain small amounts of cyanide. I read several articles, some of my favorites being this one and this one, and although somewhat comforting, I was still a bit nervous to post this recipe.

I found a lab that could test the amount of cyanide in my extract and here’s what was found-I’ll keep this simple and to the point. Basically a 100 pound person would have to ingest 2500-10,000 mg of cyanide in a day to be harmful. That being said, in 1 teaspoon of my almond extract, there was only 0.09 mg/teaspoon putting it far below dangerous levels especially considering if you used 1 teaspoon in a batch of cookies, you would not even be ingesting a full teaspoon of extract. My friendly lab tech said to be on the very safe side, the maximum daily intake should not exceed 0.6 mg, which is still quite a bit more than the amount per teaspoon in my extract.

The decision is still totally up to you. If you don't want to go there, there are 5 other extracts this week for you to fall in love with and gift to your loved ones. At least after knowing those results, I feel at peace about posting this recipe to all of you.

Almond extract in a glass jar on a white background

Several people asked me to crack this code (and crack it I did, literally!), and I am so so thrilled to finally bring Pressure Cooker Almond Extract to you all!

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing the many extract potentials made possible by the glorious pressure cooker. I’ve had a blast experimenting. If you do any experiments of your own, please let me know if you find any new favorites. I’ll give you a heads up by warning that coconut and cacao nibs are less than exciting and that freeze-dried bananas smell amazing, but go mushy and slimy.

Be sure and check out all the extract possibilities.  Here's some direct links for you: Vanilla FAQ, Lemon, Cinnamon, Maple, and Peppermint.

And just look what my sister Cami made up for us!  Free printable extract labels for all the extracts posted about here.

Extract Labels on small bottles

 

Enjoy!

Print

Pressure Cooker Almond Extract

Almond extract in a glass jar on a white background

★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

We're “crackin'” the code for Pressure Cooker Almond Extract today!  Hiding deep inside a peach stone is the answer to the sweet amaretto scented extract I wanted.

  • Author: Marci
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup 1x
  • Category: Extracts
  • Method: Pressure Cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 25–30 peach stones
  • About 1 cup Vodka (I like red label Smirnoff Vodka 80 proof)

Instructions

  1. Gather a mallet, an old towel you don’t care about, and the peach stones.  Place a peach stone on the towel and fold it over to cover the stone.  Hit firmly with the mallet until it breaks open and reveals the white, almond shaped kernel inside.  It’s okay if the kernel gets broken, just pick out the white pieces from the stone and place them in a Mason jar.  Repeat with remaining peach stones.  
  2. Once all the kernels are in the jar, add vodka, leaving 1 ½-2  inches of headspace.  Top with a canning lid and ring and barely tighten.  
  3. Add 1 cup of water to the pressure cooker pot and place trivet inside.  Put the Mason jar on the trivet.  Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes.
  4. When cooking is complete, use a natural release.
  5. Carefully remove the Mason jar, swirl it lightly and place on a cooling rack overnight.
  6. Once cooled, top with a pourable lid and use in all your favorite recipes that call for almond or vanilla extract.   

Notes

  • Caution: Never make Extract in a stovetop pressure cooker or near an open flame.  My recipes are written for electric pressure cookers only.  Always use a Natural Release, never a quick release.
  • Alcohol smell may be strong at first but will diminish over a week or two.  If still overpowering at that point, return to the pressure cooker for another 30 minutes.
  • The pressure cooker will fit up to three jars at a time, so feel free to double or triple the recipe.

Keywords: almond extract, extract, peach pit

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Tags: peach, vodka
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    December 13, 2020

    Thank you. This helped speed up my concotion of almonds and apricot kernnels that were just not going to be done in time.
    What font is that on your labels?????

    Reply
    • Marci says

      December 14, 2020

      Jennifer, Good question, I’m not sure! How long have you been soaking your kernels?

      Reply
  2. Mandy says

    September 12, 2020

    Mine smells amazing but do u strain the pits from the extract? Wondering if it is like vanilla extract, you just keep topping off with vodka and you have never ending extract when the beans are still in the bottle? Do I strain out the peach pits? If I do not strain out the peach pits can I add vodka to keep making more extract? Thanks

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Marci says

      September 14, 2020

      Mandy, yes, you can keep topping it off if you like. I don’t strain it since the flavor will continue to infuse.

      Reply
  3. Erica says

    August 1, 2020

    I am not an authority on this, but I have read that peach pits are poisonous! My quick search just now confirmed this. There may be other important details that I didn’t read that would dispute this. But – –
    Just to be safe, please do some research before you make this.
    I’ll be interested to see what others find out.

    Reply
    • Marci says

      August 2, 2020

      Erica, I included some studies I did in the post, take a look at it and see what you think.

      Reply
  4. Ellie says

    November 20, 2019

    This looks great! Is the pressure cooker absolutely necessary?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Marci says

      November 21, 2019

      Ellie, I’ve never tried it any other way! Sorry, I can’t help you much there as far as the comparison.

      Reply
  5. Karin Laverick says

    November 18, 2019

    Cannot wait to try this!!!! If you don’t have access to fresh/ripe peaches is there any way to get dried, whole peach pits that you can do this with? If so where?!?!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Marci says

      November 19, 2019

      Karin, Not that I’m aware of, but I haven’t researched it much. Report back if you find anything!

      Reply
    • David Dixon says

      November 23, 2019

      Yes, In fact, the best place to get bitter almond kernels is from a Chinese grocery store. They are called 杏仁 (sheen ren). I no longer have a pressure cooker, so I just grind them in the blender; then, after soaking them for one week, I can take a little out, put a little in, and give it a stir to keep it steeping.

      Reply
      • Karin says

        November 30, 2019

        Great! Thank you for the info, they sell them on Amazon and I was wondering if they would work 🙂

  6. Cindi Foster says

    March 16, 2019

    Have you ever used the dried peach kernals that are sold on Amazon?

    Reply
    • Marci says

      March 16, 2019

      Cindi, I haven’t, I didn’t even know that was a thing!

      Reply
  7. avon shop says

    November 21, 2018

    It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate to
    this superb blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google
    account. I look forward to brand new updates and will share this site with my Facebook
    group. Talk soon!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Holli says

    August 24, 2018

    Just to clarify for myself, all 25 peach “seeds” go in one pint jar can and this can be done in the Instant Pot? And someone said you can do up to 3 pint jars at the same time?

    Reply
    • Marci says

      August 25, 2018

      Holli, yep, yep, yep 🙂

      Reply
  9. Jennifer says

    August 9, 2018

    Hi,
    would you put the vanilla bean into the jar before putting into the instant pot? Would you scape out the beans or just leave the pod whole? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Marci says

      August 9, 2018

      Jennifer, I cooked it right along with the almonds and I just slit it in half. The seeds distribute into the vodka nicely on their own. It’s so good!

      Reply
  10. Marian says

    March 26, 2018

    This smells delightful! Am I supposed to scoop out the pits once the cooking process is done? And the cloudy nature of the liquid id normal? Store in the refrigerator or cupboard? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Marci says

      March 26, 2018

      Marian, I strained mine after 6 months and the cloudiness is normal. Just store it in the cupboard!

      Reply
  11. Elizabeth says

    March 21, 2018

    Can food grade glycerin be substituted for alcohol in all the extract recipes?

    Reply
    • Marci says

      March 21, 2018

      Elizabeth, I’m assuming that it will work, but I have never actually tried it with anything but vanilla. Let me know if you do!

      Reply
  12. David says

    February 20, 2018

    Thanks for sharing your recipe. I just thought I’d point out that apricot seed nuts are quite plump and aromatic.
    You should be able to buy high quality ones under the name of “bitter almonds” from almost any Chinese medicine store, a good herbal store, or maybe from Amazon. Now I have a question: why don’t you grind the bitter almonds for your recipe?

    Reply
    • Marci says

      February 20, 2018

      David, great tip, thanks! The pits were quite smashed by the time I cracked open all the seeds so I didn’t feel it necessary to grind up the pit. Have you personally done it that way with great results?

      Reply
    • Karin says

      November 18, 2019

      … David have you tried this? I would love to know if it works!

      Reply
  13. Kathy says

    December 8, 2017

    Can you freeze the peach pits until you have enough for this recipe? I’m the only one that will eat fresh peaches and for sure can’t eat enough in one sitting lol

    Reply
    • Marci says

      December 9, 2017

      Yep! Just throw the whole pit in a freezer bag until you are ready for it

      Reply
  14. Beth Carrison-van der Heide says

    September 14, 2017

    Perfect timing! My husband just came home with two huge buckets filled with fresh . Organic peaches from his parents newly producing tree. Have you tried multiple canning jars in the pressure cooker? I’m going to have a lot of peach pits.

    Reply
    • KLynne says

      September 14, 2017

      I know in the Instant Pot brand of pressure cookers, they say don’t do it, at all.

      Reply
    • Marci says

      September 16, 2017

      Beth, You can fit up to 3 pint jars at a time.

      Reply
  15. KLynne says

    September 13, 2017

    The guy at the liquor store told me his mom makes extract with rhubarb, vodka and simple syrup. Let’s it soak for several months. What does that taste like? He didn’t really know. Lol

    Reply
    • Marci says

      September 14, 2017

      Klynne, Wow, I can honestly say that one never crossed my mind ????

      Reply
      • KLynne says

        September 14, 2017

        Right? Floored me too. If I run into him again going to ask more questions. Like what on earth do you use it for? ????

  16. KLynne says

    September 13, 2017

    Ignore my questions that I posted on the lemon extract. Just reread this. Good to go! Since you add double the amount in recipes, if I put 50-60 In one jar, would that make a difference or no?

    Reply
    • Marci says

      September 14, 2017

      Yes, it could. That would increase the amount of cyanide in your extract though, but if you’re using half the amount that I do, then that all works out. And saying that, the levels are so far below dangerous levels that it should be fine

      Reply
      • KLynne says

        September 14, 2017

        Excellent! Thanks!

  17. Wendy says

    August 28, 2017

    Oh gosh, am I excited! I love all things almond-flavored, but my sweet mom who lives with us is deathly allergic! Can’t wait to make some of this and get that flavor we both love without killing her! Thanks so much…off to buy peaches for the multitudes!

    Reply
    • Marci says

      August 29, 2017

      Wendy, Well that’s just plain awesome!

      Reply
  18. Nancy says

    August 27, 2017

    Only one thing. Apricot seeds/kernals contain cyanide. Laetrile anyone? I love your site but this one recipe this time,,,,,,,,,,

    Reply
    • Marci says

      August 27, 2017

      Nancy, yes, peach, nectarine, and cherry pits all contain cyanide as well as canned black beans, spinach, and almonds. That’s why I only felt comfortable publishing this recipe after having the extract tested at the lab to make sure it didn’t contain harmful levels and it was WAY below harmful levels. That being said, if it bothers you, then skip on over to the other 5 extracts, you’ll love them!

      Reply
      • Mark says

        December 10, 2017

        Your toxicity limits for cyanide are off by several orders of magnitude, I think. The Acceptable Daily Limit for cyanide recommended by WHO is 0.6 mg/kg of body weight. That works out to 2.7 mg of cyanide for your 100 lb person, not 2,500 to 10,000. 50mg would be a fatal dose for 50% of the population.

        Your extract is still safe, obviously (unless you drink a big swig of it), but there’s not quite the margin of safety you’re implying.

      • Marci says

        December 10, 2017

        Mark, I appreciate your feedback. I’ll send your info to the lab I worked with and see what they say, thanks!

  19. Heather says

    August 27, 2017

    Not that I think it’ll last long around here, but what about storage? And how long will it keep? Thanks for the recipe! I’m so excited to try this! ????

    Reply
    • Marci says

      August 27, 2017

      Heather, I love it so much I’ve been subbing all the vanilla in recipes with it ????. Alcohol Extracts made and stored properly are supposed to be infinite. But where the peach kernels were fresh, for myself, I like to make small batches and use them up within 6 months or so.

      Reply
  20. Karen says

    August 26, 2017

    Yes yes yes! This is what I was hoping for! I am super excited to make this! I knew we were saving our peach pits, but wasn’t sure why. This is fantastic and I can’t wait to make it! Thank you, Marci!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Marci says

      August 26, 2017

      Karen, that was just for you! I would have bagged the idea a long time ago otherwise ????

      Reply

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