- Harvesting: The ideal time to harvest stevia leaves is late fall, just before temperatures drop significantly and frosts begin, as the leaves increase in sweetness in cooler temperatures but cannot withstand frost.
- Cleaning and Preparation: After harvesting, stevia stems should be thoroughly washed in clean water, possibly multiple times to remove dirt and bugs, then stripped of leaves which contain the sweet essence. The stems are discarded as they are not used for making stevia.
- Drying Process: The leaves should be spread out to dry in the sun for about 12 hours on a sunny day. An alternative method for less sunny or cooler days involves drying the leaves indoors, such as in a pantry, hanging upside down.
- Making Pure Stevia Powder: Once dried, the stevia leaves can be ground into a fine powder using a coffee grinder. This homemade stevia powder is greener and less sweet compared to commercially available white stevia, which is processed using a water extraction method.
- Creating Liquid Stevia: Liquid stevia is made by mixing 1/4 cup of the homemade stevia powder with 1 cup of warm filtered water, letting it sit for 24 hours to infuse. This produces a green-tinted liquid sweetener, useful in various recipes but may alter the color of the food slightly.
Video source: Halle Cottis / Youtube
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Is it considered as an herb?
Thank you sooo much!!
Could you just dry them in the dehydrator?
I put my homemade stevia powder in a fine mesh metal tea strainer down in the top of my coffee or tea for a few minutes. It sweetens great, and only the super fine powder is left behind in the drink. This year I will try to lighten the leaf color by blocking sunlight for 2+ weeks before harvest. I'll experiment various ways to see what works best, if at all. I also will try the extract method how they make vanilla extract with cooking the plant with alcohol. I already bought the proper type of extract-making alcohol needed.
I like the fact that you use filtered water but why do some people use vodka? I don't understand the reasoning in that.
Thanks for sharing. Gemma is cute.
Thanks for showing us how to do this!
In Wisconsin, what do you do to over winter your stevia plant?
I was going to use liquid Stevia in a lemonade what would be the measurements for something like that? Like if a recipe calls for one cup of simple syrup, how would I calculate that in Stevia liquid?
For how days we can store liquid stevia without preservatives????
Hi what coffee grinder do you use
Thank you and instant subscribe 😊💝💐🌹🕊️
You should be extremely careful doing this. The FDA doesn’t recommend the whole plant for consumption by humans but the parts of the plant that make the sweetness. That’s why you see steviol glycrides in the small print. Also some people like me are actually allergic to stevia. Most stevia is manmade if you know the chemical formula for the sweetness molecule.
Thank-you so much for the teachings on stevia, I have grown my first plant this year and was wondering how to use it besides using the fresh leaves. Yippee, now I know how 🙂
https://youtu.be/SY_iUgTTPZQ
I've grown stevia for about ten years. I have a patch of 10-12 plants. I've read many comments. First, yes the plants have come back every year. In 2018 we had an unusual snowstorm for a week and I lost a few but replaced them. I've never been able to germinate the Tony seed which likes temp in mid 80s to germinate. ( I've found plants early in spring but they don't carry many.)
I harvest stems just prior to flowering. I deleaf them first then clean them as Hallie did. I put them in a pillow case to remove most water. I also have a screen but sometimes just blow the fan on them on a towel inside. I use a similar grinder but don't go as far as powder.
I make a pot of good water in a 1/2 gallon glass vessel. I turn off the burner before it boils and spoon in a heaped teaspoon. Let it steep then filter.
The strength is tricky until you test it. Start on the light side because too much stevia can turn bitter.
I was hoping to find info on cooking with it. I did try making a cake with raw stevia but it didn't work. I'm certain infusions are the answer but also found vodka infusion isn't good for baking. I'll try the water method next. Thanks! My daughter's name is Hali, spelled the Hawaiian way 😊
Thank you so much! I can't wait to try this with my small harvest this year!
Store bought Stevia is HGHLY PROCESSES & BLEACHED = TOXIC! Thanks for showing us how. 🙂
Unhealthy and gross
I used to use white stevia every morning in my coffee. I finally realized it caused dehydration and very dry mouth. Now I blend my homegrown stevia into a fine powder and add a bit to the French press when making coffee. I no longer have that dehydrated feeling and severe cotton mouth when I drink my morning coffee.
Note: I used to just add a smidgen of green powder in my coffee cup, but quickly tired of chewing the pieces. By adding homegrown stevia directly to my French press I get all the benefits and sweetness without the grit.
I still use white stevia on plain yogurt with raspberries or what ever else fruit I feel like and have left from the prior season. Stevia is amazing!! (You must plant dark colored stevia seeds. The light colored seeds are not viable) Good luck and have fun!!
You’re such a cutie 🫀
I wish my stevia seeds would germinate!!
Since the plant is clearly flowering, it will have a diminished/altered taste. You need to keep pruning the plant in order to keep it in veg.
Can we make a liquid stevia with white powder stevia you bought from store?
Thank you I have been searching how to do this without a dehydrator and was having a hard time finding it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge this was very very helpful for me. I will be subscribing to your channel.
Hi Halle,
Do you know how long do stevia powder lasts after you grind it? I’ve had mine for 6 years now, haha and hopefully it’s still safe to eat and sweet?
Also, how long is your liquid stevia recipe good for after you put it in the fridge? And do you recommend using distilled water to make it? How about an essential oil as preservative ( say lemon or orange, or grape seed oil to preserve it longer? Thank you so much in advance! 😃
Boaring! You talking too much
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Amazing ! Great job ! Thank you so much for your effort & help !!