Homemade Vanilla Extract for Gifts
Make homemade vanilla extract for gifts! This makes a wonderful Christmas gift idea, or you can make it for yourself!
Equipment
- Glass bottles with lids
- Funnel
- Kitchen shears
Ingredients
- Vanilla beans
- Vodka or any 80 proof alcohol
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the bottles and lids in warm, soapy water (or sterilize them), and let them dry.
- Using the kitchen shears, cut the vanilla beans in half and then cut each half down the center, lengthwise. You can also cut them smaller to fit your container size.
- Put the vanilla beans in the bottle. For these small (4 oz.) bottles, I used one and a half beans per bottle. The usual ratio is about 3-4 beans per 8 ounces of alcohol.
- Using the funnel, pour Vodka over the beans in the bottle and fill to the top (leaving a bit of space at the top). Try to make sure the beans are completely covered with the alcohol.
- Give each jar a shake, and then store in a cool, dry place. Shake each jar about once a week. Wait at least 3 months (but longer is better), until the vanilla has turned a dark brown color.
Notes
I usually store my brewing vanilla in the pantry, and I give it a shake whenever I think about it (usually about once a week). If you're making this for gifts and there isn't time for it to get as dark as you'd like, just include a note to wait until a certain month before using.