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Chocolate Chocolate and More!

Welcome to my baking adventures.

November 13, 2013

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Enjoy using Homemade Vanilla in all your favorite recipes for a rich vanilla taste. Also makes a wonderful gift!

Enjoy using Homemade Vanilla in all your favorite recipes for a rich vanilla taste. Also makes a wonderful gift!

About a month ago, I saw this post from Cheryl-Tidymom about making Homemade vanilla. It reminded me that I’ve always been meaning to do this. I immediately went online and Ordered my Beans.

Then I went to order the bottles. They were reasonably priced. But then I saw the shipping. The shipping was more than the cost of the bottles. I understand the need to package glass well, no one wants a box full of broken glass on their doorstep. It just put the project out of my price range. I proceeded to order the beans and figured I’d get the bottles locally.

Enjoy using Homemade Vanilla in all your favorite recipes for a rich vanilla taste. Also makes a wonderful gift!

After shopping around (4 different stores) I just couldn’t find the smaller bottles I wanted. I did find a few larger bottles that would be good for other projects but no one needs a half gallon of vanilla. Well most people don’t, I could probably use it all in a month without even trying.

Enjoy using Homemade Vanilla in all your favorite recipes for a rich vanilla taste. Also makes a wonderful gift!

Then one night, as I was pouring a glass of wine, it came to me. I’m the only wine drinker in the house (usually) so I buy the mini bottles. Lots of varieties and I don’t have to open a big bottle. Those bottles would be perfect for this! And they’re screw top so no need to worry about spilling. You can get them in glass or plastic (perfect for shipping!) I also tried a few plastic soda bottles but they just didn’t have the “look” I wanted and let’s be honest here-I don’t want to give THAT much of my precious Homemade Vanilla to any one person.

Homemade-Vanilla-from-ChocolateChocolateandmore-18a

Cleaning the bottles and removing the labels was easy. For the glass bottle, a little soaking in some warm soapy water then peel the label off. I used an SOS pad to get any remaining glue residue. For the plastic bottles, it was a little more tricky but after asking a few of my bloggy friends, Use olive oil to get rid of that pesky residue! Once your bottles are washed and dried, you’re ready to make your vanilla.

Vanilla Bean pod and seeds-oh the flavor from a fresh bean!

Using a sharp knife, cut a slit the length of the vanilla bean pod. Cut the pod in half, then add 6-7 pieces to each bottle. Fill the bottle with your favorite shelf brand Vodka (no need to use the really good stuff) to the neck of your bottle, making sure the beans are fully submerged.

Enjoy using Homemade Vanilla in all your favorite recipes for a rich vanilla taste. Also makes a wonderful gift!

After that, it’s just a waiting game. Store the bottles in a dark cabinet taking them out once a week to shake well. After about 6 weeks, you’ll have amber perfection.

Enjoy using Homemade Vanilla in all your favorite recipes for a rich vanilla taste. Also makes a wonderful gift!

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Homemade Vanilla

Homemade Vanilla

Enjoy using Homemade Vanilla in all your favorite recipes for a rich vanilla taste.

Ingredients

  • 3 whole vanilla beans (I used Madagascar)
  • 6-8 ounces Vodka
  • clean bottle (see full post for the bottles I used)

Instructions

  1. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit lengthwise from one end of the bean to the other. Cut beans in half.
  2. Place bean halves in bottle.
  3. Cover beans with Vodka to completely submerge, leaving some head room at the top.
  4. Store bottles in a dark cabinet for 6-8 weeks, shaking every week to reactivate the fermentation process.
  5. Add a pretty label.

Notes

recipe source ChoclateChocolateandmore.com

Enjoy using Homemade Vanilla in all your favorite recipes for a rich vanilla taste. Also makes a wonderful gift!

Oh and those cute labels that make my bottles look like they’re from a boutique? You can get the free printable from Live.Laugh.Rowe thanks to my cool friend Kelly!

want more ideas for great homemade gifts?

Hot Chocolate Mix

Strawberries and Cream White Chocolate Bark

Blackberry Liqueur

Stem Ginger

Chocolate Cream Liqueur

Cinnamon Glazed Pecans

Waxing Kara's honey body scrub

Photo Credit: waxingkara.com

Honey Body Scrub made with organic sugar, honey, and oil for soft skin

Waxing Kara's honey oat scrub

Photo Credit: waxingkara.com

Honey Oat Scrub for Face and Body Soothes and Brightens Skin

 

Sugar Scrubs

Sugar Scrubs

and here are some more ideas

Everything in a jar from The Gunny Sack

Citrus Bath Salts from A Pumpkin and a Princess

Enjoy using Homemade Vanilla in all your favorite recipes for a rich vanilla taste. Also makes a wonderful gift!

Filed Under: Canning, Frostings & Sauces, Gifts Tagged With: food gifts, Madagascar vanilla, recycling, upcycling, vanilla, vanilla beans, wine bottles

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becca from ItsYummi.com says

    November 14, 2013 at 5:40 am

    Vanilla extract is one of those things that’s kryptonite for me to have in large quantities. Mini bottles are a great idea!

  2. Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent says

    November 14, 2013 at 6:40 am

    What a fun reuse of the bottles ๐Ÿ™‚ Love the idea of homemade vanilla. I bet it tastes AMAZING!

    • Christine says

      November 29, 2013 at 3:21 am

      and you get to have many a *merry night prepping for your holiday gifts:P

  3. Debbi says

    November 14, 2013 at 9:07 am

    How long to you leave vanilla in for clear version sometimes need a pure one for a white vanilla cake and in ypou picture you have clear and amber versions

    • Joan Hayes says

      November 14, 2013 at 9:31 pm

      Debbi, the clear version is the just made bottles and wouldn’t provide a vanilla flavor. They are the “before”, Your vanilla is ready to use once you achieve the amber color. If you need the clear vanilla (I know for a white cake you’d want clear) you’d probably need to pick that up as a specialty store. I know both Michaels and Hobby Lobby have one in they baking section.

  4. Rebecca @ Dorm Room Baker says

    November 14, 2013 at 9:36 am

    This is a great idea! I think my parents would be okay with me getting into the liquor cabinet to make this even though I’m underage haha. I also love the ‘homemade vanilla’ sticker you put on the bottles-so cute!

  5. Deb says

    November 14, 2013 at 1:37 pm

    I have a pack of vanilla beans I brought back from Mexico (where I also bought cheap vanilla – which didn’t turn out to be so cheap – another story) and had in mind to make my own vanilla. Now, with your help, I have no excuse! I gave a pack to my daughter and it’s probably still sitting on her shelf as well. I’ll have to snag it back from her along with some of those little wine bottles I gave her!
    Is the above recipe for just one bottle?
    Thanks. Can’t wait to try it. ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Joan Hayes says

      November 14, 2013 at 9:28 pm

      Hi Deb, yes, the recipe is per bottle so just multiply it by however many bottles you have! And yes, get those beans back from your daughter, you can always let her nave a bottle of the finished vanilla!

  6. Misha says

    November 14, 2013 at 4:18 pm

    Ohh! I have to try this. What a nice addition in my Christmas baskets. Question; after the 6 or so weeks do you leave the pods in or remove?

  7. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    November 14, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    yessssss!!!! I love homemade vanilla extract!

    • carrie says

      January 26, 2014 at 11:40 am

      Do you leave the pods in them after 6 weeks?

      • Joan Hayes says

        January 27, 2014 at 10:00 am

        I do, the pods don’t hurt anything. As long as the liquid is covering the pods so they don’t dry out.

  8. Mallory @ Because I Like Chocolate says

    November 15, 2013 at 1:51 am

    What pretty little bottles! I would love a gift like that!

  9. TidyMom says

    November 15, 2013 at 11:22 am

    Oh I LOVE that you used recycled bottles!! GREAT idea Joan!!

    • Joan Hayes says

      November 15, 2013 at 8:03 pm

      Thanks Cheryl, any excuse for a glass of wine!

  10. Kate | Food Babbles says

    November 16, 2013 at 8:53 pm

    What a wonderful gift for the holidays! I’ve always meant to try making my own vanilla extract. I think you’ve inspired me to finally give it a go. And those bottles and labels are adorable! Just the perfect little finishing touch to make something special just a little more special.

  11. jenner says

    December 3, 2013 at 9:31 am

    Another way to get labels and glue residue off: Downy. Depending on the type of paper, you may have to score it some so it’ll seep in, but coat the label with some Downy and let it sit a while. Works better than soapy water IMO. =)

    • Joan Hayes says

      December 3, 2013 at 10:39 am

      thanks for the tip, I’ll try the Downy next time!

  12. SALMAN says

    August 24, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    Thank you for your kind help with delicious recipes ,as Muslim is it possible to any nonalcoholic ingredients to replace the vodka.
    regards,

    • Joan Hayes says

      August 25, 2014 at 7:17 am

      yuo can replace the alcohol with a food grade vegetable Glycerin Food Grade Glycerin

  13. Kari says

    October 14, 2014 at 9:20 pm

    Do we need to scrape out the seeds? Other sites & recipes I have found say to a,ways scrape out all the seeds.

    • Joan Hayes says

      October 16, 2014 at 6:34 am

      No, don’t scrape out the seed unless you want to use them for another recipe. When you use the vanilla, you may have a few seeds floating around but that will only enhance the vanilla flavor in your recipe.

  14. Mary Hebert says

    September 30, 2015 at 10:41 am

    I Joan, I was wondering if you could share where you bought your beans? Thanks, Mary H.

    • Joan Hayes says

      October 1, 2015 at 6:56 pm

      Hi Mary, I order my Beans from Amazon, these are the ones I get. https://amzn.to/1QNVZai

  15. Mary Hebert says

    September 30, 2015 at 10:43 am

    It should read Hi Joan, sorry was going through when I noticed

  16. Anita says

    September 30, 2015 at 12:40 pm

    I make my own. The good thing is as you use it you just add more vodka for a never ending supply ๐Ÿ™‚

  17. Terry says

    September 30, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    My question is do you taste the vodka?

    • Joan Hayes says

      October 1, 2015 at 6:53 pm

      When you use the extract for baking, the alcohol cooks off so you don’t taste it at all.

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