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Home » Christmas » Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Vanilla Extract

By Chula King · November 24, 2016 · Updated December 1, 2020 Leave a Comment

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Make Your Own Vanilla Extract - The perfect DIY Christmas gift.

Can you believe that Christmas is right around the corner? That means that it’s time to start thinking about that perfect gift for family, friends, and co-workers.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

If you like to give homemade gifts, then look no further than Homemade Vanilla Extract! It’s super simple to make, has no fillers like water, sugar, and coloring (check out the ingredients list the next time you’re in the store), is way cheaper than store-bought, and has a virtually indefinite shelf life. What’s more, it will likely become your most prized gift.

I’ve been making my homemade vanilla extract for a number of years. In fact, I keep it in a 1.5 liter Vokda bottle, that I periodically top up with extra Vodka when the liquid runs a bit low. That being said, Homemade Vanilla Extract only has two ingredients – Vodka and vanilla beans. It’s important that the Vodka not be flavored. In addition, there’s no point in using expensive Vodka.

I generally use Madagascar vanilla beans from Amazon.com. However, just do a search for vanilla beans and you’ll see that there are a lot of options. For gifts, I like to use 8-ounce flask bottles that I get from Specialty Bottle.

Ingredients

To start, I cut or slit the vanilla beans down the middle with a sharp paring knife. The reason for this is to expose the actual seeds. They provide both the color and the flavor to the vanilla extract.

Slicing the vanilla beans

I use five beans per 8-ounce bottle. You might want to cut the beans in half, but I leave them whole. After I insert the beans into the clean bottles, I pour the vodka in with the help of a small funnel.

Pouring Vodka into bottle

I cap the bottles and store the vanilla extract in a cool, dark place. Every now and then, I’ll give the bottles a shake.

Bottles filled with Vodka and Vanilla Beans

Homemade Vanilla Extract takes at least 6-weeks of aging before it is ready to be used. The wait is totally worth it. You’ll never use store-bought again!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

If you’re looking for some more edible gift ideas, check out my Ultimate Easy Edible Gift Guide.

I hope you liked this post for Homemade Vanilla Extract as much as I do. If so, please consider rating it and leaving a comment. Also, if you’d like to receive notifications of new posts by email, ever your email address in the Subscribe box.

Thank you so much for visiting Pudge Factor. I hope you’ll come back!

Make Your Own Vanilla Extract - The perfect DIY Christmas gift.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

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Author: Chula King

Ingredients

  • Unflavored vodka
  • Whole vanilla beans 5 to 6 per 8-ounces of vodka

Instructions

  • Wash and sterilize the bottles that will be used.
  • With a sharp paring knife cut the vanilla beans down the middle. Then cut the beans in half. Place the beans in the clean bottle. Pour in vodka. Seal the bottle, and store in a cool, dark place. Let the vanilla extract age for at least 6-weeks before using, occasionally shaking the bottle.
  • Note: When the vanilla extract gets low, add more vodka to the bottle.
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below and/or give this recipe a rating. On Instagram? Take a picture and tag @pudgefactor or #pudgefactor.
Make Your Own Vanilla Extract - The perfect DIY Christmas gift.

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Filed Under: Christmas, Edible Gifts, Helpful Hints, Sauces

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Welcome to Pudge Factor®!

I'm Chula King, the food blogger, award-winning photographer, and videographer behind Pudge Factor. Pudge Factor features amazing and well-tested recipes from my every day cooking. These recipes run the gamut from simple to sophisticated and everything in between. I not only present awesome recipes with tips and tricks that I've learned through the years, but also process photos from start to finish. For some of the recipes, I include videos detailing the actual making of the dish. Read More…

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