Vanilla

My sister in law and I are making homemade vanilla extract for Christmas gifts-from-the-heart. It takes 8-12 weeks so we had to start the process. Several friends and fellow bloggers have been making their own vanilla for years...so I thought we should give it a try.

It's super easy!

All you need is vodka, quality vanilla beans and a jar. That's it!

The actual recipe calls for 5 beans per 8 oz of vodka. Slice each bean down the middle to expose the pulp and pop it in the jar. Store the jars in a cool dark place for at least two months. Be sure to give them a shake every few weeks to help mix it all up. AND THAT'S IT!


When buying your vanilla, know that vanilla flavors can be different depending on what part of the world you buy from. We chose Madagascar for this batch.

• Bourbon Vanilla - mild, well balanced
• Madagascar Vanilla - rich and creamy
• Mexican Vanilla - bold, dark, smokey
• Indian Vanilla - full, chocolate
• Tahitian Vanilla - floral, cherry-chocolate
• Tonga Vanilla - earthy, fig, raisin

I recommend buying your vanilla from Beanilla.com. They have a history of providing high quality beans. Vanilla beans are expensive so you want to have confidence in the quality. 

We are storing our vanilla in larger 12 oz canning jars for now. Once it's ready we will transfer them into cute little 4 oz round jars. We are also printing off custom labels for each jar. 

I think it should be a fun gift to give this holiday season!