Christina's Cucina

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Home » Special Diets » Dairy Free » Homemade Vanilla Extract (Make now for Christmas Gifts & Holiday Baking)

Homemade Vanilla Extract (Make now for Christmas Gifts & Holiday Baking)

July 31st, 2013 | 27 Comments

Homemade vanilla extract is a perfect holiday gift to give that is something almost anyone can use, but very much appreciated by home bakers.

vanillaDid you know there are only 147 days left until Christmas?

As the antithesis of the “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster says, “Now Panic and Freak Out!” may be appropriate at this time, or maybe not.

Maybe this is the opportunity that you’d wished you’d acted upon when December 15th rolls around this year, and you realize there are lots of little gifts you need to hand out here and there, but you “got nuthin'”.

Here’s another idea to make for a holiday gift.

Mulling syrup and wine

Maybe you will regret it if you don’t take a few minutes now, to save yourself a lot of stress then? What am I talking about?  Well, I’m sure the title gave it away, but you can come across like a totally organized, thoughtful and creative friend/relative/boss/employee/colleague/client/student or whatever it is that you are, by handing someone a lovely homemade bottle of vanilla as a gift this holiday season.

Now, I know this isn’t the perfect gift for everyone, like maybe your mechanic? He (call me sexist, but I bet your mechanic is a “he”) probably isn’t the best person to give a bottle of vanilla (unless he’s a passionate foodie). However, I bet there’s a lot of people who would really appreciate this thoughtful present.

homemade vanilla extract recipe

All you need are bottles, vanilla beans, vodka and 5 minutes–seriously! Okay, you have to wait a few months before it’s ready, but can you imagine how you’ll feel when December 15th rolls around you just need to throw a bow around the neck of a bottle? Or toss it in a cute little gift bag and you have a gorgeous homemade gift to give! How cool is that? But do it now, as the vanilla beans need 4 to 6 months to flavor the vodka. I made some in February, so it’s now ready to use and it smells heavenly!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Special equipment: small bottles

Ingredients

  • vanilla pods (3 or 4 per bottle)
  • 200ml (about 7 oz) good quality vodka (I used Belvedere)

Carefully, slit the vanilla pods open with a sharp knife.

homemade vanilla extract recipe

Drop into the vodka, straight into the mini bottle (200 ml) of vodka, or into your own bottle(s).

homemade vanilla extract recipe

 Close the bottle and leave in a cool, dark place for 4 to 6 months before using.

homemade vanilla extract recipe

This is what the vanilla in progress will look like after just a few days…

homemade vanilla extract recipe

…and after a few months.

homemade vanilla extract recipe

You can thank me in December, and you don’t even have to tell anyone it was my idea–aren’t I nice? :)

(By the way, can someone tell me why it’s not “amn’t I”?)

homemade vanilla extract recipe

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homemade vanilla bean how to make recipe christmas gift

Homemade Vanilla Extract (Make now for Christmas Gifts & Holiday Baking)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 121 days 16 hours
Total Time: 121 days 16 hours 5 minutes

One of the easiest things you will ever make a homemade version of, EVER!

Ingredients

  • vanilla pods (3 or 4 per bottle)
  • 200ml (about 7 oz) good quality vodka (I used Belvedere)

Instructions

Carefully, slit the vanilla pods open with a sharp knife.

Drop into the vodka, straight into the mini bottle (200 ml) of vodka, or into your own bottle(s).

Close the bottle and leave in a cool, dark place for 4 to 6 months before using.


 

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a review by clicking on the 5 stars above, in the purple header (a form will appear) or tag me on Instagram! 😍

© Christina Conte
Category: "How To..."

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Dairy Free, Dressings, Sauces, Syrups & Toppings, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Special Diets, Vegan, Vegetarian · Christmas Gift, Flavoring, Gift, Gift Idea, Holiday Gift, Holidays, Homemade Gift, Homemade Vanilla, Homemade Vanilla Extract, Vanilla, Vanilla Beans, Vegan, Vegetarian

Reader Interactions

27 Responses

  1. 51 DIY Housewarming Gifts for New Home Owners - Craftsy Hacks says:
    March 31, 2022 at 5:06 am

    […] 8. Homemade Vanilla Extract […]

    Reply
  2. Camilla says:
    December 23, 2020 at 1:26 pm

    How do you use it when you, for instance, bake a cake? And does it taste like vodka?

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      December 23, 2020 at 3:04 pm

      You use it just like vanilla extract, and no, it tastes like vanilla, not vodka.

      Reply
  3. Alison says:
    September 4, 2020 at 12:29 am

    Great Idea looking forward to more of your ideas, thank you

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 4, 2020 at 11:55 am

      Thank YOU, Alison!

      Reply
  4. White Russian Cupcakes with Vodka Buttercream Icing - Christina's Cucina says:
    August 25, 2020 at 7:12 pm

    […] tsp vanilla powder (like Heilala) or 2 tsp vanilla extract (please don’t use imitation or cheap vanilla products, especially in a recipe like […]

    Reply
  5. Mulled Wine Syrup, Perfect for Gift Giving and Mulled Cider, too! - Christina's Cucina says:
    August 30, 2018 at 3:46 pm

    […] on a plate or in a little basket and wrap it up for a lovely hostess gift or present. Things like homemade vanilla, a liqueur, candy or even cookies are usually gifts everyone will enjoy and won’t be cast […]

    Reply
  6. Lous Kluijver says:
    July 25, 2018 at 1:42 pm

    Gosh, I never knew that it was so easy to make. I guess that’s why good quality vanilla extract is so expensive.

    I’m absolutely going to make it myself.

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      July 25, 2018 at 3:57 pm

      Great, Lous! It really is so simple!!

      Reply
  7. Adele Black says:
    July 13, 2015 at 11:26 am

    I was wondering- you said small bottle of vodka… what size would that be please?

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      July 13, 2015 at 11:51 am

      Oh sorry, Adele. It’s the 200ml sized bottle I used, not the tiny single serving bottles. You can also buy a regular bottle and put it into your own bottles. Enjoy!

      Reply
« Older Comments

Trackbacks

  1. 51 DIY Housewarming Gifts for New Home Owners - Craftsy Hacks says:
    March 31, 2022 at 5:06 am

    […] 8. Homemade Vanilla Extract […]

    Reply
  2. White Russian Cupcakes with Vodka Buttercream Icing - Christina's Cucina says:
    August 25, 2020 at 7:12 pm

    […] tsp vanilla powder (like Heilala) or 2 tsp vanilla extract (please don’t use imitation or cheap vanilla products, especially in a recipe like […]

    Reply
  3. Mulled Wine Syrup, Perfect for Gift Giving and Mulled Cider, too! - Christina's Cucina says:
    August 30, 2018 at 3:46 pm

    […] on a plate or in a little basket and wrap it up for a lovely hostess gift or present. Things like homemade vanilla, a liqueur, candy or even cookies are usually gifts everyone will enjoy and won’t be cast […]

    Reply

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Meet Christina

A Scottish Italian cook living in Los Angeles, Christina is usually cooking, baking or (cr)eating something scrumptious. When she isn't in the kitchen, she loves to travel, near and far, as long as good food is involved. Christina is on a mission to save authentic Italian dishes from extinction, and is constantly promoting Scottish (and British) food as some of the best cuisine the world has to offer—one steak pie and sticky toffee pudding at a time.



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