Homemade Vanilla Extract

Have you ever thought of making your own vanilla exttract? I would never have guessed how easy it is! All you need is two ingredients, vanilla beans and alcohol. Yup, that's it. Who would have thought it could be as simple as that? Last Christmas I gave little bottles of vanilla to some of my family and friends as gifts. I love simple homemade gifts. This has got to be the easiest gift I have ever made.

What's even better is that this vanilla is perpetual. When your vanilla starts to get a little low, add more alchohol and it will continue to extract vanilla from the bean. Whenever you are using a vanilla bean in your cooking clean it up and throw whatever you don't use in your vanilla extract. Ever so often, maybe once or twice a year add a new bean and take out any that seem to be soggy. 

I buy my vanilla beans and glass jars from Mountain Rose Herbs. You can purcase them through the link on the sidebar. 

Homemade Vanilla Extract

1-750 ml bottle vodka, rum or bourbon

6 vanilla beans

1 quart glass jar

Cut your vanilla beans lenth wise with sissors and then into two pieces. Put the vanilla beans in a glass jar cover with the alcohol and secure the lid. Leave it in a dark place for two months, shaking ocattionaly. Over time the vanilla will become darker and the flavor stronger. You can also fill six 4 oz bottles and tie them with a ribbon and note explaining that the recipient can add more alchohol once the jar is half full.

So go out get yourself some booze and buy some vanilla beans. You'll be so glad you did!

On the left -Bourbon  On the right-Vodka

This post is part of The Week Long Blog Hop, Hearth and Soul, Simple Lives Thursday, Teach me Tuesday,  Homemade Christmas Gifts Carnaval,  Pennywise Platter Thursday,