How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

Last year was my first year to make this recipe and now I want to make it a yearly tradition. I feel like it is such an intentional gift to give, yet it doesn’t require a lot of time to make. All you have to do is plan ahead because it takes a while for the beans to steep before you can get the full flavor out of your vanilla extract.

What You Will Need:

–Madagascar Vanilla Beans

-Vodka

–Glass Bottle

-Kitchen Shears

–Avery Labels (optional)

–Ribbon (optional)

The first thing that you will do is prepare the vanilla beans. One 8oz bottle requires five vanilla beans. You will cut each vanilla bean in half, leaving half an inch or so at the top still connected.

Next you will place five cut vanilla beans in your glass bottle.

Once your bottle contains the vanilla beans, you will fill your bottle up with vodka. (When I can, I like to use a funnel to help limit spillage.) I usually like to leave about an inch of space in my bottle between the vodka and the top of my bottle.

Seal your bottle and store in a dark room temperature location for at least 3 months before using.

For an extra touch this year I decided to add labels and ribbon to make it look a little more special.

Vanilla Extract Printable

Label Instructions:

My printable labels are made to fit Avery labels 94106.

1. Download Vanilla Extract Printable.
2. Load Avery label sheet into your printer according to its instructions.
3. Print labels.
4. Clean vanilla bottle before you apply the label. I like to use an alcohol pad to clean the surface of the bottle and let it dry.
5. Apply label.

Gift Ideas to Pair With Your Vanilla Extract: