I find some of the best gifts to give and receive are those that are homemade. I adore little treasures like this homemade vanilla extract. And a little secret? This homemade vanilla was used in an apple pie contest that WON FIRST PLACE. It was probably the vanilla, right?! Don’t forget to make these between the months of November and December so the extract has time to really infuse before gifting.

Ingredients:

Glass bottles with caps, like these
Vodka, or other desired liquor
Grade B vanilla beans, like these

*For every 8 ounces of vodka you’ll need 4-5 vanilla beans.

Instructions:

• Wash glass bottles before placing them in the oven for 10 minutes at 350°F.
• Clean the caps with soap and water, set aside.
• Take the vanilla beans and cut them in half, then carefully run your knife down the center to expose the little specks of vanilla inside.
• Drop your vanilla pieces into the bottles, I use 3-4 segments per bottle
• Using a funnel carefully fill the bottles up with liquor.
• Tightly screw the caps on and give them a good shake.
• Store in a cool, dry place for 3-6 weeks, make sure to give each bottle a good shake every couple days. The color will darken as time goes on.

Notes:

• You can fasten a cute little card with a favorite recipe that calls for vanilla extract on to the bottle, or just add some twine and send it on it’s way!
• As you use your extract over the next few months you can always top it off with more liquor.