If you think you’ve seen this before, you’re not wrong–I posted this last fall and it was our most popular recipe of 2013! It’s not too early (or too late!) to get started on brewing your own homemade vanilla, so if this is something you’ve wanted to do in the past, today’s your day!
Original Post
You guys, I have a confession. I’m kind of the biggest Grinch in the universe. I don’t mean to be–I genuinely want to love the Christmas season. But see…when the 4th of July is over and then you go to Hobby Lobby and they’re all decked out for Christmas, by the time the big day rolls around ALMOST 6 MONTHS LATER, I’m so done. I’m over it. Right now, I’m ambivalently pleased that Christmas is around the corner, but come December, I’ll be ready to pack up my tree before I’ve even decorated it.
So in October, I’m all excited about Christmas cards and holiday goodies, so really, now is the key time for me to pounce on Christmas, because if I don’t, I’m going to have a lot of half-filled treat bags, undelivered laundry detergent (yes, I give laundry detergent to friends and teachers for Christmas…I’m THAT friend), and Christmas cards that I post on Facebook 6 days after Christmas is over. Some of you may think I’m kidding or exaggerating. I’m so not. All of these things have happened.
Basically…I’m here to help anyone else who feels a little frazzled by the time December rolls around. If you’ve never made your own vanilla, it’s amazing–the taste is incomparable (especially when you consider the cost of making your own vanilla vs. buying real vanilla extract), and if you make it for gift-giving, you can start now. October. Pre-holiday burnout. And when you give it as a gift, people can make their own dang cookies and your kitchen stays mess-free, which is pretty much the greatest gift you can give yourself AND your children during the busiest time of the year.
You’re going to need some supplies–vanilla beans, liquor (yes, vanilla extract is made with liquor–I know people who were genuinely shocked to learn this), and bottles. And labels (eventually, but you can get them now if you want). If you’re like me and live in a place where you can conveniently purchase large bottles of hard liquor in grocery stores and places like Sam’s Club and Costco whilst buying baby food, milk, and eggs, the liquor purchasing is no biggie (unless you’re trying to draw as little attention to yourself as possible and proceed to lose your Sam’s Club receipt, so you’re waiting in line to get a duplicate receipt so they’ll let you leave, then you spill your entire 32-ounce Diet Coke and run into your ecclesiastical leader with a giant bottle of vodka and a giant bottle of white rum in your shopping cart…not that I know ANYTHING about this scenario…)
ANYWAY. I decided I wanted to try making vanilla with both vodka and white rum to see what I liked better. For the record, they both smell like death.
When it comes to booze, I pretty much know nothing from firsthand experience, so I was just going off what I was reading on the internet. Vodka is often the standard for vanilla-making, but a lot of people also recommended using rum. But…I don’t like the flavor of rum–I find it sickly and overpowering. So I decided to try using white rum, which is just about as flavorless and straight-up alcohol-y as vodka.
I was actually pretty surprised to discover that even though the vodka and white rum smelled almost exactly the same before I added the vanilla beans, once they had brewed for awhile, they were very different. The vodka vanilla was similar to what you buy in a store, so if that’s what you’re after, go for the vodka. The rum vanilla was sweeter and more fragrant. After a few years of making this, I only use white rum to make vanilla because it’s hands-down my favorite.
I bought my bottles and vanilla beans from Amazon. Don’t even think about buying your vanilla beans in a grocery store–they’re, like, $10/bean, plus 20% of your soul and a security deposit on your firstborn child. Think about how many bottles you want to make, and shop around for the best price according to your needs. These ones are great. OliveNation also has really great sales on them sometimes, so be sure to check them out and watch there, too. If this turns into “your thing” you’re planning on doing every year like me, I’d recommend just kind of watching all of the time, so you can get a feel for how prices are fluctuating.
I use these 4-ounce glass bottles.
I think these are ideal because it’s the perfect size for gift-giving and the dark-colored glass helps protect the flavor of the vanilla.
There are lots of different methods to making vanilla, but I like cutting the ends off.
This helps the brewing process go faster, so if you get a late start (like mid-November), you could still conceivably have enough time to get it done.
I divided up my beans equally into large mason jars…
and then covered them with the rum (or vodka…but really, it’s all about the rum.)
You could also put the beans directly into the bottle, but I wanted to use the beans later for something else and I didn’t want to risk them getting stuck in the narrow neck of the bottle.
Place the lids on your jars and shake them vigorously. Then place them in a cool, dark place (like a closet or a cupboard) and shake them once a week or so.
In about a month, the vanilla flavor will have started infusing the liquor and it will be darker and fragrant. It will never get as dark as commercial vanilla because they almost always use artificial coloring, but as long as it smells good, you’re good to go.
It’s usable at this point, and likely better than most stuff you can buy in the store. But if you can, I would let it brew for another month at least. This year, I started mine in July!
Finally, when you’re ready to give these away, carefully (like…use a funnel. This stuff is precious) fill the bottles.
I also stick a bean in each bottle so the flavor will continue to get stronger (you may need to trim it down a little to fit).
If you have beans left over, be sure to squeeze out the bean paste from the beans
and save it in an airtight container. Use it in ice creams, sweet sauces, whipped cream, jams, jellies, etc. You can also allow the pods to dry out (after you squeeze out their insides) and then grind them up into a powder using a coffee or spice grinder and sprinkle it into anything that you’d like to add vanilla flavor to (or mix it with sugar to make your own vanilla sugar).
To make the labels, I used some Martha Stewart kraft paper labels that were once available at Staples, but they don’t make them anymore. Here is what I’ve found that you might be able to use instead:
Also, I found this handy-dandy punch if you want to get creative.
I’m not including a printable because you might want them to say something different or more customized (plus, chances are your name is not Jones…and what if you use Tahitian vanilla beans? Or Mexican?). But I will tell you how I made them in the printable instructions below, so never fear.
Check out how cute they are on the bottles!
Also…remember these cookies? Giant oatmeal chocolate chip cookies? They call for a whole tablespoon of vanilla, which is part of what makes them so delicious. So if you really love someone, you could tuck a copy of that recipe in with a bottle of this amazing vanilla with a bag of high-quality chocolate chips (these Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips are my favorite for that particular recipe).
Excited?? I hope so! This is the only way our neighbor/co-worker gifts get done!
This is how I did things…please feel free to customize everything to your own needs/tastes.
Homemade Vanilla
Ingredients
- 2 1.75- liter bottles vodka or white rum
- 60 vanilla beans
- 4- ounce glass amber bottles between 30-40 washed (you probably won't use all of them at once)
- Martha Stewart Kraft Labels Flourish style
Instructions
- Cut the ends off the vanilla beans and divide them evenly among 4-5 1-quart glass mason jars.
- Cover with vodka or rum and close tightly. Shake vigorously.
- Place in a cool, dark place and shake the bottles about once a week for at least 1-2 months (but you could do this forever if you wanted).
- When ready to gift, carefully fill each glass bottle with vanilla extract and secure the lids tightly. If you'd like, you can include a vanilla bean (you'd likely have to trim it) in each bottle.
Notes
- If you have beans left over, be sure to squeeze out the bean paste from the beans and save it in an airtight container. Use it in ice creams, sweet sauces, whipped cream, jams, jellies, etc. You can also allow the pods to dry out (after you squeeze out their insides) and then grind them up into a powder using a coffee or spice grinder and sprinkle it into anything that you'd like to add vanilla flavor to (or mix it with sugar to make your own vanilla sugar).
For the labels, this is what I did:
1. Use the template designs OR make your own to print using this Avery template.
2. The print font is Penelope Anne and the script font is Lavenderia. Everything is centered.
JONES FAMILY (Penelope Anne, 14 pt font)
Madagascar Vanilla (Lavenderia, 26 pt font)
ALL-NATURAL * HOMEMADE (Penelope Anne, 14 pt font)
If you’d like, you could include favorite recipes that use vanilla and a key ingredient, like a bag of chocolate chips.
Questions & Reviews
I would like to know if there a way to make your own vanilla without using alcohol? I have found that Trader Joes sells an alcohol-free vanilla, so it is possible. Would you know of a way to extract the vanilla from the vanilla bean without the use of alcohol? I would like to try to make my own almond extract as well, any ideas?
Sorry, we’ve only made it this traditional way.
Someone wayyyyyyyy up there ^^^^^^^ (lol), mentioned using glycerin for an alcohol-free version. Happy scrolling!
I don’t remember if I posted the first time this ran, but I’ve been making my own vanilla for a number of years. The last time I bought vanilla beans, I bought a pound so that I could experiment with different types of alcohol. The 5 different varieties I made were with vodka, rum, cognac, bourbon and kirschwasser. I really like the kirschwasser when cooking with fruits. The bourbon and the rum I’m not sure about yet. Though I think Poire Williams would make an interesting vanilla too!
This is the best vanilla ever!! I made it last year and gave as gifts, along with chocolate chips and a recipe. Everyone loved it, and a few even asked if they could have a refill to their bottle. I can’t wait to start a new batch this year!
How long did you brew before giving? Which vanilla beans did you buy? White rum or vodka?
How many little bottles did this make?
Living outside of Utah, it was easier to find alcohol (just at Smith’s) but couldn’t bring myself to buy it. We had a friend get us some from the bar she owned and we finally got ours brewing a few months ago! Can’t wait to bottle it up for gifts…or just use it all myself! My husband is impressed that it actually smells like Vanilla now, instead of Vodka! Thanks!
I sooo want to try this!
I have wanted to make this since you posted it last year, but I can’t quite bring myself to buy the alcohol!
I keep seeing comments like this. Mind if I ask what’s the big deal about buying alcohol? I don’t get it.
LOL Lauren- it’s most likely because we’re members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormons). Members of our faith abstain from drinking alcohol, so even purchasing it is a little foreign to many of our community! I’m guessing the comments from those weary of this recipe are also Mormon and they simply feel funny about buying big jugs of booze 😉
I have made Vanilla before with Vodka and it was good not great anyone using Rum and how was the outcome? I am getting ready to start for Christmas gifts this year. With the 60 beans I should get 30 4oz bottles correct?
Raeme,
I’ve never made it with Vodka, only with Rum and it turned out amazing!! I’m not one to notice a difference on my baking goods if I use butter vs margarine,or expensive vs cheaper ingredients, but I DID notice the difference with the Rum vanilla. I had a couple of friends that also commented on how much they LOVED the Rum Vanilla I gifted them. It’s all I use now!! Give it a try, it’s definitely worth it!
I started my vanilla in early November and noticed the same problem of light vanilla that others have noted. After reading all the panicked comments in mid-December, I didn’t bother to decant for Christmas gifts figuring that my neighbors will love receiving the vanilla at any time of year. It’s now mid February and the vanilla is darkening, most noticeably in the last week. I opened a bottle to smell it tonight and it’s lovely. (if I put my nose close to the jar, I can still smell mostly alcohol, but if I back up a bit, it has a wonderful, warm vanilla smell.) I think I’ll let it brew for a couple more weeks since I’m already ridiculously late for Christmas. I plan on attaching the bottles to a bag of chocolate chips and a cookie recipe in time to celebrate Daylight-Savings time; I’m clearly making it up as I go along. 😉 By the way, I live in northern Utah and stored the bottles in my cold, dark storage room. It might have taken a bit longer, but it’s all good. Take home message: don’t procrastinate like I did and start this a couple of months before Christmas. I plan to start it in September this year. Thanks for sharing such a great idea!
I bought the 10 bean package from Beanilla, followed their directions, and my vanilla has been brewing since Nov. 30. I put 5 split beans into a Starbucks Frappuccino bottle and added the vodka. It is now quite dark, rich looking and I can’t wait for the end of Jan. to decant it into the small bottles I bought, and start using it. I also put one bean into a pint of sugar for vanilla sugar, which is incredible in coffee. My beans were soft, gooey, and fragrant when I opened the package, and I expect great things of them! Grocery store beans have always been dry and shriveled. Very different. I’ll stick with Beanilla. At my age, I probably have enough for a lifetime supply, hah!