Homemade Vanilla Extract For Christmas in July

This post was created in partnership with FITNCLEAN Vanilla. All opinions are my own and I only endorse products that I know and love.

[Missouri Girl Home is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com].

I’m making a list and I’m checking it twice…in July.

That’s right it’s Christmas In July time!

For some that means Christmas jammies, Christmas movies, and hot chocolate but in my house it means preparation, organization, and some pre-holiday baking.

Around this time of year, I start to get the first itch for fall and the upcoming Christmas season.

The secret to christmas shopping

First on the agenda is Christmas Shopping and gift planning.

Christmas shopping starts early in my home, usually in July when the summer sales hit. My kids love all things summer so I tend to pick up tons of things on clearance for the next year. My kids love it and I get to save a little money. Which really means I get to buy more presents!

Each year I try to make a little homemade gift for neighbors and friends, so this is the time of year that I start to brainstorm possible ideas.

Here is a list of just a few of my favorite homemade gifts:

• sugar scrubs

• salt dough ornaments

• cinnamon dough ornaments

• monogrammed ornaments

• edible gifts

Edible gifts are my favorite to gift to friends and family for Christmas.

To see a complete list of my edible Christmas gifts, CLICK HERE.

Of all the edible gifts I have given over the years, I think my absolute favorite were bottles of homemade vanilla extract.

I have been making my own vanilla extract for years. When you see just how easy and cost effective it is, you’ll understand why.

There is only one itsy bitsy little consideration when making vanilla extract.

Time.

Good vanilla extract needs time for the flavor to develop.

You will need to allow a minimum of 6-8 weeks before the homemade vanilla extract is ready, but the longer you wait, the better. The optimal time for a good, strong vanilla extract is 5-6 months.

That makes Christmas In July the perfect time to make homemade vanilla extract so it’s ready to use for Christmas baking and gifting this December.

However, if you’re a little late to the party, no worries! You can still make the homemade vanilla and gift it immediately. Your friends can just let the anticipation build waiting for their little gift to mature.

Supplies needed for homemade vanilla extract

Grade B Vanilla Beans (or extract grade)
Glass storage containers
Vodka or other alcohol of choice
Funnel or measuring cup with a spout for pouring

NOTE: If using clear glass containers, you will need to store the vanilla in a cool, dark location (like in a kitchen cabinet) that is away from direct sunlight. You can also buy tinted or ambered glass containers to avoid this.

I got these cute little glass containers at Hobby Lobby for 50% off. Their sales cycle often so you can get them frequently for a great price.

Types of Vanilla Beans Used for making Vanilla Extract

There are many different types of vanilla beans based on the location they are grown:

• Madagascar

• Tahitian

• Indonesian

• Mexican

• Tonga

• Indian

Each one of these vanilla beans have it’s own distinct flavor. The most common vanilla beans used for homemade vanilla extract are Madagascar and Tahitian.

Vanilla Bean Grades

There are three grades of vanilla beans:

• A- have a higher moisture content and are a higher quality so it’s perfect for cooking or baking.

• A/B- gourmet grade with some imperfections, slightly lower moisture content than grade A, and with a lower seed density.

• B- lowest moisture content and are typically the beans used to make vanilla extract.

The vanilla beans I used were grade B Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans. I have also used Tahitian beans in the past and thought it made an excellent vanilla extract.

FitnClean Vanilla Beans

These Madagascar vanilla beans (affiliate links to follow) by FitnClean Vanilla were absolutely amazing! I ordered them from Amazon and was extremely pleased with the quality.

The vanilla beans were packaged well, arrived promptly, and the smell was just incredible. I have ordered vanilla beans in the past but these were by far the best quality vanilla beans I have seen.

FITNCLEAN Vanilla Beans are:

• Non-GMO

• Gluten-free

• Free of chemical pesticides and fungicides

You can order by quantity and type on Amazon (CLICK BELOW FOR PURCHASE OPTIONS)

• Madagascar Vanilla Beans, Grade A

• Tahitian Vanilla Beans, Grade A

• Madagascar Vanilla Beans, Grade B

• Tahitian Vanilla Beans, Grade B

FITNCLEAN Vanilla also has wholesale options available directly on their website with free shipping at:

• fitncleanvanilla.com

Types of homemade vanilla extract

Once you have your container to store the vanilla and your vanilla beans, then you’ll need to consider what type of vanilla extract you want to make.

Vanilla extract is made by soaking vanilla beans in alcohol for a prolonged period of time.

Vodka is used to make standard vanilla extract. Other popular options to use are brandy, rum, and bourbon.

I love to use brandy vanilla extract in my pumpkin pies and bourbon vanilla extract is the secret ingredient in my pecan pie (recipes coming this fall!).

How to make Homemade Vanilla Extract

Pick the type of vanilla bean and type of alcohol

Once you have your storage containers and have decided the type of vanilla you want to make, then you’re ready to make your vanilla extract.

Determine how much homemade vanilla extract you want to make

First, measure out the amount of liquid your container holds. This is important because the amount of alcohol in each container will determine how many vanilla beans you need to add.

There are varying opinions on how many vanilla beans to use per ounce. Typically it’s 2-3 per cup of alcohol. For this recipe I used 1 vanilla bean for every 1/3 cup (2.67 ounce) of alcohol.

Fill your glass bottle with the alcohol

Fill your container with alcohol of choice by 1/3 cup increments. If your container holds 2/3 cups of liquid then you will use 2 vanilla beans, if it holds 1 cup of liquid then you will use 3 vanilla beans.

Keep in mind, if you purchase a 750 ml bottle of alcohol and are wanting to make exactly 10 bottles of extract, then you will need to use just under 1/3 cup of alcohol per bottle so you will have equal amounts in each bottle.

Cut the vanilla beans to size

Next, slice the vanilla beans lengthwise.

Now open up the vanilla bean pod and scrape out the seeds, or “vanilla bean caviar”, with the flat end of a knife.

Look at all of the vanilla bean caviar I got from just one of the vanilla beans! If you don’t have this many seeds, don’t worry. You will still have amazing vanilla. Some beans are just drier than others. I have had moist ones with lots of seeds and very dry ones. They all made good vanilla in the end.

If you don’t want as many seeds in your vanilla, just chop the vanilla bean up and put it in the alcohol without scraping the seeds out. I just happen to love the extra texture the seeds add to my desserts.

Add the vanilla beans and seeds to the alcohol

Add the vanilla bean seeds and the pod to the alcohol. You may need to cut the pod in half for it to fit. Don’t forget to label the vanilla extract and you may even want to add the date so you’ll easily remember when it can be used.

Allow the vanilla to rest for at least 2 months before using

The picture above was on day one.

The picture below was just 3 weeks later. You can already see how much the vanilla beans have infused into the alcohol by the depth of color.

Now it’s time to personalize your homemade vanilla extract with festive bows and trendy labels. Just look at these cute reindeer labels!

Finally, the hard part begins: the wait to use this incredible vanilla extract. It takes time for the alcohol to extract all of the flavor from the vanilla beans.

You can give the bottle a little shake every 2-3 days to help the vanilla infuse into the alcohol.

Your vanilla extract will be ready to use in 6-8 weeks, however, it’s best to wait 5-6 months. The longer you wait, the more potent the vanilla extract will be.

How much does it cost to make Homemade vanilla extract?

Here is the cost for all materials needed to make 10 bottles of vanilla extract:

• 750 ml bottle of vodka, regular price at Target (about 25 ounces) = $8.00

• 10 Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans = $22.00

• 10 small glass containers (that holds at least 1/3 cup liquid) at $1 each (50% off at Hobby Lobby) = $10.00

   

  The grand total for 10 bottles of homemade vanilla extract (each with just under 1/3 cup alcohol and one vanilla bean) = $40.00.

  If you do the math, that’s just $4.00 for each 2.67 (ish) ounces of pure homemade vanilla extract. This is a steal considering the average cost of a 2 ounce bottle of pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract averages around $12.00 and up!

So now that you have the most amazing homemade vanilla extract, what to do with it?

Soft and Chewy Vanilla Sugar cookies

These vanilla sugar cookies are one of my favorite holiday cookies. They are soft, chewy, full of yummy vanilla flavor, and are OH SO GOOD. Click HERE for the recipe.

Looking for additional Christmas in July inspiration?

Check out this Christmas in July post from Living Life Seasonably for additional ideas including a Christmas Chocolate ball recipe and a Christmas shopping list tracker:
Living Life Seasonably: Christmas in July, A New Tradition.

Don’t forget to check out FITNCLEAN Vanilla at:

https://fitncleanvanilla.com

and

https://www.amazon.com/fitncleanherbsandspices