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 saw this post a couple years ago and was really excited to try it. I am finally remembering to start with enough time before Christmas . I looked at Amazon and Beanilla for the vanilla beans. 60 beans are at least $150. Is this what I should expect to spend or am I missing something?
There is a huge mark-up on vanilla beans and extract right now. Prices have skyrocketed EVERYWHERE. Bottles of vanilla at Costco that used to cost about $10-$12 are now almost $40- it’s nuts! We’re on the hunt for some good deals so we’ll let you guys know if we find any!
I’d love to hear if you find a deal, was planning to make these for christmas this year again!
Costco has 5 beans for $15.99 right now (at least in Temecula, CA). It’s the best deal I’ve been able to find but I’m not sure how great the quality is.
What’s the difference between vanilla and Mexican vanilla? Is it how it’s made? Kate have you ever tried making it with white tequila? Just wondering?
The differences are negligible. 🙂 I have not tried making it with white tequila…although the flavor of tequila might be too overwhelming for this recipe. If vanilla beans weren’t so expensive right now, I’d experiment, but I basically have to sell a child to buy them, so I’d stick with a high-quality (but not overwhelmingly expensive) vodka like Tito’s or a nice (but not too nice) white rum.
Well, mine has been brewing for 3 months, and all I smell is alcohol. Am I doing something wrong?
Are your beans whole? You might want to pull them out, cut them in half, then put them back in. It does take time–one thing I’ve done in the past is I’ve placed half a bean in each bottle so it will continue to brew once you give it away.
Hope that helps!
the link for the beans is a price that is almost double of what you posted and the link to the bottles no longer works. 🙁
Dang–looks like I need to do some updating! Thanks!!
Chiming in…..I use Bourbon for my vanilla extract and let me tell u something……it’s the only way to go. Yep you can use vodka, but bourbon is way better, and you will get that rich brown color with no food coloring.
I put the recipe together 6 weeks ago, but the brewing vanilla stills smells much more like alcohol than vanilla. It’s an amber color. Should it be getting darker in color and smell more like vanilla? Could the beans not be potent enough? Is this to be expected? Or am I just not patient enough?
You’re going to need more time–it needs a couple months at least (I have some that’s been going for almost 1 1/2 years at this point.) So be patient, but if you’re in a rush, you can aways add more vanilla beans to speed things along.
SO I have a question about this…I love this and bought everything to make it. I started mine in August (I think). It is still smelling super alcoholly (I think that should be a real word). Should I just let it sit longer or should I buy more vanilla beans? Maybe it makes a difference that I kept mine in the Rum bottles? I’m planning on giving it as gifts at Christmas, so it will obviously sit longer, but because it has already been almost 2 months and still smells that way I am a bit concerned. Don’t want to send my hubby home teaching with bottles smelling so strongly of alcohol.
Sit tight…magical things will happen by Christmas!! 🙂 When I give mine, I always end up putting about half a bean in each bottle because it only gets better with time. But don’t worry, August will give you plenty of time by Christmas.
Thank you so much!!!
I followed your directions exactly and ordered the beans from your suggestion and they don’t smell like vanilla at all. I just tasted some of the liquid inside one of them and it was terrible. Do you think the beans are spoiled or should I not give up. I did 5 quarts and I’m ready to pour it down the drain.
I have been shaking my vanilla religiously for 2 1/2 months now, excited to give it out for Christmas this year! I am just wondering if you filtered your vanilla at all? Mine has little specs in it? My color is also very faint….totally normal right? Thanks….love our best bites!!!!
I have been meaning to post a comment for about a year and am finally getting around to it :)! My friend and I decided to make some vanilla as neighbor gifts last year thanks to your wonderful tutorial! We started in October and although we knew we were starting a little late, we were hopeful everything would turn out. When we checked it a couple of months later, the vanilla had hardly any color to it, so we decided to postpone our gift giving a bit. Well here we are one year+ later and although the coloring is darker, it is still kind of light and doesn’t have an overwhelming vanilla flavor. We followed your directions exactly, but I am thinking something went wrong. Any suggestions on what we could do now? Do you think they are salvageable?
I made some vanilla a couple years ago. Been using it ever since. I made it for myself so I just cut 3 or 4 beans in half, dropped them in a salsa jar, added a cup or so of vodka. As I use it, I replenish with vodka, keeping a cup of vanilla at all times. Periodically drop a new bean in.
I also made the non-alcoholic version with glycerin. It took a lot longer to steep, though. Since I don’t bake too much, I haven’t used the glycerin version yet.
Lesson learned….your vanilla will turn out darker if you divide everything up in smaller batches in Ball Jars. Last year I divided the beans evenly and put them directly into the large Rum bottles. I started in early October and by mid December the color was not very dark, but the vanilla still turned out great and I just left a small portion of the vanilla bean in each little jar. This year, I started in late September and used the Ball Jar method and the vanilla is turning out much darker. Just FYI! I will use the Ball Jar method moving forward.
Also, Kate…what is the typical shelf life of the vanilla? A friend of mine just asked me….she still has some left over from last Christmas. THANKS!
I am trying the vanilla this year. I have had it brewing/or whatever for 6 weeks now. I used rum. I was just wondering if it would be of any benefit to cut the beans in half. It would allow more flavor to come through it would seem. I am hoping this is good. It still smells like liquor!! Just FYI the other bottles that you reference from Aroma Tools are great. This store is just down the street from where I live. They have GREAT containers. All kinds for oils and such. You may want to check it out. Thanks for your great site. Can’t wait to use my vanilla
Wondering what you know/think about this. I was reading online about how they grade vanilla beans, etc. And according to this site http://www.vanillareview.com/vanilla-information/, US law states that you must have at least 6 beans per 1 cup (8 oz) of alcohol to be legal. He states that otherwise it is basically vanilla flavored alcohol, rather than a true extract.
So it looks like you filled each mason jar with about 2 1/2 cups rum. So that would require about 14 vanilla beans…I think….to be “legal” extract. For anyone who cares 🙂 I just used 12 beans because I split it up between friends, and there wasn’t enough to do the full 14 beans. I don’t think 2 beans will matter all that much. I’ll just make sure it sits a good long while.
Just kidding it’s 15 beans per 2 1/2 cups 🙂
Okay just ignore my comments please! After talking with a couple other people who have made there own….and they all do it differently….and it all turns out and they all like it….I just don’t think it matters that much!! LOL
So, I’m a little confused: what is the consensus on the alcohol? Vodka? Vanilla vodka? Rum? White rum? Bourbon? I’m not an alcohol consumer so I don’t know the difference.
I decided to make this to give as gifts this year and ordered my beans from beanilla.com. They came today and I have to say I am not sure they smell right…the smell makes me think of black liquorice! Is that ok/normal?? It isn’t what I expected, especially after others’ said they smell heavenly. Please help!
Mine smelled off to me too. I debated for a while because maybe what I think smells heavenly and what others think is different. So I just went for it. I hope it turns out!
I thought the same thing! Mine did not smell like how I think vanilla beans should smell BUT I put them in the rum and I’m crossing my fingers it works.
If you bought from Beanilla, your vanilla will turn out wonderfully.
It will work out. I made this last year and thought the same thing! However, I’ve been getting compliments all year on the vanilla I made! I think it’s yummy too!
I checked over the comments, but didn’t see an answer to this – how do you prepare the bottles? Do you need to sterilize them somehow? Can you just run them through the dishwasher? Or do you use them straight out of the packaging from the shipper?
I wouldn’t put them in the dishwasher, because often they’re not rated for that high heat. I’ve had a few crack, especially when the bottles I use for my DIY kit. Instead I hand wash in hot, soapy water and let air dry until the inside is completely dry.
Any idea how long the vanilla paste will last? Does it need to be kept in the fridge? Freezer? At room temperature?
If anyone is skeptical, my sis-in-law made this for me last year and it was AMAZING!
I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this yet (I didn’t read through the hundred+ comments), but make sure your alcohol COMPLETELY covers the beans. I’m saying this from experience – they will MOLD if left this way too long and will ruin your entire jar of vanilla. You know it’s spoiled when it gets cloudy/not clear. The best way is to chop your beans or split them down the middle. I sell vanilla extract at craft boutiques and online and have been making it for a few years now.
I’ll definitely be trying white rum! I’ve been using a custom blend of a couple different beans for my vanilla, but if I can get the same results by switching my base, then I will!
Also, it really, TRULY is best to let it all steep for 3 months. I never touch it before then. It has full-bodied flavor after that time.
Thanks for posting!
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!