Homemade Vanilla Extract

I use vanilla, in a all my baking, it just helps give that extra flavor umph. Well it can be expensive, especially for the pure stuff so this past Christmas I decided I would make my own and give them away as presents.

oo, pretty :)

To make your own vanilla extra is super easy, all you need is some vanilla beans and vodka. I know! Crazy easy! 

I ordered little bottles from here, I did a little shopping around, there are so many different sizes and shapes of bottles. Just watch that you order lids if your bottles don't automatically come with them.

At the time I had no idea how to make my own labels (now I would totally do it) so I found these that I could order right from zazzle.com, super easy and cheap.

You can can vanilla beans from most grocery stores, but those come with only two in a pack and they are expensive so again I went online and got a back of 25 Madagascar vanilla beans from here.

So here's what you do to make your own vanilla:

1.Take two-three vanilla beans cut them in half and then slice in half to expose the seeds.
2. Put the vanilla beans in the bottles and fill to the top with vodka.
3. Seal the bottles tightly and your done, kinda you have to wait. Wait at least 4 weeks, 7 weeks is better. Shake the bottles every couple days.

If you want you can do the extract in a bigger container then strain it before putting it in the smaller bottles. But I don't mind having vanilla beans in my baking, makes it yummier in my opinion.

The nice thing about leaving the vanilla beans in the bottle is when it's half empty you can fill it up with vodka and wait another couple weeks.