Five days- 5 diy gifts- Day 1- Homemade Vanilla

Now that the holidays have come to an end, I am finally able to post a few of the projects that kept me busy in December.  I regret that I was not able to post these great DIY gifts before Christmas but had I done so, my family would have seen them and I did not want to ruin the surprise. That is ok though, these gifts are great for all sorts of occasions and I hope that you will find them useful throughout the year!

Day 1

If there is one thing in my kitchen I can never seem to have enough of, it’s Vanilla extract. Any avid baker knows that it can be quite expensive and comes in small bottles that don’t last very long. Imitation vanilla is less expensive, but I have found that nothing can replace the flavor of the real thing.

One day, as I was surfing the web, I stumbled upon a recipe for homemade vanilla extract and I just had to try it. With the help of Pinterest (for the idea) and beanilla.com (for the supplies) I made a couple bottles for my mother and grandmother.  They seemed to love them! You too can make delicious, homemade vanilla that is less expensive, more flavorful, lasts longer, and makes a great gift!

Here’s how…

You will need:

*8 oz of vodka (at least 30% alcohol)

*5 vanilla beans

*An airtight glass bottle or jar that holds at least 8.5oz

*Kitchen funnel

*Small knife

(Vanilla beans and bottle may be found on www.beanilla.com)

Step 1:

Split the vanilla beans, length wise, straight down the center.  When all the beans have been split, put them in your glass bottle or jar.

Step 2:

Using your funnel, pour 8oz of vodka into your bottle or jar.

Step 3:

Seal your jar and place it in a cool, dark place for 8 weeks.  Gently turn your bottle or jar at least once a week to stir up the liquid.

It’s as easy as that.  If you plan way in advance, you can give this vanilla with it ready to use or you can do as I did and add a cute tag with the instructions and use by date! I’m sorry I do not have a photo tutorial of this one but if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section. I will be happy to help!

Happy making and baking!