Homemade Vanilla Extract (and a GIVEAWAY!)
Yes, it’s after Christmas. Yes, I’m posting a holiday gift idea when gift giving is probably the last thing you want to be thinking about. In my defense, I had to wait, otherwise it would have ruined the surprise for our parents, who each received a set of these for Christmas. For what it’s worth, this is not a last minute gift. I let mine steep for about 6 months. So you should be thanking me for giving you such a fabulous gift idea you can get started on so far in advance. You’re welcome.
Homemade vanilla extract. It sounds so… complicated. So involved. Something akin to distilling your own whiskey or something. But you’d be surprised how simple it is. As easy as pouring some booze into a bottle with a few vanilla beans, and then forgetting about it for 6 months. I think we’re all capable of that.
For this particular batch I purchased three different varieties of vanilla beans: Madagascar, Tahitian, and Tonga. I just love the idea of comparing the subtleties present in each variety (obviously, because I’ve done it before with eggplant, summer squash, figs, and garlic) and the three-extract sampler made the gift that much more special. The final product was packaged in 4oz amber bottles and stickered with a lovely designed label indicating the variety. I knew our parents would appreciate them so much more than a store-bought present.
Hooray for planning ahead.
(Psst! If you like the labels I designed here, you can download a free printable pdf of them to use for your very own homemade vanilla extract!)
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Makes 16 ounces.
Ingredients:
6-10 fresh vanilla beans (more beans will yield a stronger extract in shorter amount of time)
16 oz. (2 cups) vodka or other liquorDirections:
Split vanilla beans and scrape out seeds. Cut pods into 1" pieces. Put both seeds and pod pieces into a glass jar or bottle. Fill with vodka and seal. Store jars in a cool dark place, gently shaking the mixture several times a week. For best results, allow to brew for at least two months, if not longer. The extract will get better with age.
Strain out solids prior to using.
You can also refill the bottle with more vodka as it is used. Occasionally you may also want to strain out the old vanilla beans and replace them with fresh beans. This is also a great use for old beans or beans used for other purposes (once you've scraped out the seeds for your other recipe, simply cut up the empty pod and add it to your extract.)
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Guess what? I’ve got another giveaway for you! I wanted to include this one in giveaway week, but since these bottles were actually given to family members, that would have ruined the surprise. So I had to wait. Call it a belated Christmas gift, if you will.
Beanilla, online retailer of gourmet vanilla beans and vanilla products and where I purchased my beans for this project, has so kindly offered one lucky reader a gift set that includes 3 Madagascar vanilla beans and 3 Tahitian vanilla beans, plus a 1/2 ounce jar of ground vanilla. I truly believe in having fresh vanilla beans on hand at all times, and Beanilla is a quality and affordable source (ie: not the dry and dull beans that they sell in the grocery stores for $10 a pop). Do yourself a favor, buy a bunch. When the price per bean is so reasonable, you don’t have to treat them like precious objects; you’ll find yourself using them to gussy up your everyday dishes and baked goods.
***GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
To Enter:
Simply leave a comment on this post with the answer to this question:
What is your all time favorite vanilla recipe?
Entries open through 1/8/11 at 11:59 CST. I’ll be randomly selecting the winner the morning of Sunday, January 9th. Prize will be shipped to the winner directly from Beanilla. Beanilla is willing to ship this prize internationally.
Want Extra Entries?
Increase your odds of winning! In addition to the main entry comment, leave a separate comment for each bonus entry.
1. Follow @loveandoliveoil on twitter and tweet the following:
I just entered to win a vanilla sampler from @beanilla and @loveandoliveoil! Enter here: http://bit.ly/eHuESh
2. Like Love & Olive Oil on Facebook (or if you are already a fan just say so!)
Be sure you enter a valid email address, because if your name is drawn and I can’t get a hold of you within 48 hours, I will choose an alternate winner. You may also want to add me to your address book (lindsay AT loveandoliveoil DOT com), as I’d hate for your congratulatory email to end up in the spam folder.
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Favorite vanilla recipe – vanilla bean Ice Cream!!!!
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My favorite recipe using vanilla has to be vanilla buttercream. To this basic recipe you can create so many flavor variations and it will always be yummy!
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I love using homemade vanilla pudding as a custard filling for homemade donuts! Yum!
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Homemade vanilla yogurt – yum!
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I would have to say the Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies that I just made for Christmas!
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I am a purist so I would have to say a luscious vanilla caramel.
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Wow, your extract looks absolutely amazing! I have a new favorite vanilla recipe, Martha Stewart’s Basic Vanilla Cookie Dough. It was in the December issue, and made delicious sugar cookies. Thank you for the giveaway!
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Vanilla Creme Brulee!! So rich & so yummy, and so amazing with fresh vanilla beans!
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vanilla ice cream!
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WOW! Beautiful! Where did you make your labels?
My favorite NEW vanilla recipe is my chocolate cream pie made with coconut milk, chocolate and vanilla. So delicious!
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Thank you! :) I designed the labels, and printed them out on basic sticker paper. Also, do you have a recipe for that pie? :) Cream pies are always so rich to me, and making it with coconut milk sounds like a fabulous option!
I love vanilla milk. half whole milk & half cream, sweetened with suagr, and homemade vanilla. Yum!
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My favorite vanilla recipe is for vanilla butter cookies.
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Vanilla recipe…..butter cookies!!!!!!!!!!
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already a fan on FB.
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I like making vanilla sugar with the pods left after I scrape out the seeds.
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I’m simple–my favorite recipe is vanilla ice cream, preferably on top of a warm slice of pie!
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Vanilla roasted strawberries!
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Goodness, this is so cool – and I LOVE the labels. :)
My favorite vanilla recipe is this simple one for vanilla popcorn: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Vanilla-Popcorn/Detail.aspx Yum!
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Also, I’m a fan on facebook.
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And I’m a Facebook fan!
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I’m a facebook fan!
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My favorite vanilla recipe is a pound cake soaked with a vanilla simple syrup. The syrup had several tablespoons of vanilla and vanilla seeds so it had an intense vanilla flavor.
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vanilla bean caramel sauce.. it’s so delicious.
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I love making my own vanilla extract! I think my all-time favorite vanilla recipe is for vanilla bean scones.
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vanilla custard and vanilla/cinnamon sugar cookies. YUMCITY.
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This sounds like an amazing gift!
I’d say my all-time favorite vanilla recipe is just a basic vanilla whipped cream. I’m a sucker for licking the cream off the beaters.
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Homemade vanilla pudding is my favorite vanilla recipe.
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i love martha’s salted chocolate & vanilla bean cookies! so tasty :)
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I followed and tweeted on Twitter.
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i also follow you on facebook :)
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And I am now a FB fan. :)
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I already follow you on Twitter and tweeted the following: http://twitter.com/singerinkitchen/status/22415761221881856
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i LOVE fresh creme chantilly :)
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I love the vanilla cranberry coffee cake from Smitten Kitchen!
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And I am a fan on Facebook!
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One of my favorites is a yummy vanilla buttercream frosting!!
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Adorable and I LOVE the labels! I am making vanila bean cupcakes this weekend!
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Liked on Facebook!!
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My favorite use for vanilla is in frosting…really good frosting
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Warm vanilla milk!
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This is a fantastic giveaway!!! I make a delicious vanilla bread pudding complete with homemade vanilla rum sauce! Yum!!!
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Vanilla bean ice cream. Hands down… I’m also already a fb fan :)
~M~
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Warm vanilla milk.
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i’m not sure i have a favorite recipe specifically for vanilla, but i like to put vanilla in just about everything! my latest concoction that contained vanilla was Browned Butter Winter Citrus Pancakes. Yum-my!!!
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I already follow you on Facebook! :)
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Vanilla is my favorite flavor, so I put it in EVERYTHING! Cookies, cupcakes, buttercream, ice cream. I love it all.
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homemade vanilla bean ice cream
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Mmmmm … vaaaannniiillllaaaaaaaaaaaa …
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Vanilla steamed milk–absolutely delicious light snack!
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Vanilla bean pudding!
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Also, following you on Facebook!
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And following you on Twitter!
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My favorite thing I’ve made to date is vanilla lavender simple syrup, delicious in a vodka cocktail. But my favorite thing in the world is devil’s food chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream icing. Oo, heaven.
Love the blog, love your facebook and some homemade vanilla extract would make my month!
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Hm, this didn’t post the first time:
vanilla steamed milk–delicious light snack =)
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My all time favorite vanilla recipe is David Lebowitz’s vanilla bean ice cream – fantastic vanilla bean flavor! :)
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Follow you on Twitter and tweeted! http://twitter.com/thebustybaker/status/22419492315336705
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I’m still trying to figure out a favorite vanilla recipe!
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Omg thats so awesome :D
I’m not such a big cook, but I love my vanilla – chocolate muffins, that luckily come out really nice everytime. :D
And of course my Vanilla – Cinnamon soap hehe (im cheating)
xxx
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Can’t beat Vanilla ice cream.
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i LOVE vanilla custard stuffed into any delicious pastry.
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I love adding vanilla to macaroons. Yum!
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I like Love & Olive Oil on facebook
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I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/brittty/statuses/22422032268394497
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I ‘like’ you on FB.
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Tweeted!!
http://twitter.com/Scones4Me/status/22422509404033024
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I like vanilla ice cream where you can actually see the bean bits.
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vanilla bean crème brûlée!
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I’m more of a chocolate person, but my hubs LOVES vanilla bean cheese cake. Which I would totally make for him and try not to eat it all if I got these.
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Wow, I don’t even know! Maybe just a really good quality vanilla [vegan] ice cream…
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Vanilla ice cream!
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Clafouti with a whole vanilla bean scraped into the custard. But I’m definitely getting some new ideas from your other comments!
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So pretty!
My favorite vanilla recipe would probably be my favorite cupcake. So simple and delicious.
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I am really just surprised what vanilla goes into. I am intrigued by its entrance into some chocolate pudding I made the other day.
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I “like” you on Facebook.
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tweeted the giveaway
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Already like you on fb :)
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Vanilla bean cookies! They are tiny and tender and almond-y and taste even more amazing after a week or two in the freezer.
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I’m a huge fan of fresh vanilla bean ice cream on a warm brownie. Love it on a cold night!
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Vanilla bean cheesecake!
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“Liked” on Facebook.
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I tweeted :)
http://twitter.com/#!/shannonewilson/status/22429070092406784
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And I’m a HUGE fan on fbook :)
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Vanilla whipped cream!
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I tweeted @icywit (and now follow).
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Good ol’ homemade vanilla ice cream. Yum!
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Wow that is much easier than I imagined!! How long can they sit for?? I would LOVE to make this as a wedding favor :) As for favorite vanilla recipe…eek I don’t have one! Surely I would come up with thousands though if I won ;)
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Buttercream! But thanks so much for letting me know about Beanilla. We’ve been wanting to get our hands on cheaper vanilla pods.
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Creme Brulee! Followed by Vanilla Ice Cream.
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Retweeted as well!
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& I’m a fan on facebook
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tweeted, too!
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Vanilla Bean Scone
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i’m also a Facebook fan!
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You can’t beat David Lebovitz’s vanilla ice cream recipe…French style!
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I add extra vanilla to every recipe. I’m an addict.
My favorite way to enjoy is in my oatmeal. I make quick oats, add vanilla, cinnamon, and a little bit of brown sugar or apple sauce. I also love it in vanilla buttercream. Yum.
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Homemade vanilla ice cream and vanilla, cardamom peach pie.
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I retweeted. :)
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and I’m a facebook fan!
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I love vanilla butter cream icing!
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Vanilla buttercream frosting. :-D
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