Vintage Home Designs -

The holidays will be here before we know it. I have really tried to focus on handmade gifts for friends and neighbors the past few years. This easy homemade vanilla extract DIY for gift giving is a perfect gift and takes very little time to make.

Three glass bottles of easy homemade vanilla extract with clasp lids sit on a white tray. The front bottle, tied with a brown and white checked ribbon, features a label that reads "Homemade vanilla from the kitchen of Michele—perfect for your next DIY project.

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You only need 2 ingredients to make homemade vanilla extract.

The flavor of homemade vanilla is SO much better than store bought, not to mention less expensive.

It is such an easy but meaningful gift.

Here is how you make it…

supplies for homemade vanilla extract

A bottle of Silver Star vodka, six clear glass bottles with stoppers, and several vanilla beans on a wooden board are arranged on a wooden table, perfect for an Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract DIY in a cozy kitchen setting.

8 oz. glass jars with airtight lid

vanilla beans – Grade A or Grade B – you will need 6-8 vanilla beans per 8 ounce jar

vodka (at least 70 proof)
or bourbon if you prefer a bourbon based vodka

funnel (optional)

different grades of vanilla beans

There are Grade A and Grade B vanilla beans.

You can use either one in making homemade vanilla extract, but lets talk about the difference in Grade A and Grade B.

Grade A vanilla beans are considered the gourmet or premium option. They have a higher moisture content, a more oily exterior and are considered to be more pure.

Grade B vanilla beans are considered to be the extraction grade. They have less moisture content and have a more concentrated flavor.

different types of vanilla beans

Madagascar, Mexican and Tahitian vanilla beans are the most popular.

Madagascar beans are have a rich and creamy flavor and is considered to be the most popular.

Mexican beans are bolder, darker and have a bit of a woody or smoky flavor.

Tahitian beans have a sweet, floral and fruity flavor. They are usually larger in size and more expensive than the other types of vanilla beans.

Most often, the Madagascar beans are used in making vanilla extract.

A wooden board with dried vanilla beans sits on a table—perfect for an Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract DIY. Behind it are a bottle of liquor and a small brown bottle, with shelves of dishes blurred in the background.

what types of alcohol can be used for homemade vanilla

The most common type of alcohol for making vanilla is vodka.

Vodka has a neutral flavor which allows the flavor of the vanilla beans to be the star of the show.

Bourbon is another popular option and creates a rich, woody and caramel type flavor.

Rum is also an option for making homemade vanilla and provides a sweet and fruity flavor. Different types of rum (white, dark and spiced) offer different levels of sweetness and flavor.

I have made homemade vanilla extract with vodka as well as bourbon, but I have never personally made it with rum.

A bottle of Silver Star vodka, six glass bottles with liquid, and a pack of vanilla beans sit on a wooden table—everything you need for Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract DIY. Shelves with dishes and a vase of flowers are in the background.

A bottle of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey sits on a wooden table, surrounded by three smaller bottles of Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract DIY. A blurred background reveals home decor on shelves.

directions for making vanilla extract

Six empty glass bottles with swing-top lids are arranged on a white tray, ready for Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract DIY. In the foreground, a package of organic vanilla beans rests on a wooden table, with blurred shelves and flowers in the background.

First, you want to make sure your glass bottles are clean.

I like to run mine through the dishwasher before I get started making the vanilla extract.

When your jars are all clean and dry, you will add your vanilla beans to your jars.

Using a sharp knife and a cutting board, slice the vanilla beans down the center to expose the vanilla bean seeds.

Several dried vanilla beans are laid out on a wooden cutting board, ready for easy homemade vanilla extract DIY. A knife rests nearby, its tip pointing toward one of the beans. The cutting board surface shows marks from regular use.

Make sure the vanilla beans will fit all the way into the jar. If they are too long, you can cut the ends off to fit your jars.

Add 6-8 vanilla beans to each jar. The more vanilla beans, the stronger the vanilla flavor will be.

Six glass bottles with swing tops, each filled for easy homemade vanilla extract DIY, are arranged on a white tray. Several more vanilla beans are spread on a wooden surface in the foreground, with shelves blurred in the background.

Pour the vodka over the vanilla beans making sure the beans are completely covered.

A bottle of clear liquid, several vanilla beans, six small glass bottles with red and white caps, and a strainer on a tray are arranged on a wooden surface—perfect for an easy homemade vanilla extract DIY project.

A hand pours clear liquid from a bottle into a funnel set on a glass jar, with more jars nearby and a pile of vanilla beans on a wooden board—perfect for an easy homemade vanilla extract DIY.

Seal the jars and place in a dark place for 4-6 months and up to a year.

Shake the jars about once a week.

The longer the vanilla infuses, the stronger it will be.

Six glass bottles with swing-top lids, filled with vanilla beans and liquid for Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract DIY, are arranged on a white tray on a wooden table. A white funnel lies in the foreground, with shelves visible in the blurred background.

Two glass bottles with swing-top lids, each containing vanilla beans soaking in clear liquid, sit on a white rectangular dish on a wooden table—perfect for your easy homemade vanilla extract DIY project.

gifting ideas for your homemade vanilla

I like to use the flip top glass bottles with the lid attached for my homemade vanilla extract, but you can use any airtight glass jar.

8 ounce jars are perfect for gifting. If you use larger jars, be sure and adjust the amount of vanilla beans.

Tie a cute ribbon around the neck of the bottle and attach a “homemade vanilla extract” sticker to the jar.

Three glass bottles of easy homemade vanilla extract DIY, adorned with checkered ribbon bows and personalized labels, sit on a white tray on a kitchen counter. Shelves with dishes are visible in the blurred background.

homemade vanilla sticker labels

A label with a green border reads: "Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract DIY." Below is an illustration of vanilla beans. Text says: "Ingredients: Madagascar vanilla beans, vodka. From the kitchen of ____.

I have created some cute labels for you to add to your homemade vanilla for easy gifting.

Download the stickers and print on sheets of sticker paper.

Cut them out and add to the front of your bottles of homemade vanilla.

If you don’t have a printer at home, you can print them at a local office supply.

If you are a subscriber of Vintage Home Designs, you will find the password to the printable in your email.

If you aren’t a subscriber yet, be sure and sign up with your email to receive access to these cute homemade vanilla tags as well as all of my other printables.

other tips…

If you are keeping the vanilla for yourself, you can leave the vanilla beans in the jar indefinitely as long as the vanilla beans are always covered with the vodka.
Just add more vodka occasionally.

If you are gifting the homemade vanilla, be sure and remove the vanilla beans or give instructions to the recipient to add vodka occasionally and keep the beans covered.

If the vanilla has infused for less than 6 months, leave the vanilla beans in the bottle and tell the recipient to either remove the beans when they start using the vanilla or to add vodka to keep the beans covered.

Homemade vanilla, with the beans fully submerged, will last several years. Eventually, you will need to replace the vanilla beans in order to keep the flavor strong.

Homemade vanilla, with the beans removed, will last indefinitely.

The flavor comes from the vanilla beans so there is no need to use an expensive vodka for this project/recipe.

If you are making the vanilla for gifts and it doesn’t have 4-6 months to infuse, you can add a tag that tells when the vanilla will be ready to use.

I hope you enjoyed this Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract DIY for Gift Giving post.

Once you make your own homemade vanilla you will never go back to store bought vanilla extract.

I would love to know if you try it!

blessings,

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Three glass bottles filled with Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract DIY, labeled and sealed with red-capped lids, are displayed on a white tray. One bottle, tied with a gingham ribbon, highlights this thoughtful “DIY for gifting” idea.

4 Comments

Wendy McMonigle says:

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This not only looks beautiful, but I am sure it tastes delicious as well. These would make the cutest gifts for the holidays. Thanks for sharing.

1. michele says:
  
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  Thanks so much Wendy! They are such fun gifts!
  
Carrie Reaves says:

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Wonderful ❤️
Thank you for sharing 🙏🏻

1. michele says:
  
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  Of course! So glad you like it!