I never realized how EASY it is to make homemade vanilla; A formal recipe is not really needed! I followed the basic directions, and I’m very happy with how they turned out! The result was a fun and economical – but high value – Christmas gift!
Homemade Vanilla: One of My 2025 Goals
At the beginning of 2025, I set myself the goal of trying to do 12 new things for myself that I had never done before. (See my list here.)
Many of you have told me that I should start with vanilla because it is so easy to make and I will have to wait at least 6-12 months before it can be used.
I’ve learned that if a bunch of people are suggesting the same thing, I should listen. So I did as suggested and started with vanilla.
Where do you find Homemade Vanilla Extracts?
Since making homemade vanilla extract was all new to me, I had to research a lot of recipes and details online to feel confident enough to do it (those of you who have done it before can go ahead and laugh now because I didn’t know it was so easy!!).
I bought my vanilla beans from Amazon. I shopped many different places and finally found these Grade A vanilla beans because they have 12k+ ratings and many 5 star reviews!
Jesse then picked up some Vodka at a local store (and was very disappointed that he didn’t get a card… “I took out my license and they didn’t even ask me for it!)
Is It Really Cost-Effective to Make Homemade Vanilla?
In total, it was about $80 for the vanilla bean and Vodka. It ended up making about 150 ounces of vanilla. That comes out to about $0.53 per ounce – which is less expensive than you’d pay to buy it at the store. In fact, I searched my local stores and all the vanilla I could find was $3 an ounce!
When I shared pictures of my vanilla on Instagram, a few people said I could have used fewer beans to save money. So if you want to make it even cheaper per ounce, you can try that! People also say that once the vanilla is made, you can put the vanilla bean in the sugar and it will make vanilla sugar!
How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract (It’s Ridiculously Easy!)
That’s right, it’s so easy to make homemade vanilla! I realized I’ve been agonizing over this idea for years and I can’t believe it took me this long to try it!
In fact, if you’re looking for a recipe made with vanilla extract, you don’t really need it. All you do is cut the vanilla beans down the middle, put them in a jar, and pour the vodka over them. (You can also use rum or bourbon.)
Then, you just let the jar sit in a cool, dark, room temperature place for six to 12 months. Take the jar and shake it every few weeks and make sure the beans are soaked.
That’s all! You can use homemade vanilla as soon as a few months or wait 12 months or more.
For more information and photos on making homemade vanilla, check out Sally’s Baking Addiction.
These would make great Christmas gifts if you make them now and put them away until December!
Homemade Vanilla Success!!
The vanilla came out really well! The kids loved passing it to the bottles with me.
I gave homemade vanilla for Christmas gifts and it was a HIT! We used these bottles to give away and I think people were probably more excited about the sweet bottles than the vanilla itself!
I still can’t believe how easy this is and how long I waited to try it! Highly, highly recommended!
Frequently Asked Questions About Making Homemade Vanilla Domains
Pure homemade vanilla extract will last forever! Simply remove the beans and store them in a cool, dark place, and they should be good for many years.
It takes 5 minutes to mix the ingredients, but they will need to sit for 6-12 months to fully infuse the flavors.
If you liked this post, you’ll also like:
Have you tried making homemade vanilla before? Have you made any new recipes or done any new DIY projects lately?
FREE Goal Setting Worksheets!
Let me help you set, track, and achieve your goals this year!
