Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe — A Slow Gift of the Season

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Discover the art of creating homemade vanilla extract with this vanilla extract recipe. Perfect as a heartfelt, slow-infused holiday gift.

There’s something grounding about vanilla — warm, familiar, and deeply comforting. It’s the quiet note that softens chocolate, coaxes caramel to glow, and turns whipped cream into something dreamy. Every year, as the air cools and the kitchen fills with spice, I start a small ritual: tucking vanilla beans into bottles and pouring in brandy, vodka or rum.

Homemade vanilla extract is one of those gifts that carries time inside it — slow to infuse, steady in flavor, and entirely from the heart. Whether you use brandy (my favorite for its round, cozy warmth), vodka for a clean profile, or rum for a hint of depth, the process is the same: simple ingredients, patience, and a little intention.

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Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe

Servings: Six 4-oz bottles

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Infusing Time: 6-8 weeks

Equipment:

As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. I only recommend products I use and love in my own kitchen. (this kit comes with a funnel, labels, and twine)

• Large glass bottle or jar (preferably amber or dark glass to protect from sunlight)

• Funnel

• Glass gift bottles (this kit comes with a funnel, labels, and twine)

Ingredients:

• 12 to 15 vanilla beans (Grade B, or Grade A if you prefer a softer aroma)

• 1 (750 mL) bottle brandy, vodka, or rum (unflavored, not spiced)

Instructions:

1. Split each vanilla bean lengthwise, leaving the top inch intact so the seeds stay nestled inside but can infuse easily.

2. Slip the beans directly into the bottle of brandy (or pour the liquor into a large glass jar and add the beans).

3. Seal tightly and give it a gentle shake.

4. Store in a cool, dark place and shake occasionally.

5. Let infuse for at least 6–8 weeks before using — though the flavor will keep deepening for months.

To gift: Decant the extract into small bottles, adding a fresh bean or two to each. Add a a label with the date it’ll be ready, if desired, and a note to “shake before using.”

Why It’s Special

Homemade vanilla isn’t about saving money or perfection. It’s about connection — to the slow rhythm of real flavor, to your kitchen, and to the people who will taste a bit of your care in every cookie or custard. It’s a thoughtful holiday gift that keeps deepening with time — just like the best kind of relationships.

A Note to Close

If you start your homemade vanilla recipe now, it will be ready just as the holiday season settles in — a quiet companion to your baking days and a thoughtful gift for the people you love most. There’s something deeply comforting about handing someone a bottle that carries your time inside it, steeped in warmth and intention.

This is where Nourishing for Flourishing begins its holiday rhythm — with small rituals that remind us to slow down, savor, and share what we make. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more homemade and heartfelt ideas for the season: simple kitchen gifts, cozy flavors, and ways to bring care back to the table.

Until then, start your vanilla, shake it once in a while, and let the magic of patience do its quiet work. ✨

Happy infusing!

Amy