Christmas is a wonderful time of the year to make some of your own DIY gifts to give out to friends and family. I always look for new ideas for great gifts to make. In the past, I made sugar scrubs, soaps, and personalized Christmas ornaments in the past. But recently, I ran across this great blog called ThriftyNorthWestMom.com. The post entails how to make homemade vanilla extract; I think this DIY vanilla extract will make the perfect gift this holiday season.
You can also use these homemade vanilla extracts for many holiday dishes and baked goods. As a cute addition to this gift, you should also create a gift tag with recipes for cookies or holiday bars. All of these personalized gifts really show your recipients how much you care.
You’ll need vanilla bean pods to begin the recipe. You can find these bean pods at a specialty food store or an online website. You’ll also need glass jars and a bottle of vodka. The recipe from ThriftyNorthWestMom.com explains that you simply add two sliced vanilla bean pods into 36 ounces of vodka. Let the mixture sit for 8 weeks in a dark cabinet. Shake the mixture every once in a while during that time.
If you don’t have time to wait the two months for the extract to finish, there is a quicker way that I found on the GrowingInHisGlory blog. The blog says to add three split vanilla beans to three cups of bourbon or vodka. You then cook the bourbon or vodka in a large saucepan over the burner. Set the burner to medium heat for about 5 minutes. Don’t cook any longer. You risk overcooking the concoction which would cause the alcohol to catch on fire. Pour one cup of the mixture into a jar and cool to room temperature. Leave the jars alone for two weeks. Just shake them daily. You must pour the extract through a strainer before giving it away as a gift.
Add your gift tag with a recipe and a cute ribbon to complete the look. You will then be all set to give this amazing homemade gift away to friends and family. You can even use the recipe as a gift for teachers.
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