It's the time of year where corners of my home turn into my elf workshops, and the pantry is no different. A place to craft homemade gifts, prepare for holiday baking, and all the goodness of the season. With gift giving at the holidays for our children, as parents we traditionally focus on “something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read” to limit the amount of gifts to useful and necessary items they will use throughout the year. We’ve practiced these tenets since they were little and this has meant we don’t have lists upon lists of unreasonable requests & too high expectations for the holidays.

When giving to friends + family, I’ve always enjoy hand making gifts. Throughout the years, I’ve gifted blends of mulling wine spices with a yummy bottle of wine, homemade wreaths, lotions, balms and salves, homemade candles, and tea blends too. With the overconsumption of the season, I want to normalize giving secondhand treasures, saved seeds, our favorite recipes written on cards, homemade preserves, & consumable gifts. When purchasing gifts, I try to focus on items purchased from small business and experiences over big box stores.

This year I'm making homemade vanilla: one for my holiday baking and a few to gift away and mulling spice jars for wine or cider. My mom has been making her vanilla for years! This is an easy + simple two ingredient recipe. You can find some other wonderful ideas for a homemade holiday, including paperwhite bulbs here, forest bathing salts here and always homemade jams here and here. This journal entry will focus on

Gifts that are consumable

More than just a bean…

Vanilla planifolia is the botanical name for the Vanilla Bean. The bean itself is the edible fruit of a tropical orchid. Vanilla is primarily produced in a few regions Madagascar, Mexico and Tahiti. Vanilla is regarded as an aphrodisiac, carminative, and stimulant. Once you learn about how vanilla is grown and made, at least for me, it gives me a deeper appreciation for the product itself and reminds me of how precious it truly is.

Good things take time

Vanilla extract takes months to make, so it's wonderful to get started early but it's simple and so worth it. I started one a few months back that will be ready for holiday baking. I like the wide mouth jar for this. Ball® Canning Leakproof storage lids would also work well for making vanilla, but all of mine are currently in use on my apothecary shelves.

For gift giving, I will write “wait to use me” on the tag and let them know what a good date to begin to use is.

HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT RECIPE

Ingredients

24 organic vanilla beans

48 oz of organic vodka

6 Ball half pint jars

This recipe uses about 5-6 whole vanilla beans per 1 cup of vodka.

Directions

Use a sharp knife to slit the vanilla beans lengthwise so the beans are exposed. No need to completely split the bean in half, just slit down the middle. Scrap the beans and add to the jar. If the length of the vanilla beans don’t fit into your bottle or jar, cut the vanilla beans into smaller pieces. Place vanilla beans into jar.

Pour vodka on top until the beans are fully submerged. Stir in the beans, put a piece of unbleached wax paper between, put on your lid and shake. You can also use Ball Canning Leakproof lids.

Store vanilla in a cool, dark place, out of direct sunlight. If you can, shake about once per week. Vanilla will be ready to use in as little as 8 weeks, but let decoct for at least 6 months for the fullest flavor. Wait a whole year and you will have delicious homemade vanilla.

As you begin to use your vanilla extract, you can refill with a little vodka each time. Give it a shake after you refill and give it a shake before each use, too.

Note: Let them brew for minimum two months, six months or a year for the most flavorful. You can continuously add more vodka to the jar as you use it.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post that is part of an ongoing partnership with the Fresh Preserving Division of Newell Brands. They have provided jars, equipment and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own.