Guys. Are y’all as excited about DIY foodie holiday gifts as I am? I don’t know what’s going on with me this year, but I have literally flagged every single DIY food-related article I’ve run across online (damn you, Buzzfeed).
Flavored butters, cupcakes in a jar, mulled wine kits, homemade nutella…so cute, so practical, so delicious.
I want to make (and eat) all of it!
You know what it probably is? All of these DIY gift ideas involve adorable little jars, and I am a huge sucker for cute glassware.
Canning jars – want, have, used only when I have leftover frosting I can’t bear to throw out (but of course it just gets shoved to the back of my fridge and is immediately forgotten). Mason jars – want, have, almost never use, except when I want a blog photo to look particularly folksy. (Do people actually use them for other things?) Milk bottles – want, cannot allow myself to have, will almost never use…but they are so stinking cute and I love them so much!
Same goes for whiskey jugs, wine bottles, and pretty much any other glass bottles/containers that look awesome but are only useful to people less lazy than myself.
But hey look! I allowed myself to buy cute glass bottles this year and actually used them to make awesome, gift-able things – like these flavored extracts. Bottle upon bottle of flavored extracts, in four flavors: vanilla, mint, orange, and lemon.
Have I ever mentioned my love for homemade extracts? It’s there, and it’s intense. I started making my own vanilla extract a year or two ago, after running out of yet another teeny tiny bottle of store-bought extract. I found a recipe online, and it was so unbelievably easy to make, and the resulting extract was so delicious that I haven’t gone back to the store-bought stuff since.
For this holiday season, I wanted to share the joy of homemade vanilla extract with my friends, and decided to throw in a few other flavors just for kicks. Mint and citrus seemed like winning, holiday-appropriate flavors.
How do you make your own flavored extracts? Easy – buy some bottles, a handle of vodka, a few vanilla beans, some citrus fruits, and some mint. Cut open your beans, zest your citrus, and peel the leaves off your mint. Shove everything into separate bottles, add vodka, and…wait.
After a few weeks, you have extract! And the best part is, if you leave your flavoring agents inside the bottles, you can replenish your stock of extract any time by just by adding more vodka – all it takes is a little patience, and you basically have yourself bottomless bottles of fun.
These are, I think, the perfect DIY holiday gift – adorable, useful, and cost-effective for everyone! Now if only I could decide who to give these to…
I know people are going to ask, so:
- Bottles – 4oz Boston Round Glass Bottles from Specialty Bottle
- Labels – Avery Removable Multi-Use Labels, Kraft Brown, 1.125 x 2.25 Inches, Pack of 24 (40151)
- Ribbon – Offray Spoolo Ribbon (White) from Michael’s
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- 3 whole vanilla beans
- Vodka (You can also use bourbon)
- ½ cup mint leaves
- Vodka
- 1 large navel orange
- Vodka
- 1 large lemon
- Vodka
- Cut your vanilla beans in half, then split open each half to expose the vanilla seeds on the inside of the pod.
- Place cut vanilla beans inside your glass bottle.
- Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle.
- Seal tightly and store bottle in a cool, dry place.
- Every few days, tilt your bottle upside down to gently mix the liquid inside.
- After 5-6 weeks, you have extract! (If you leave in your vanilla beans, when you start running low, just add more vodka and wait a little.)
- Stuff mint leaves into your glass bottle.
- Using a chopstick, skewer, or other poking device, lightly bruise/crush the leaves inside the bottle.
- Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle.
- Every few days, tilt your bottle upside down to gently mix the liquid inside.
- After 5-6 weeks, you have extract! (I’m not sure if, like vanilla extract, you can just leave the mint leaves inside. Since it’s leafy plant matter which disintegrates more easily, it may be a good idea to take it out. My leaves went from a vibrant green in the beginning to kind of a dull brown by the end so I took them out just to be safe – I poured my mint extract into another container through a sieve and discarded the mint leaves, then poured the filtered extract back into the bottle.)
- Peel thin strips of zest from ½ of your orange.
- Place zest into your glass bottle.
- Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle.
- Every few days, tilt your bottle upside down to gently mix the liquid inside.
- After 5-6 weeks, you have extract! (I think with citrus peels the acid (and alcohol bath), it’s probably safe to leave the peels inside the bottle like a vanilla bean for re-fill purposes. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, take it out!)
- Peel thin strips of zest from your lemon.
- Place zest into your glass bottle.
- Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle.
- Every few days, tilt your bottle upside down to gently mix the liquid inside.
- After 5-6 weeks, you have extract!
Amy says
Wow, thats pretty good.
Can you make extract without alcohol and substitute with something else?
justputzing says
Hey there! I think in general flavored extracts are made with vodka, bourbon or some other kind of alcohol, but a quick search online shows that it is possible to substitute the alcohol for something called “food-grade vegetable glycerin.” I’m not sure what that is but you can apparently order it from Amazon. Some notes I found re: extracts made with glycerin – (1) they are more syrupy in consistency than the alcohol-based stuff, (2) they are sugar-free, and (3) they should be stored in a brown bottle to maximize shelf life. Hope that helps!
James Johnson says
If I remember correctly form college chemistry glycerin is a form of alcohol. I use it for making taffy helps keep it soft. Order online do a goggle search I purchased 2 gal for about $45 shipped. Everclear is just strong vodka Everclear is about 180 proof or about 90% alcohol where as vodka is 70-90 proof or about 45% most of the difference in vodka is the water that it is diluted with vodka like ever clear it distilled off at a high enough temperature to be pure alcohol and pure water. bourbon has impurities because it is distilled at a lower temp and picks up stuff from being stored.
justputzing says
Wow, thanks for that info! Glad you paid more attention in college chemistry class than I did ;p
ken says
wrong, glycerin not alcohol. its by prdts of pail oil/coconut oil, hence called vegetable glycerin, usually can b found at bakery supplies/shops. don’t mislead.
Will says
Actually… chemically speaking, which is what he was referring to, glycerin is an alcohol.
Angie says
Thank you so much! I have been seeking just this information. We cannot have alcohol yet I still wanted to make my own extracts. You have been so helpful <3
justputzing says
Thank you so much for the comment!!! I hope you enjoy the extracts 🙂
Christopher says
food-grade vegetable glycerin is used in some flavorings, however propylene glycol is what is used in most food flavorings. These two items are also 2 of the main items in Ecig Juice.
Jason says
Propylene glycol is anti freeze. No thanks
DS says
Propylene glycol is used as anti-freeze, yes, but it is the edable kind. It is safe to use around animals. Ethylene glycol is the poisonous anti-freeze.
Irene Bronkhorst says
Do you think I can make cotton candy as well with these exstract for e liquid rather use glicerine than vodca… Will it work I want to make my own flavor
Amber says
Try vanilla and raspberry that is what Starbucks uses to make the cotton candy frap
lhm says
The other name for glycerin is glycerol. It is a common food additive that is sickly sweet.
Miranda Cunningham says
Thanks! I try to avoid alcohol extracts. My taste buds taste mostly the alcohol especially in mint. Even after cooking it. I may try the veg glycerin. We use it here so I have it on hand. Too bad you cant have the pretty colorful bottles though. 🙂
Susan says
Would u be able to sell these extracts since they contain vodka?
justputzing says
I’m not sure what you mean…
Rhayge says
Yes, you may sell these with the alcohol since it isn’t considered drinkable. Unspoken rule is if you can buy it in the grocery store without showing ID then you are able to sell it without needing ID as well.
justputzing says
Thank you!!!
Kirbie says
I love this idea!! and your bottles are so colorful
justputzing says
Thanks, twin 😀
Jessicas Dinner Party says
Haha I have the same dilemma with bottles/jars. I love them, but practically don’t find much use for them. But these look great! and USEFUL!
justputzing says
Haha, totally! Anything to justify buying more tiny bottles 😉
Christine (CookTheStory) says
I love glass bottles too. Great idea.
justputzing says
Thanks!
Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking says
I have an idea! You could give me one of those adorable little homemade extracts! You know, if you can’t find anyone else… 😉
You have just inspired me to make my own vanilla extract! Why do I spend $10 for a tiny bottle of extract with corn syrup in it when I could just make my own?! Insanity! (And I may also have a closet full of adorable little bottles that were just “too cute to pass up”.)
justputzing says
Haha, I totally would send you some but they all got claimed within hours of posting! Guess everyone else likes cute little bottled things too 😉 Speaking of which, if you like my extract bottles, wait til you see my next post….
Val says
Hello !
How can we use these extracts ?
justputzing says
Hi there! Early on in the infusion process, you can use them for cocktails. After about a month or so, they’re great for adding flavor in baking.
Janouk says
What happens with the alcohol? I assume the alcohol won’t vanish, so when you use it for baking will there be alcohol in it? Or can you use it for cupcakes for kids?
justputzing says
The alcohol burns off during the baking/cooking process. You can absolutely use it in cupcakes, etc. I use it in my baking all the time, and there is no alcohol flavor or danger of getting drunk.
Dina says
this is very cool!
justputzing says
Thanks!
Toodie says
I just love how beautiful your extracts are! Wonderful photography and great recipes! I’ll definitely be using them for the cooks I know. Thanks so much! And if you’d like to send me some…LOL
justputzing says
Haha, thanks!
Evelyn says
bottles, bottles and more bottles – my S-I-L made me a perfect bottle tree out of scrap metal pieces. Now that’s the solution and I may have to get a 2nd one.
justputzing says
A bottle tree! What a genius idea 😀
Maya says
These looks lovely! What kind of vodka/bourbon do you recommend?
justputzing says
Thank you! I think you can get away with using pretty much any brand of vodka/bourbon – we’re not super classy liquor drinkers, so we tend to just grab whichever bottle gives us the most bang for our buck ;p
Katesh says
Extracts are no different that Herbal Tinctures. The purpose of the alcohol (Vodka) is to act as a preservative as well a means of extracting components from plant materials. For that purpose, especially if it is to be consumed, it is important to use a high concentration of alcohol. Best not to go below 50% alcohol (take the “proof” and divide in half to get %). Myself, I always use Everclear brand, 180 proof, which is 90% pure alcohol. Brand does not matter, but purity does, so my advice is to never use less than 100 proof, and I recommend 180 proof, especially if items are to be a gift, for the preservative factor and to prevent bacterial growth.
justputzing says
Thank you for this information! Very very useful.
Phyllis says
How long can you keep adding vodka/bourbon to the vanilla beans before the extract isn’t any good ??? Thank you so much.
Jane says
Lovely idea. Would caution folks to use organically grown citrus for this, as the conventional stuff is loaded with nasty fungicides.
justputzing says
Thanks for that tip 🙂
Denean says
Just wash the fruit really well before you use the peelings … I would like to try LIME flavoring … for the vanilla flavoring I have used bottles that have the stoppers (old fashioned beer tops) I make my vanilla and can pour it into another bottle so that I can keep a fresh batch of vanilla at all times. I think I am going to have to try making some with bourbon to see what the taste difference would actually be like.
justputzing says
You’ll have to let me know how the bourbon-version turns out!
Marie says
I was wondering if you could use berries to make extract instead of say citrus, or combined with it, like cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc…..?? Thank you!
Nyteflame says
Hi there, Are the home made extracts a 1:1 swap for store-bought in baked goods? Or does this tend to be either weaker or stronger than the store-bought kind?
justputzing says
I’ve never done a side-by-side comparison, but I think that the strength of the extract will vary depend on how many vanilla beans (or citrus peel) you use. For these recipes, I’ve been using the extracts as a 1:1 substitute for the store-bought stuff and haven’t noticed a difference in taste. Hope that helps!
Abi says
Hi!!! What’s the brand of the vodka or bourbon you used???
justputzing says
I used Smirnoff vodka, but I think you’re safe using any brand you like!
V. Kays says
Love your post. My grandmother, like you, loved all manner of bottles and jars. Her use was to fill them with water tinted with food coloring and display them on her kitchen window sill, reminiscent of stined glass. Thanks for sparking a great memory.
justputzing says
Thank YOU for reading! I love your grandmother’s tinted water trick – will definitely have to give that a try sometime 🙂
Steve says
Along with the ones you’ve shown, I plan on trying hot peppers (hot, like ghost peppers!), and some other fruits like apples (red and green mixed) and maybe pineapple. These would be great for sauces for poultry and fish, like a Caribbean flavor. 🙂
justputzing says
Ummmmm, you HAVE to tell me how those turn out! I was just thinking today that I wanted to try making fruit extract….
Heather says
I use Everclear to make my extracts, I’ve heard that will strip the oils even better. How many vanilla beans for a quart jar? I thought it was 2 but the liquid is still very clear after 2 months. 🙁
justputzing says
I think the more you use the better – for the larger bottle I made for myself, I think I used 6-8 whole vanilla beans.
Lee says
I made my extract in a pint size mason jar. I used 5 vanilla beans. Also my girlfriend made it first with vodka and it was ok. The second batch; she made it with rum, like the taste better, so I made mine with rum.
justputzing says
Ohhh, I never even considered rum! Will definitely have to give that a try.
Jennifer at Purposeful Nutrition says
Love this. I have made vanilla extract but not any of the others. I will have to try some now with your recipes. Pinned this for later.
justputzing says
Thanks! Hope the other extract flavors turn out well for you 😀
Jennifer at Purposeful Nutrition says
Making my first lemon extract. Thanks so much for the recipe.
justputzing says
Thanks for reading! Hope you like the extract 🙂
Taylor says
So does the extract have a residual alcohol? Like it wouldn’t be safe for kids to consume? I did’t even know store bought extracts were made with alcohol. Also, I have some glycerin I bought on Amazon for making bubble solution. It’s the texture of Karo syrup, sticky and slightly sweet, so it would be a good substitute for extracts that need a sweetener.
justputzing says
If you’re using the extracts for baking, the alcohol will burn off in the oven, so it should be totally safe for kids to consume. Thanks for the tip about glycerin!
Chris says
hi 🙂 im from tasmaia australia and i actually use this method a lot for creating my own flavor concentrates for making “e-juice’ to vape in my electronic cigarettes 🙂 i just substitute the vodka for propyleneglycol
or vegitable glycerin and bottle them in amber bottles and allow them to steep in a cool dark place for a few weeks and soon i have homemade e-juice 🙂
justputzing says
Cool!
melissajo says
I know this is an old post, but I have the perfect sized bottles! The little mini wine bottles they sell in packs of 4 are PERFECT for extracts! I hate buying bottles just for bottles- but in this case I get a good glass of wine, boil off the label, and then I have a perfect bottle that I can wrap with a cute label and gift!
justputzing says
That’s a fabulous idea! I bet hot sauce bottles would work too 😀
Emma says
These look fabulous. I’ve been making vanilla extract for a while. Can’t wait to try the others!
justputzing says
Thanks! Hope you like them 🙂
Kellie says
My mint went bad after 4 weeks in the vodka, it smelled terrible. Did you ever have that problem?
justputzing says
Hm, my mint was definitely gross-looking at the end of 30 days when I took it out, but the extract itself didn’t smell terrible. Maybe you could try opening the bottle around the 2-week mark and sniff-testing for freshness/decay?
them8triark says
You CAN NOT leave the fresh herbs in for longer then 2 days as they will go bad and turn black. Try either replacing the fresh herbs every 2 days or try dried herbs instead.
LaDonna says
hi, what is the shelf life? And do you leave the stuff in the vodka until it goes bad? Thank you 🙂
justputzing says
You can keep the vanilla beans in the bottle pretty much forever, and then just keep adding vodka as your supply of extract gets low. The other stuff, especially the mint, I would recommend taking out and replacing every few weeks (leafy matter decomposes really quickly), but I think the shelf life is also pretty indefinite b/c of the alcohol/citrus.
michelle says
I had some residue in mine after I shaked it. Would you strain that when it’s all set to be used? I was going to give them as gifts.
Thanks!
justputzing says
You can strain them if you like (esp the mint or citrus ones), but I never do!
Karen says
I just made my very first bottles of vanilla and lemon extract. I can’t wait for them to be ready in about 6 weeks!I bake a lot and spend a fortune on extract. So excited to make my very own! thank you for your post.
justputzing says
Thanks for reading! Let me know how they turn out for you 🙂
LEENA RAJAN says
It was wonderful. But am a non alcoholic and belongs to seventh day adventist groups. So can u pls tell me what to use instead of vodka. Am from tamilnadu, india. I would like to bake something healthy for my son. Thank u
justputzing says
It is possible to substitute the vodka with something called “food-grade vegetable glycerin” – see my response to the first commenter for more information. Thanks for reading!
UmmuAr says
hi, can i add water or whatever but only vodka or alcohol not ?!
justputzing says
You don’t have to use alcohol (see comments below re: food-grade glycerin), but I don’t think water would work…
alice says
I made lemon extract in december, and just opened it up, it still tastes/smells like vodka. Any suggestions? Can I add more lemon peel and try again?
justputzing says
Yes, I think adding more lemon peel will definitely help.
Reba Stallins says
I had the same problem with my orange ,so should i just add more orange?
Daniel imran says
If i were to make lychee extract, should i peel off the skin like you did with the lemons and oranges or can i just put one whole lychee in the jar ?
justputzing says
You should probably peel off the skin – the alcohol will extract the flavor from whatever you soak in it, so if you leave the peels of a lychee on your extract could end up being bitter (I’m assuming, since I’ve never bitten into a lychee peel!).
gwen bownds says
Can you personally make me hazelnut extract???
mie says
I would like to know how you would use Strawberries, Blueberries, or other flavors to make extracts flavoring, I do a lot of baking .
justputzing says
I haven’t tried fruit extracts yet, but I think I would take a similar approach as the vanilla, etc. – though I might not soak the fruits as long. I recently made an apple pie-infused bourbon, and I only left the apple chunks in there for about a week. If you do try strawberries, etc. I recommend you check on the extract after just a few days and see how they are doing – maybe give them a taste and see if the fruits are a little too mushy/degraded. You can always swap out the old fruit for new fruit! Let me know if you do try fruit extracts!
Caroline says
for the first time in years, I’ve put mint in a pot in my garden. The plant was so happy I had to cut it back so I had tons of leaves to do something with. Tried the mint extract recipe! When I opened the jar I was assaulted with the smell! I guess I wasn’t expecting it to be so strong! It’s just great!!! The colour though is greenish/brownish. It won’t make a difference once in cookies or cakes, however, to give as gifts, not in a transparent bottle…. I think I expected the extract to remain white? Silly! Thanks a lot! This was a wonderful experiment!
justputzing says
So glad you liked it! Mine turned out a little greenish/brown too – not the prettiest, but at least it tastes good 😀
Erin says
I was just wondering, many times can you refill the vanilla extract before the flavor runs out? Thanks.
justputzing says
I’m not sure, to be honest. The jar that I have now is going on 2 years old, and I’ve refilled it twice. Hope that helps!
them8triark says
It will keep for as long as the vodka is good.
Jen Starkey says
Love Love LOVE. Definitely pinning and putting you on my favorite list to browse tonite.
justputzing says
Thank you!!! 😀
Teri says
I have a question, would it matter what color bottles I use? I have some beautiful blue ones and I was wondering if they would work too? Or brown ones?
justputzing says
I don’t think it matters! I tend to go with clear bottles, but I bet blue bottles would be just fine 🙂
them8triark says
You wld want to keep your extracts in dark glass because they “keep” better then clear glass especially if they’re in a sunny place in the kitchen. Hence why they’re usually in dark bottles at the grocery store. Blue would be alright to use.
Juliana says
You could literally just drink this! Isn’t it just like flavoured alcohol?! <3
justputzing says
Pretty much! Limoncello IS made by soaking lemon zest in vodka ;p
kemi says
can the extracts be used to flavour water? because i keep hearing about fruit essence in water. for example hint water uses fruit essence and flavour
justputzing says
I’m not sure…I have heard of people infusing water directly with fruit (vs. extract), but I don’t see why you couldn’t do it with extract. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!