Making Homemade Vanilla Extract for Christmas Gifts 

I'm getting my wife some toilet paper for Christmas. If she gets mad at me, I'm blaming you, Corie! 😆 Just kidding! Loved the video! You're getting better over time at filming and coming up with creative content. The hard work you put into your channel shines through. God bless!

I painted my bathroom one year and bought some new towels. That year my sister bought me some green toilet paper for Christmas to color coordinate with my new look! Everyone laughed at her gift, but I truly loved it. All these years later and THAT is still a gift to be remembered.

I love this!!!! I also love that you said you prefer useful gifts at Christmas. My mom has ALWAYS given care package boxes or bags. They'd have things she'd shopped for with coupons and on sale. They were nearly free for her because she's so good at saving money. In the box would be food, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, shampoo and other necessities. NOW, when my kids were young, they used to snicker at these gifts from Grandma. Now that my kids are grown, they look for her box! One year she didn't give the grandchildren their care boxes and they were actually upset because they wanted the paper towels more than the expensive gift she got them! When I was young, I can't tell you how many times that care package of mom's saved me! Anyway.... especially this year, care packages should be what is given. No more electronics. No more crap.

several years ago a late friend always gifted me with a large trash bag filled with laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, dish washing liquid and a gallon of Clorox, I absolutely loved that bag more than any gift I received. I am gonna make some homemade vanilla to give to my girls for Christmas this year. Thanks Corie for such a timely reminder of how wonderful homemade gifts are.

I've grown Vanilla Orchids in a greenhouse. It's a vining orchid b with small green flowers. The seed pods have to be fermented to bring out the flavor and that's why they feel sticky when you buy them to make extract.

I learned how to make vanilla several years ago. It is an easy recipe. Great idea for Christmas gifts Corrie. 100 % vanilla is so expensive in the stores now days too, so whoever gets these will get a wonderful gift. 👍

I was just researching on how to do this yesterday. I saw the current price at the grocery store real vanilla. Talk about sticker shock. Thank you Corie! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

I made vanilla extract to give for Christmas gifts last year. I bought swing top 8 oz. bottles. I've since made another dozen bottles.

Vanilla is a very nice gift to give to someone, especially to someone who bakes. Real, pure vanilla is very expensive to buy in the store. So, this is really a great and thoughtful gift!

Thank you Corie I’m 72 and never knew how to make vanilla but I do now and I’m making some for my 2 daughters for Christmas, as soon as I get the beans from Amazon. I’m so excited!❤️❤️

Yes I've made my own vanilla extract and I LOVE IT! So simple and delicious! I would much rather have this than any store bought kind 😉 Thank you for sharing and GOD Bless You 🧡

Vanilla is a great gift for someone who likes to bake. I made it last year and my daughter loved it. You can also add more vodka to the big jar with the vanilla beans after you pour some into smaller bottles for gifts. It's a gift that keeps on giving. I knew there was a reason I saved my maple syrup jars. I need to make more vanilla. Thanks for this video. It got me thinking about homemade gifts I need to start making for Christmas. I also like the toilet paper idea. In a previous video Katie mentioned that she gave your husband Word Search toilet paper as a gag gift. My 97 year old mother loves doing word searches and also happens to spend time in the bathroom. I think that would be a great gift for her.

Yes, I have made vanilla extract....in fact, tonight I started a new 8 oz. bottle of it. I've given bottles to friends, my sister, our niece. It's a great gift !

I love that vanilla beans are just orchid seed pods. I’d love to find a vanilla orchid plant someday and grow one! Thank you for this great idea. Vanilla is crazy expensive and I use it all the time.

I have made home made vanilla extract for gifts! I love the smell of vanilla, such a rich fragrance. After I bottled the vanilla for gifts, I took the used beans and poured more vodka over them. I let them set for quite awhile, but they made a couple more bottles of extract. You could also put some of the spent beans in a cup or two of granulated sugar in a lidded container to make vanilla sugar. Smells so wonderful.

I’ve been making vanilla for years. I have some in the pantry now that is three years old. I’ve made it with vodka, spicy rum and bourbon; all are great. I can’t actually tell any difference in the taste.

Sure like the color of your cabinets young lady.

A vanilla bean in your sugar is wonderful! The last two years I have said I was going to make vanilla as it has gotten so expensive. My friend made it a couple years ago and it is fantastic! I made pickles and relish for gifts this year.

The liquor store clerk probably thought you were getting ready for a party with those handles of vodka 🤣. And here she is being all wholesome making vanilla.

This will be my first time making vanilla and I am 72 yrs old.thank you for the video on how too. Bless your heart.

Great video! I’ve never made homemade vanilla. I had no idea it was so easy. 😅 I’m definitely making some for Christmas! 👍

what a sweet idea!

It tastes most amazing when it's sat for at least a year in a dark, cool place, and shook once a week. I also wash my vanilla beans before cutting them to get machinery gunk off them, or glove gunk from machine handlers, or other handler in the process of packaging them. I'm weird that way.. I too, use the brown or the cobalt blue bottles. I really enjoyed your video though. Your cheerful attitude is awesome and contagious! Glad I ran across this. Subscribed!!

Those are very nice Christmas gifts.

Nice gift!

I made and gave Vanilla to all my family this year.

🌺 Looks so pretty in those blue jars & I'm sureas it tastes wonderful too. ☃️❄️

You cant beat home made

I am going to make it on the first. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

I did not know y’all had your own channel!!!. Love your mama…..I subscribed……

Thank you for your very detailed video an step by step tutorial on how to make the best vanilla. It really helped ive seen many videos but yours is the best ❤

Goodness, your accent makes me want to fix biscuits and gravy. Great video.

My daughter makes my homemade vanilla, and it is delicious. Thanks for sharing.

Love the tint on the old jars

We love making homemade vanilla. We actually have some in the closet that we are gifting for Christmas. Love those little brown jars and I totally agree about the old jars being pretty with anything in them. As always great information. I just love your videos, God bless!

I always love homemade gifts! Thanks for sharing that will make a great Christmas gift.

I never knew it was made with alcohol. I would have guessed simple syrup. Thank you, this sounds delicious!

Corie, you are an entrepreneur at heart! I would love to get vanilla extract made with love from Appalachia as a gift. There is a good market for extracts, vinegars, and olive oils. Great idea.

I love making vanilla. I have 3 bottles now sitting for 4 years now, one will be opened for Christmas cooking. Higher the proof of alcohol the better vanilla. We also give them as Christmas gifts as well. Enjoyed the video.

I love making homemade gifts! I have been wanting to try this, gonna make some soon. God bless you Corie!

I made some homemade vanilla about four years ago and since it was just for me I wanted to try it first. I put my vanilla beans in the vodka bottle. I put it up in a back bedroom and forgot about it! Lol, it came out wonderful and I’m still using it. You are so right, it’s very shelf stable.

Awesome great words of Christmas wisdom. I will try this out for sure. Thank you. God Bless

That was a great idea and surprisingly simple, vanilla is awesome. You seem a lot like myself, I’m always thinking of things to make around the house because I find joy in making something myself. A long time ago I told Brandi I had an idea, she had that concerned look. I said I think I could take light corn syrup and ferment it and make some shine, she doubted me but it worked. Love the videos your family is very creative and your soap is the best. God bless.

Seeing your video reminded me that I purchased vanilla beans a while back to make some homemade vanilla extract…gotta get it done…!!!!!

I knew I wasnt the only one who l useful things . I love coffee cups and kitchen towels. Best thing I ever got was a Tupperware honey stick . For honey. And a tiny wisk

getting ready to make my 1st batch of vanliia so easy

I will be making this for gifts this Christmas. Thank you for making it look so simple.

Wow great gift and so simple and everyone loves vinnilla going to give it ago thank you corrie x

Morning, Miss Corie, have a nice weekend.

I started a bottle of vanilla a couple of months ago. The video I watched on RU-vid said to let it steep for at least 6 months for a good vanilla but a year or more for really good vanilla. So, I am going for the year or more. I have a nice jar of Mexican vanilla already that I hope will last me until this is ready.

Ya just got it love ❤ the Pressley girls!

Your hair is really pretty today! I have made vanilla using the same method. I agree, the best Christmas presents are those made with love.

This’s what I am making for Christmas this year for the first time. Enjoyed your video. ❤

So easy to make your own vanilla. I love it. I slice mine open.

*I’m definitely making some for Christmas* 😍

God bless you my friend. My Mother did when I was young.

Love this ! That is awesome and simple, and natural ! Thanks for sharing this! I love gifts that are practical and useful , those are the best kind and if someone makes it , well that just makes it very special! Thanks Corie ! God bless...🙏❤

My Mama & I are getting ready to do this, but what a great idea you had to give away small 4 oz. bottles of the vanilla extract to family & friends, for Christmas! Thanks for the lovely idea.

Morning Corey. We had a little snow overnight here in Minnesota. I call it an angel dusting 🌨️

Corie I missed this video, I can't believe it but I did I'll watch it again and again till I get the recipe down pat AND watching this video as well. I've Always believed in home made gifts, they come from the heart ❤️💕 Ya know, Hello Mr. Austin and Olive too 🙏 Have a Great Evening ✨✨✨

What a great idea! I never have, didn’t know you could, but I sure want to now x❤️

I love to make homemade vanilla. Enjoyed your video with all your tips and demo. I enjoy you and your family's videos. Love from Texas♥️

I JUST Bought the SAME Vanilla beans and am making my own homemade Vanilla!!! The store prices are SHOCKING!!😊👍👍

Good morning, I make my own vanilla extract and use vodka. I keep mine right in the vodka bottle. I may look into giving it as a gift to some people. I just looked at my order history for the beans I used and they are both grade A. I never paid any attention to the grade before. Maybe I will try grade B next time and see if I notice the different.

Loved your video. I have been making homemade vanilla for years. I love to score my beans and just drop them into the vodka bottle it comes in. Then after a couple months I pour into different bottles and give as gifts. God bless.

I just made vanilla for Christmas gifts yesterday!!

❤️ it's great to see young people doing "old-fashioned" things. 😋

I love homemade vanilla…I started making it about 10 years ago to give as gifts, I continue to make my own…..I really think it adds the best vanilla taste to everything you put it in…you did awesome & I know your recipients will love it ❤️

Somehow I'd never considered making my own until you suggested it. I see me trying this in the near future! I'm so glad you shared this, Corie! Christmas time's a'commin'!

I love the level of detail you put into it. Answered all of my oddball questions.

I did this last year for Christmas gifts for the first time ever. My friends loved it! I didn’t know you could use vodka or rum and had no idea there were so many types of vanilla beans - each differing in taste and smell. I did individual dark brown small jars with vanilla beans(slit down the middle) in each one. I kept them in the closet 3 months and shook them once a week. Great gifts! (Wish I had tried bourbon)

I'm pretty frugal so I'm intrigued with the toilet paper Christmas present idea but after some consideration, I think I will go with some of Katie's jewelry or maybe some of those Cocomels you told me about. Love you guys. All of you.

Mine will be ready in 3 weeks. Then I can bottle it up for my siblings and my mom.

Love those colored jars!! Thanks for the inspiration! Great ideas for Christmas 🎄

Married life looks good on you Corie.

pretty cool, think I want to try this. thanks

I've never heard of anyone making their own vanilla extract! I will have to try this. I use it when I make vanilla ice cream (duh) and banana ice cream 🤤 and tapioca pudding.

I love what you said about Christmas. For me and my family we prefer useful presents. As I am listening to this I am finishing the embroidered bookmark for my mother in law which is something she will love and she has never been given anything like this as she has sons and her other daughter in law doesn’t embroider. I have a nice big bottle of home made vanilla extract in my pantry ready for this Winter’s baking. Thank you for a lovely video.

I have made it and am making more right now. It is so easy and tastes so good.

Thanks so much for sharing this. I have always wondered how vanilla was made and didn’t realize it was so easy. Would love to see more videos on how to make tinctures and extracts. 😊

I buy only pure vanilla extract - but I made my own vanilla (exactly the way you show in this video) a year ago, and I let it sit for 4 months. It is the best vanilla I've ever had and I put it in many things that the recipe doesn't even call for - example, I add it to my pumpkin pie, add it to my cornbread, and often I'll double the amount I use from what a given recipe calls for. Your video was very clear - just one thing to add. It's important to keep the beans fully submerged in the vodka (especially if you keep beans in a jar that you're using) otherwise they will get moldy and ruin the vanilla.

I’ve never made it, but have always wanted to try. Thank you for sharing!

Great idea ! God Bless !

Excellent idea for a baker that cooks a lot of goodies.

A wonderful gift indeed ❤️🌹 You are all so talented and resourceful. Thanks for sharing! 🙏 Rejoice in the Lord 🙏 (Saved your recipe for future reference)

Hi Corie, I'm going to be trying to make some for myself this year! I'm learning to make different things this year thank you to you & your family ! What a blessing you all are ❤️🤗🙋‍♀️ God bless Jan

I’ve been making my vanilla for 3 yrs now. My family loves it.

I have not made vanilla before, but I am going to now! Thank you so much! This was really great :D God bless you!

I just loved this idea! With the cost of things this is a great gift😘

Yes I’ve been making pure vanilla for a couple years. I like to give it for Christmas, also. My family laughs at me because I never use alcohol and I’m too embarrassed to go in a liquor store, so I have to get someone else to buy the vodka for me. One time I had some groceries delivered and I ordered some vodka, thinking that would save me the embarrassment, but when this very young man delivered my groceries, he asked to see my ID! Now, I’m 80 years old, so it was kind of funny that I had to show my id, and I quickly started babbling about how I wasn’t going to drink the vodka because I don’t drink, but I needed it to make vanilla with. 😂 I even have to laugh at myself, but I’m sure your granny could probably relate to what I’m saying.

This was fabulous!! I hope you o a video when you put it in the small jars. I’d love to see the end results 💕🙏🙏

Corie, I love this idea for gift's! Thank you dear. I didnt know that Vanilla was that easy to make! Thank you so much! Im trying the Lemon cleaner, too! I love your frugal, smart ways honey. You just keep on like youre doing because it's beautiful! Thank you again for these fantastic ideas! God's got you, and I love that, too! Talk to you again soon! Please show the leaves as they continue to turn. Thanks again! God Speed Only. 💛❤🙏

As my kids got married and moved out they got household supplies ever Christmas. They actually looked forward to it 😂 They got Sam’s size paper plates, paper towels, bath tissue, Kleenex, dish washing liquid, laundry detergent, fabric softener, & dryer sheets. Because at that point it would be just the two of them and these things would last a good 6-9 months before they would have to purchase any of that stuff. So they looked forward to all that.

I have put vanilla beans in my sugar jar--makes it taste amazing!! Great video of a wonderful gift idea!! ❤

I have made vanilla extract. It’s so good and what a great idea to give it away as a Christmas gift!

I use light rum and it is so good.

Over a gallon of extract?.....a tsp. @ a time? Wooo! If you're going through that much, you may want to keep an eye on it, I think someone might be a nippin on the bottle. 🙈😂 I absolutely loved this. So simple, I'm gonna definitely try this! Thanks! I throughly love this channel (my Appalachia neighbor....Russell Co. VA).

I have been making vanilla for several years. Right now my jar is about 18 months old and I just keep adding vodka and vanilla beans to it. I give it as Christmas gifts and of course use it for all my baking. ❤️

So beautiful and easy! Thank you Corey!

This was such a lovely video. I have been making our own vanilla for years, however we don't use as many beans as you did. I put about 6 sliced beans into a bottle of vodka that's 750ml so about 25oz ? that one bottle will last us 1-2 years depending on how much baking I'm doing. We get a good, strong vanilla flavor which works for us. Never thought to gift it, may have to do that =) Thank you for the idea. I am that mom/wife who Loves practical gifts, Especially kitchen ones. Small appliances, a faucet, cast iron, chopping boards, knives. I also tend to not gift practical items because I know how some people are, lol. Wonderful content 🥰