A couple of years ago, I uncovered a secret that completely changed the way I cooked and baked. I discovered that it was possible to order bulk lots of vanilla beans on eBay for cheap. I went from treating the vanilla bean as a precious item to using them freely. And this time of year, they can become an easy path to a sweet, homemade holiday gift. Homemade vanilla syrup can sweeten coffee, is delicious in plain yogurt and is wonderful drizzled as a quick glaze over top of any number of simple baked goods.
To make, combine one cup of water with two cups of sugar and add three to four vanilla beans, split lengthwise and scraped. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and pour into half pint jars (when I made this tonight, I filled two half pints and one quarter pint). Include a piece or two of vanilla bean in the jar to keep infusing. Wipe the jar rims, apply lids and rings and processing in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes for a shelf stable syrup. Alternately, if you plan on keeping it for yourself and using it directly, you can skip the processing and keep at room temperature for up to a week.
Gift this with some pancake mix, freshly baked scones or a pound of coffee.
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Comments ( 23 )
[...] Vanilla Syrup in a Jar (I love the picture of this one!) [...]
Update from MIA-ville « wake up, little sushi. added this comment on Dec 04 09 at 6:44 pm1. Meryl added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 12:32 amGoodness! They are cheap on ebay, aren’t they? Thanks for the tip!
2. Rcakewalk added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 2:13 amI have to try this! What is with the jars of popcorn, I saw them on flickr, and thought I missed something!
3. Sustainable Eats added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 2:19 amYou can make vanilla soda with it as well. I use vanilla syrup like that (or lemon verbena) for canning or stewing fruit. If you can find a quince around try stewing one of those in vanilla syrup – and then you can drink the syrup when the quince is done. We also add the ginger bug to it to make it fizzy instead of buying soda. That’s a big treat around here!
4. Chiot's Run added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 8:16 amOh yes, this changed my life as well. Although I get mine from Saffron.com. I like that I can get organic and choose from 3 different kinds. I buy in bulk and share with friends & family. I find myself using vanilla beans in everything now.
I’ll have to give this recipe a go, sounds delicious!
5. Marisa added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 8:32 amMeryl They are so cheap, it’s amazing.
Rcakewalk I have a post planned to go along with those jars of popcorn, I just haven’t had the time to write it yet.
Sustainable Eats Mmm, vanilla syrup. I forgot about that one (and I was just having a conversation with my cousin about old-school vanilla cokes).
Chiot’s Run I will have to check out Saffron.com! I know that some of the beans on eBay are organic, but that sounds like a website I could get behind.
6. Kristia @Family Balance Sheet added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 9:08 amThanks for the tip about ebay. I never bought vanilla beans because they are so pricey at the grocery store. Do they keep well? How should they be stored?
7. Rcakewalk added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 10:23 amMarisa,
Would you can simple syrup, unflavored, the same way? That could be useful for spontaneous cocktail makin’! I’m off to order vanilla beans…
8. katie added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 12:07 pmMarisa, Is there and Ebay seller you’ve bought from that has been good? I had NO idea they were so cheap!
9. Era added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 1:08 pmOMG! You are a genius. I’m off to make this for everyone for Christmas!
10. Eleanor added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 1:59 pmMmmm! This is similar to the syrup left over from making the pears in vanilla syrup, which was Fabulous. That was the first time I used a real vanilla bean, and I’m going to keep it up now.
11. Julia added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 8:15 pmGenius, yes! Thanks for sharing. This syrup looks great. And good question from Rcakewalk on the simple syrup–can you can this?
12. Cara added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 9:11 pmThis sounds delicious and easy. I’m going to add it to my list of things I’ve got to can.
13. daisy mae added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 10:38 pmHmmmm – I never thought of canning my simple syrup. I usually just keep it in the refrigerator – and find that it easily lasts a couple months.
I’ve never made vanilla syrup, but I do make peppermint syrup. Which I usually add to hot cocoa. Because of the peppermint leaves, I find the peppermint syrup only lasts a month max in my fridge. Too bad my peppermint is long gone – I guess I’ll know to can it for next year.
14. Sara added this comment on Dec 01 09 at 11:29 pmThis is fantastic! I know what you mean about vanilla beans on ebay–I wish I could find deals like that all the time. I think this would be perfect for Christmas.
Do you have any thoughts on making vanilla extract? Or, I should just learn the proportions (one bean equals how many teaspoons of extract)? and do that instead. Still, it’s nice to have both, depending on the use.
16. Mr. P added this comment on Dec 02 09 at 1:02 amThis is probably the most exciting gift you can get in a jar. I made some lemon-vanilla marmalade recently, but this would have done the job much better and more cheaply!
17. Sustainable Eats added this comment on Dec 02 09 at 1:07 amI’m sure you could freeze it in ice cube trays as well. That might help make a mean vanilla martini…
18. Ted Fristrom added this comment on Dec 02 09 at 3:44 amAnd don’t forget the simplest pleasure, vanilla sugar. Whenever I finish scraping out a pod, I just throw it into the nearest sugar bowl. But I might have to be more careful if I start buying them on ebay by the pound.
20. Cindy added this comment on Jan 03 10 at 7:00 pmWhat a great thing to find out!!! Which vanilla beans do you recommend? Any particular seller or variety? Thanks for the info.
21. Cindy 6174 added this comment on Jan 03 10 at 7:02 pmWhat a wonderful thing to learn. Inexpensive vanilla beans!!! Thanks. Which variety do you get or which seller do you go through?
22. Era added this comment on Jan 06 10 at 10:09 amhttp://era-errant.blogspot.com/2009/12/tis-season.html
I did it, and it’s incredible!
23. bridget added this comment on Mar 14 10 at 10:28 pmI made this today – I was in serious need of a canning fix. Super easy and super delicious. I don’t know if I will be giving any away, though. Thanks for the recipe.