DIY Pear & Vanilla Infused Vodka

I've always been a big fan of vodka and I'm a proclaimed DIYer by nature, so it was only fitting that I put both hats on and made my own infused vodka. There's no excuse for you not to try this at home because it is so easy to make and you can tailor the flavors to whatever suits your palate best.

There's nothing too fancy about the process and you will be very pleased with the subtle flavor when you're done. It takes about a week to all come together, but trust me, it's well worth the wait! You can bet I'll be drinking this on its own, no added fluff necessary, except for maybe some ice.

To start, wash one pear, peel the skin and cut it into slices. Put the slices into a mason jar with one vanilla bean. Pour two cups of vodka over the fruit and cover securely with tin foil or the cap to the jar if you have it. Place in the fridge for 1 week.

I stirred the mixture occasionally throughout the week to make sure that all parts of the vodka really mixed with the pear and vanilla.

After one week, take your mixture out of the fridge and strain it. You can see that I started by using a pastry sifter first to remove the larger pieces.

I then placed a coffee filter around the top of a clean mason jar and pour the contents that I previously strained in the bowl above. This will help remove the smaller bits of pear and vanilla from the mixture.

You can see below that I also tried this with jalapenos. Follow the same directions above with 1 pepper, cut it into slices. It has a really great pepper flavor without being overwhelmingly spicy. I'm sure it would be the perfect vodka for a spicy martini!

So there you have it. An easy way to make your own infused vodka at home! Feel free to store these bad boys in the fridge or freezer and enjoy over ice. I bet you could mix up a really creative cocktail as well for an upcoming party and brag about how you infused it yourself. Just don't tell anyone how easy it was!