Vanilla Sugar

I have been agonizing over holiday teacher gifts again. Each year I need at least a dozen small gifts for all of my children’s teachers. It is not something I have to do. It is something I like to do. I know how much I appreciate the gifts my students give me at Christmas, so I like to do the same for the teachers my children have. I spend a lot of time finding something that is affordable yet (hopefully) useful.

This year, I mass produced flavored sugars in small jars. Almost all teachers I know drink coffee on a daily basis, and while they don’t need a coffee mug, I thought they might like a coffee “mixer”. The sugar has a little gourmet twist to it with the vanilla bean flavor, and the gift is consumable. Teachers won’t have to store or care for it once it is used. I made extra jars to use as hostess gifts or little sirsees for neighbors.

Ingredients

• 2 c. sugar
• 1 whole vanilla bean

Directions

• Put 2 cups sugar in a mixing bowl
• On a cutting board, split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds from the inside of the bean.

• Add the vanilla bean seeds to the sugar and mix well.

• Put a piece of the vanilla bean pod in the bottom of the jar and add flavored sugar to the top.

• Store in an airtight container.

Notes

• I purchased my jars at Hobby Lobby during their 50% off glassware sale this weekend. At full price, the jars are about $2.50. They are 3 1/4″ tall with a flip lid.
• Two batches of sugar filled 18 jars. The jars hold a little less than 1/3 cup.
• I printed Flavored Sugar Labels and tied the label to each jar with baker’s twine.
• For a variation, mix 2 c. sugar with 1/4 c. whole cardamom seeds. Add the cardamom sugar to your daily cup of coffee.