Lemon Extract vs. Lemon Juice: What’s the Difference?

Pure lemon extract is a lemon-flavored liquid made by soaking lemon peels in alcohol (or, occasionally, oil). The alcohol absorbs the essential oils of the peels, resulting in a potent lemon flavor without a lot of bitterness or acidic properties. You can make DIY homemade lemon extract at home or buy it pre-made from most grocery stores. You can typically find it in the baking aisle alongside vanilla extract, almond extract, and other citrus extracts.

Many recipes call for lemon extract to add a bright lemon flavor without making the final dish tart or causing dairy ingredients to curdle with the acid from pure lemon juice.

Lemon juice is a liquid squeezed from fresh, ripe lemons. The highly acidic juice has a moderate lemon flavor that comes along with the fruit’s natural bitterness. You can squeeze fresh lemon juice yourself or buy pre-bottled lemon juice from the grocery store. You can typically find it in the baking aisle alongside other citrus juices like lime juice and grapefruit juice.

Many recipes call for lemon juice to add a lemony, tart flavor, increase the acidity of a dish, or serve as a bright condiment on top.

Lemon extract and lemon juice both come from lemons but have a few key differences:

• Acid content: Since lemon extract has an alcohol base rather than a lemon juice base, its acid content is relatively low, and it won’t curdle dairy products in recipes that combine the two; however, lemon juice is highly acidic and may curdle dairy products.
• Base: Lemon extract has an alcohol base, which has absorbed the lemon flavor. On the other hand, lemon juice has no base and is usually just squeezed lemon juice or lemon juice mixed with water or preservatives.
• Creation: To make lemon extract, producers soak lemon rinds or zest in unflavored alcohol (like vodka) that easily absorbs the lemon flavor. To make lemon juice, producers simply squeeze lemons to release and store the juice. You can make lemon extract and fresh-squeezed lemon juice at home; however, the extract will take time to develop, but you can squeeze lemon juice right away from ripe lemons.
• Flavor: The flavor of lemon extract is strongly lemony without much tartness or bitterness, while lemon juice is milder and with a strong tartness.
• Uses: Since lemon extract has a strong lemon flavor without bitterness or acid, it’s a popular ingredient in lemon-flavored desserts or dairy recipes that must omit acid because it can curdle the ingredients. On the other hand, lemon juice is a popular ingredient in recipes that require a tart lemon flavor, like tart desserts, savory dishes, or salad dressings, or recipes that call for the curdling of dairy products.

If you don’t have any lemon extract on hand, many citrus-based substitutes offer a similar (though not the same) effect in your recipes. When substituting for lemon extract, pay attention to the liquid content versus the non-liquid content of the recipes. The ratio may not be crucial in recipes for salad dressings, but baked goods can change dramatically with just a teaspoon of difference in either direction.

1. 1. Lemon juice: Lemon juice is the best substitute for lemon extract—similar in consistency and flavor, most recipes will adapt to the change, albeit with a more tart or bitter flavor. However, the flavor of lemon juice isn’t as strong as lemon extract. Opt for two tablespoons of lemon juice for every tablespoon of lemon extract if you want a potent lemon flavor. In baked goods, you may need to adjust the ratio of other liquid or dry ingredients to get the right final texture. If your recipe also has dairy ingredients, don’t allow the lemon juice to sit in the dairy product for too long (between five to ten minutes is optimal) since this can cause curdling.
2. 2. Lemon zest: Lemon zest refers to fine pieces of lemon peel shaved off with a grater, peeler, or zester). This zest can be a great substitute for lemon extract because it has a concentrated flavor and doesn’t add acid to a recipe. It packs a similar lemon punch to lemon extract and is safe for recipes with dairy products. When zesting, avoid the white pith of the lemon, which carries strong bitter flavors. When substituting lemon zest for lemon extract, use equal parts—a teaspoon of lemon zest for every teaspoon of lemon extract. Since zest is a solid ingredient, you may need to increase the liquid ingredients in your recipe to retain the same consistency or final texture.
3. 3. Lemon essence or lemon oil: Lemon essence is an artificially or naturally flavored liquid ingredient that ranges in flavor from strongly to mildly lemony. When substituting lemon essence for lemon extract, start with equal amounts—a teaspoon of lemon essence for every teaspoon of lemon extract—and add more as needed. Essence or oil of lemon also tends to have a longer shelf life than other lemon products.
4. 4. Other citrus products: If you don’t have lemon products on hand, you can substitute other citrus juices or products for the lemon extract to bring out different flavor profiles, including the juice, zest, or essence from limes, oranges, or grapefruits. When substituting, follow the same guidelines as if you were using a lemon product instead.

If you don’t have any lemon juice on hand, many citrus-based substitutes offer a similar (though not exact) effect in your recipes. When substituting for lemon juice, pay attention to the liquid content versus non-liquid content of the recipe—while in recipes like salad dressings and marinades, the ratio may not be crucial, baked goods can change dramatically with a teaspoon of difference in either direction.

1. 1. Lemon extract: Lemon extract can be a good substitute for lemon juice—similar in consistency and flavor, most recipes will adapt to the change, albeit with less tartness or bitterness. However, the flavor of lemon extract is stronger than lemon juice, so if you don’t want to overpower the other flavors in the recipe, opt for a ½ teaspoon of lemon extract for every teaspoon of lemon juice. In baked goods, you may need to adjust the ratio of other liquid or dry ingredients to get the right final texture. In recipes that require thickening or curdling dairy products (like cheesecake), lemon extract won’t be a good substitute since it doesn’t contain enough acid to curdle.
2. 2. Lemon zest: Lemon zest can be a great substitute for lemon juice because it has a strong, concentrated lemon flavor similar to lemon extract. When substituting lemon zest for lemon juice, use a 1:2 ratio—a ½ teaspoon of lemon zest for every teaspoon of lemon juice. Since zest is a solid ingredient, you may need to increase the liquid ingredients in your recipe to retain the same consistency or final texture. Lemon zest won’t be a good substitute in recipes that require curdling dairy products since it doesn’t have the acid required to curdle dairy.
3. 3. Lemon essence or lemon oil: Lemon essence is a liquid ingredient with artificial or natural lemon flavoring, ranging in flavor from strongly to mildly lemony. When substituting lemon essence for lemon extract, start with a 1:2 ratio—a ½ teaspoon of lemon essence for every teaspoon of lemon juice—and add more as needed. Essence or oil of lemon also tends to have a longer shelf life than other lemon products.
4. 4. Other citrus products: If you don’t have lemon products on hand, you can substitute other citrus products for the lemon extract, as long as you’re comfortable with a different citrus flavor. Common substitutes include orange juice, grapefruit juice, lime zest, orange zest, grapefruit zest, lime extract, orange extract, grapefruit extract, lime essence, orange essence, or grapefruit essence. When substituting, follow the same guidelines as if you were using a lemon product instead. The juice of other citruses is the best choice if your recipe requires curdling dairy since the juices are acidic.
5. 5. White vinegar: In recipes that require thickening or curdling dairy products (like cheesecake), you can use vinegar (in a 1:1 ratio) instead of lemon juice to add enough acid to curdle or thicken the dairy. Vinegar works best in recipes that only call for a small amount of lemon juice. In situations with more lemon juice, the vinegar flavor may be too strong in the recipe.

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