Lemon extract and lemon juice are both tried-and-true shortcuts for time-pinched cooks and bakers. (Let’s face it – zesting and fresh-squeezing a lemon takes a lot of time.)
But which should you use, and when?
And which is the better ingredient overall?
If you’re wondering, you’re in the right place – I’ll cover all this and more, including tips and tricks, conversion tables, and my picks for the best lemon extract and lemon juice on the market!
Ingredients in lemon extract vs lemon juice
Lemon extract is usually made with lemon oil suspended in alcohol of some kind, with some water added to balance the flavor. (There are exceptions! My top-ranked lemon extract uses sunflower oil as the suspension in which the lemon oil is diluted.)
In its purest and best form, lemon juice is just…lemon juice! (And in fact, my favorite lemon juice has just one ingredient.) But all too often, a bunch of preservatives sneak in. Consider the label from Amazon’s Happy Belly Lemon juice – its ingredients are:
- Filtered Water,
- Lemon Juice Concentrate,
- Sodium Benzoate (Preservative),
- Sodium Bisulfite (Preservative),
- Lemon Oil
That’s a lot of extra nonsense that you don’t need. So it pays to be watchful!
Differences between lemon extract and lemon juice
The biggest difference between lemon extract and lemon juice is in their ingredients. Lemon extract is lemon oil – made from lemon peel or lemon zest – absorbed into alcohol (usually vodka), while lemon juice (in its purest and best form) is just the juice of a fresh-squeezed lemon. Because of these ingredient differences, they cook very differently.
Case in point: Because lemon juice has a high acid content (low pH), it can curdle dairy products if you don’t mix it in carefully. (This isn’t an issue for vegan recipes, like this dairy-free raw lemon cheesecake that uses lemon juice.) By contrast, because the alcohol has absorbed the lemon oil in lemon extract, it can be added to dairy without any potential curdling issues. Simple as that.
Because of their different ingredients, they also taste different. Lemon extract provides a strong lemon flavor but without a lot of bitterness or tartness, because the alcohol removes that sharpness. This makes lemon extract ideal for a lot of dessert baking where you’re trying to get that lemony flavor but don’t need the zing of lemon acidity. (Think, like, a lemon cake.)
By contrast, good-quality lemon juice has all the sharpness you’d get from sucking on a lemon. (We all did that at least once on a dare, right?) So if you have a dessert that really relies on tartness, lemon juice and lemon zest are going to be what you reach for. I’m thinking baked goods like lemon bars. Lemon extract just won’t quite deliver the punch you’re looking for there, while lemon juice will.
And because alcohol has a lower boiling point than water (173 degrees Fahrenheit vs 212 for water), when cooking you’ll tend to have more of the lemon extract evaporate than the lemon juice. This concentrates the flavor
Can you substitute lemon extract for lemon juice?
Mostly, yes you can substitute them for each other. One teaspoon of lemon extract is equivalent to:
- Two teaspoons of lemon juice, or
- One teaspoon of lemon zest
And when substituting lemon extract for lemon juice, please add an equivalent amount of water too. So if you’re replacing two teaspoons of lemon juice, add one teaspoon of lemon extract and one teaspoon of water. More on that in a moment.
So, bottom line, you need twice as much lemon juice as lemon extract in any given recipe.
This is for two key reasons:
- Lemon extract is just a lot more concentrated than lemon juice by design.
- Alcohol has a lower boiling point than water (173 degrees Fahrenheit vs 212 for water). Because of this, some of the alcohol in lemon extract will cook off when you’re baking, which will further concentrate the flavor.
Now, as I mentioned earlier, you will find some taste differences between lemon extract and lemon juice, and this will matter if you’re looking for a strong sour flavor in your recipe. Otherwise, though, they can replace each other pretty easily.
One other thing to keep in mind when substituting lemon extract for lemon juice: Because of its greater liquid volume, lemon juice adds some moisture to the recipe – so add water to compensate. More specifically, add one part lemon extract and one part water for every two parts lemon juice you’re replacing.
When to use lemon extract vs lemon juice
When deciding which to reach for, my first question is always: How much tartness do I need? If not a lot, then either lemon extract or lemon juice will be fine. If I need a lot, I reach for lemon juice (and add in some lemon zest for good measure). If I’m trying to avoid sour because of who I’m cooking for, lemon extract is the way to go for sure.
And of course, if dairy curdling is a concern, always go for lemon extract over lemon juice.
More broadly, I’ve found myself reaching for lemon extract for:
- Balanced lemony desserts (like the lemon cake I mentioned above; also mousse, ice cream, and sorbet)
- Most times I’m making something with dairy (so it won’t curdle)
- For flavoring ice cream or yogurt (lemon juice is just too strong)
- Any time I have it on hand and no lemons or lemon juice
And I turn toward lemon juice for:
- Salad dressings
- Really tart baked goods, like lemon bars
- Tagines
How to pick great lemon juice + lemon extract
Of course, the best lemon juice is made from a fresh-squeezed lemon you juice at home, and you can make your own lemon extract too. But everyone needs to save time, so here are some buying tips:
- Ingredients: No preservatives, no extra chemicals, no nonsense. You’re looking for lemon extract with 2-3 ingredients (alcohol, lemon oil, and maybe water) and lemon juice with just one ingredient (juice from a lemon). I mean, if your “lemon juice” has lemon oil in it…you might as well just get the lemon extract! Also – strong preference for organic for all the obvious reasons.
- Check ratings and your own experience: Always good to gather info from other amateur bakers.
- Track record: Is the brand you’re buying from trustworthy? Have they had a bunch of recalls or other issues? Do they treat all their stakeholders well? Do they have a long track record of expertise in this area?
- Price: Because of course. Good-quality stuff doesn’t have to be unreasonably expensive.
Now, you can spend a lot of time doing this research – but if you agree with the methodology above…I’ve done the hard work for you already. Here’s your guide to the best lemon extract, and I’m working one up for lemon juice and hope to post it in the next few days.
Lemon extract vs lemon juice storage
Lemon extract is incredibly shelf-stable. Like, you can leave it in your pantry after opening it for years, as long as you cap the bottle after using it.
Lemon juice, by contrast, must be refrigerated after you’ve opened it and will generally go bad in no more than 6-12 months after opening. Of course, if you go all-natural – either by buying lemon juice without preservatives or by fresh-squeezing your own – it won’t last nearly that long – perhaps as little as 3-4 days.
Lemon extract vs lemon juice: The ultimate verdict
While I think lemon extract and lemon juice each have their uses, I’m team lemon extract for sure. The quality consistency is better among lemon extracts, so there’s lower downside risk (whereas lemon juices are kind of all over the place). Plus lemon extract is just a more durable ingredient that can last in your pantry for years without taking up any valuable refrigerator space. And finally – lemon extract is more flexible and can be used across far more recipes without risk of overwhelming other tastes or curdling milk.
That said, when you need that extra little bit of sharpness – lemon juice (or lemon zest!) will take things to the next level.
FAQ
Yes you can substitute lemon juice for lemon extract. Your conversion is 2:1 – two teaspoons of lemon juice for every teaspoon of lemon extract you were otherwise going to include in the recipe.
Not even a little bit. Fresh lemon juice is always far superior to bottled lemon juice – because the flavors in bottled lemon juice aren’t as fresh, they will break down and weaken over time (even before it makes it to your fridge).
No, concentrated lemon juice is not the same as lemon extract. Lemon extract is made from alcohol and lemon peel or zest (lemon skin), while concentrated lemon juice is squeezed lemon juice with extra liquid removed.
No – it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. (Just like how your bottle of vodka or rum doesn’t need to be refrigerated.) Alcohol is a great preservative! Lemon extract should be good on your pantry shelf for several years.
I need to go the opposite direction and substitute lemon juice for lemon extract, but the lemon juice will have too much water in the recipe. Can I boil it down?
Since the flavor of lemon juice isn’t as strong as lemon extract, use twice the amount of lemon juice in place of lemon extract. If it’s a baking recipe, use slightly less liquid to account for the difference in water content. Hope this helps!
Just want to say thanks for info. Copied some of what is printed with address above. Now I am looking for using lemon jello instead of lemon juice. I use jello, and orange jello, sometimes instead of what recipes call for.