5 Best Lemon Extract Substitutes to Use for Baking

There's something about bright, citrusy lemon flavor that really hits the spot: It’s sweet, tart, and invigoratingly fresh all at the same time. You know the saying that goes: “When life hands you lemons..."? Well, it should probably end with “…then bake a lemon dessert!” If you're a fan of lemon desserts, lemon extract is a great ingredient to keep in your pantry, along with your other extracts. It's especially great in sweets like lemon cupcakes, cakes, breads, custards, and ice creams and sorbets. Ree Drummond uses it to boost the flavor of her favorite black and white cookies. (She loves lemon so much that she even tried lemon perfume!)

Pure lemon extract is made from the essential oil of fresh lemon that's mixed with alcohol as a preservative. It's extremely potent, so a little goes a long way—it’s generally used in small amounts (usually ¼ to 1 teaspoon in a recipe). If you want to make a recipe that calls for lemon extract and you don’t have any on hand, don't worry. There are several lemon extract substitutes that can be used in a pinch to replicate or replace the flavor—and you probably have many of them in your kitchen already. Keep reading to find the best lemon extract substitute that works for you!