A lot of people use lemon juice in their cooking and baking. It gives both sweet and savory foods a bright, fresh taste. With a pH level that low, it’s one of the most acidic natural products you can find. It gives jams and jellies structure and helps baked goods rise properly. You can use something else instead of lemon juice if you don’t have any on hand or are allergic or sensitive to it.
You can use these 8 things instead of lemon juice if you run out or are allergic to it and you will still get the same benefit or taste.
8 creative lemon juice substitutes
1. Lime juice
If you want to replace lemon juice, lime juice is the best choice because it tastes and is acidic just like lemon juice.
Since it has the same pH level as lemon juice, it’s a great alternative when you want to can or preserve food. Other alternatives, like vinegar, are not as sour and might make preserves that are not safe to keep for a long time.
When used in desserts where lemon juice is important, lime juice gives them a slightly different taste. The end taste will still be sour and tangy, though.
2. Vinegar
When just a tiny amount is required for cooking or baking, vinegar is a great replacement for lemon juice.
It’s acidic and tangy, just like lemon juice. You can use it as a direct substitute in these recipes.
However, you shouldn’t substitute vinegar for lemon juice in recipes where lemon is a prominent flavor due to its strong, overpowering flavor and aroma.
3. Orange juice
Most of the time, you can substitute orange juice for lemon juice in recipes.
Compared to lemon juice, it is less tart, less acidic, and sweeter. Its flavor profile is also distinct. Substituting orange juice can significantly alter the flavor of recipes that call for a lot of lemon juice.
Still, it’s rather useful when things become tight.
4. Citric acid
Since citric acid is a naturally occurring acid in lemon juice, powdered citric acid is a great alternative to lemon juice, especially for baking.
The acidity of one teaspoon (5 grams) of citric acid is comparable to that of around half a cup (120 ml) of lemon juice. As a result, you only need a very small amount, and the recipe will require changes.
To keep the right proportion of dry to wet ingredients in your recipe, you might also need to add a little more liquid.
When used in baked goods, citric acid can also prevent the damage of several vitamins and antioxidants during cooking.
5. White wine
When it comes to savory meals, white wine works well as a 1:1 replacement for lemon juice because it requires less to brighten the flavor and deglaze the pan.
People frequently use lemon juice and white wine to deglaze pans because their acidity enhances the flavors of savory foods.
6. Cream of tartar
In the baking department of most supermarket stores, cream of tartar, an acidic powder, is available.
Despite its wide range of culinary applications, the most common use is to stabilize whipped cream or egg white foams. It’s also a component of baking powder.
Due to its acidic nature, it might serve as a suitable substitute for lemon juice in baking. Certain sources recommend a ratio of 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar to every 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in a recipe.
Remember that the absence of moisture in the cream of tartar may require you to add more liquid.
7. Lemon extract
Lemon extract is a concentrated kind of lemon flavor that is commonly found in the baking aisles of supermarket shops. A droplet or two is sufficient to impart an abundance of lemon essence to a culinary creation.
It is an excellent alternative to lemon juice in sweets, where the lemon flavor is essential. Nevertheless, it may be necessary to include more liquid due to its high concentration.
8. Lemon zest
You can use frozen or dried lemon zest as a potent source of lemon taste and acidity.
It is effective in sweets and recipes where lemon has a predominant taste.
Additional liquid may be necessary for the recipe to work out correctly, especially when baking.
The bottom line
For cooking and baking, you can substitute a variety of alternatives for lemon juice. Lime juice is the most suitable alternative to lemon juice because of their close similarity.
When using a powdered or highly concentrated replacement like citric acid or lemon extract instead of lemon juice, you may need to add more liquid to maintain the proper wet-to-dry component ratio.
These lemon juice alternatives will allow you to continue cooking even if you don’t have lemon juice available.
