8 Lemon Juice Substitutes For When You Find Yourself In A Squeeze

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Lemon juice is a common ingredient in recipes, but what happens when you’re mid-recipe and you realize you don’t have any in the fridge?

When you run out of lemon juice, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We have eight great options that will help you with a substitute for lemon juice.

What Can You Use Instead of Lemon Juice?

If you are looking for a substitute for lemon juice, make sure that it is appropriate. Some people may not want to use lemon juice because it is very acidic and could cause heartburn or make GERD worse.

If you’re in a pinch and need to make something, but don’t have time for the store, here are some lemon juice substitutes that will still taste good.

Lime Juice

If you want to make a recipe with lemon juice, but don’t have any on hand or are running low, lime juice is the perfect substitute. It’s tangy and acidic like lemons without being too strong of either flavor.

When canning or preserving food, lime juice is the best choice as a replacement for lemon juice. Using other substitutes like vinegar may not give you the same result you’re looking for since it is less acidic.

Limes are not the same as lemons, but they’re still pretty good, especially when making desserts.

Orange Juice

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to give your dish that extra kick, reach for the OJ. Most recipes can be easily swapped out with this citrusy ingredient.

Substituting orange juice for lemon in recipes may significantly change the flavor profile. Click To Tweet

It’s sweeter and less tart than lemons, so if you’re looking to use a lot of citrus juices expect that it may affect the flavor of your food. However, it can still work. When using orange juice as a replacement follow the one-to-one ratio.

Citric Acid

Citric acid is a natural, lemon-flavored substance that can be used in place lemon juice. It’s especially great for baking and cooking.

You only need a small amount of citric acid: one teaspoon is equal to about 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Therefore you’ll need to adjust the recipe accordingly.

If you’re not using the right amount of liquid, it may be necessary to add more to maintain the correct dry-to-wet ratio.

There’s an easy way to keep your produce fresh—use citric acid in the recipe. Citric acid is commonly used as a food preservative and can be found in items like juice or salad dressing.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Another great substitute is vinegar when you need just a little bit in your cooking or baking.

However, apple cider vinegar has a very strong taste and smell that might not be to everyone’s liking. You can also read about apple cider vinegar substitute here.. It should never replace lemon juice in dishes where the flavor of lemons is key.

Lemon Zest

If you need a lemon flavor and acidity fix, try frozen or dried lemon zest. This alternative is great for any dessert that has a lemon flavor because it adds just the right amount of tartness. But if you want to make sure your recipe turns out correctly, you must add liquid when using lemon zest as a replacement, especially when baking.

Lemon extract

Lemon extract is a concentrated flavor that can be found in grocery stores, usually near the baking section. It only takes one or two drops to add a lemony flavor to your dish.

In desserts where lemon juice is a key flavor, you can lemon extract as an alternative. However, the consistency may be too thick for your liking so adding some water or milk might help.

White Wine

White wine is another ideal substitute for lemon juice, particularly in savory dishes. If you are using only a small amount of it, white wine will give your dish the same bright flavor and easy-to-clean deglazing power as lemons do.

You can use white wine or lemon juice to deglaze pans and make them taste more flavorful. Both of these liquids are acidic, so the flavor they add is intensified.

Cream of Tartar

This acidic powder helps with the consistency and flavor of your baked goods.

You can find this ingredient in many different recipes, but it’s most commonly used to stabilize egg whites or whipped cream. It also has a few other jobs like helping your baking powder work better.

A half teaspoon of cream of tartar can be used as a substitute for 1 teaspoon lemon juice in recipes. It’s also not too acidic, so it won’t affect the flavor and consistency. However, you may need more liquid since the cream of tartar lacks it.

Get Back To Cooking

Using a substitute for lemon juice will help improve your desserts, salad dressings, or other savory food. Most of the alternatives on this list are items you probably already have around your house.