How to Make Lemon Extract

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If you use lemons and enjoy baking, you should be making your own lemon extract! Homemade lemon extract is quite simple and inexpensive to make. With just a few ingredients and tools, you’ll have more lemon extract than you’ll know what to do with. 

Lemon Extract vs Lemon Juice

Lemon juice comes from the center of the lemon held within the pulp. To make extract, the zest is used. When you infuse the zest of a lemon into a high proof alcohol like vodka or everclear, you get lemon extract. When the zest sits in the alcohol, the alcohol extracts the oils from the zest. This process of transferring the flavor into the alcohol allows for a potent lemon flavor in just a teaspoon or two of liquid. 

The alcohol for extracts

Unlike vanilla where you can get away with using a dark liquor like brandy, rum or bourbon, lemon extract is best made with a clear & relatively flavorless alcohol like vodka or everclear. 

Using a flavorless alcohol will allow for the lemon flavor to be the most prominent and clean. In my opinion, everclear produces the best flavor. If you do not have everclear available, the highest proof Vodka you can get will work well. 

How To Use Lemon Extract

You can use Lemon extract as any other baking extracts. You will primarily see it in items like cookies and cakes to flavor the baked good with lemon. However, lemon extract can also be used to flavor beverages or in marinades. 

Outside of cooking or baking, lemon extract can also be added to your arsenal of  homemade cleaning tools. A few drops of lemon extract can have a variety of applications within your cleaning kit including an all purpose spray, toilet bowl cleaner or air freshener spray.

How long will lemon extract be good for? 

As long as you use a high proof alcohol and store it in an airtight container away from heat and light, lemon extract has an almost indefinite shelf life. However, you may notice that the flavor will lessen as the years pass. 

How to zest a lemon without a zester

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If you do not have a zester, you can either use a cheese grater with very small holes or a very sharp paring knife and a bit of time. 

If you need to use a paring knife, carefully cut the outermost layer of the rind. Depending on the lemon, it will be almost impossible not to get some rind. Not to worry! If you see any rind left, use the paring knife to it off you lemon pieces.

Tools and Ingredients

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4 Lemons

1 ½ cups Everclear or High Proof Vodka

A zester (if you do not have a zester, you can use a small grater or a paring knife.)

An airtight glass jar

Directions

Begin by zesting or finely grading the outermost layer of the lemon rind. 

Since the rind (the white part of the peel) can be bitter, you’ll want to be careful to zest as little of the rind as possible. 

Add all of the zest and the high proof alcohol to the air tight jar. 

Secure the lid to the jar and label with the contents and the date you started in extract.

Shake the jar of alcohol and lemon zest. 

Place your infusion in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight. 

For the first two weeks, be sure to shake the jar well every other day.

After 4-6 months, strain all lemon zest from the alcohol and transfer into a clean jar for storage. For best results, use an amber bottle. 

FAQ:

Do lemon extracts go bad?

As long as you use a high proof alcohol and store it in an airtight container away from heat and light, lemon extract has an almost indefinite shelf life. However, you may notice that the flavor will lessen as the years pass. 

What’s the difference between lemon extract and lemon juice?

Lemon juice comes from the center of the lemon held within the pulp.

Lemon extract is an infusion of lemon zest into a high proof alcohol like vodka or everclear. When the zest sits in the alcohol, the alcohol extracts the oils from the zest. This process of transferring the flavor into the alcohol allows for a potent lemon flavor in just a teaspoon or two of liquid. 

What alcohol to use to make extracts? 

Unlike vanilla where you can get away with using a dark liquor like brandy, rum or bourbon, lemon extracts are best made with a clear & relatively flavorless alcohol like vodka or everclear. 

Using a flavorless alcohol will allow for the lemon flavor to be the most prominent and clean. In my opinion, everclear produces the best flavor. if you do not have everclear available, the highest proof Vodka you can get will work well. 

Did you try this? Share your creations in the comments or by tagging @MissysHomestead on Instagram.