How to Make Lemon Extract

I love the flavour of lemon. It’s so versatile. Here’s how to make lemon extract.

Last week I showed you how to make vanilla extract. I was so surprised at how easy it was. It’s also very cost-efficient in comparison to buying the good stuff. Check out my post on How to Make Your Own Vanilla Extract. So since I was on a roll, I thought I would try another flavour that I use often – lemon.

I love lemon. I love it in cakes, macarons and even in waffles. You can substitute lemon extract for vanilla extract in most recipes when you want to change the flavour.

Typically I would use a lemon extract from the store, but to be honest, there is just something weird about it. I probably didn’t buy the “good stuff”, but it has a weird, metallic smell to it. I figured if I can make vanilla, I could make lemon.

Making lemon extract is so easy and the taste is simply like nothing else. It’s such a nice, pure lemon flavour. A little goes a long way. It’ll be one of those things you wonder why you didn’t do it before. All it takes is 2 ingredients!

What You Need

This makes 250ml or about 8oz of lemon extract.

5-6 organic lemons, depending on size; since we are using the peel, I splurged on organic
vodka – plain and clear (not the fancy flavoured stuff)
peeler
glass jar with lid

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How to Make Lemon Extract

using a peeler, peel the rind off of the lemons; you don’t want to go too deep – you don’t want the white pith part, just the yellow part
put all the rinds into a jar
fill the jar with vodka; make sure the rinds are covered
cover and let sit for 6-8 weeks
give the bottle a shake every once in a while

That’s it! It couldn’t be any simpler. The hardest part is waiting. This extract is quicker to make than vanilla so you’ll be able to use this sooner.