25 Best Recipes Using Lemon Extract

These recipes using lemon extract are bursting with bright, citrusy flavor! Check out our suggested picks and valuable tips for using this versatile extract in your recipes.

Recipes with lemon extract offer a way to add a zesty lemon flavor to your cooking without having to juice fresh lemons. This extract, made from lemon peel, can enhance various dishes, from sweet treats to savory meals. 

Whether you’re baking a lemony dessert, making a tangy drink, or adding some zest to your cooking, lemon extract is a versatile ingredient that can elevate your culinary creations. 

In this list, we’ll explore different recipes using lemon extract to help you bring a burst of citrusy flavor to your table. Keep in mind, most of these recipes are desserts, so get set to enjoy some sweet treats!

Top 5 Recipe Picks

No time to lose? Let’s make it quick. Here are the faves:

• #2 Lemon Cookies are an easy recipe to follow, even for beginner bakers.
• #8 Lemon Blondies are fudgy and have the bright flavors of a lemon cookie. 
• #16 Lemon Pie has cream and lemon slices on top for a lovely, fresh look.
• #20 Lemon Tres Leches Cake is a refreshing twist on the classic cake.
• #23 Lemon Brownies are dense and moist, with a fudgy texture.

Best Recipes Using Lemon Extract

1. Lemon Loaf

This Starbucks lemon loaf copycat recipe lets you enjoy the tangy treat at home. It’s incredibly moist, with a strong lemon taste, and the sweet glaze on top makes it even better.

2. Lemon Cookies

This recipe uses yellow food coloring for vibrant cookies. Just make sure you use fresh lemon juice and zest and chill the dough before baking to get soft, lemony treats.

3. Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

These Lemon-Blueberry Muffins are made with fresh blueberries and lemon. They taste sweet and have a crunchy top, making them a great choice for breakfast or as a tasty snack. 

4. Lemon Cupcakes With Mojito Frosting

These fluffy Lemon Cupcakes are a mix of tangy and sweet. They use cake flour for a light texture and are finished with a creamy mojito frosting that includes lime zest and rum hints.

5. Lemon Drop Cookies

These cookies are sweet, tangy, and chewy. Made with basic ingredients like butter, sugar, flour, lemon juice, and zest, they’re rolled in powdered sugar for a snowy look.

6. Double Citrus Lemon Bars

These Double Citrus Lemon Bars blend lemon and orange juice for a tangy flavor. They feature a buttery crust, tart filling, and are dusted with powdered sugar for an added sweet touch.

7. Lemon Bundt Cake

Lemon Bundt Cake is easy to make and full of lemon flavor. Moist and tender, this treat is soaked in lemon syrup and finished with a sticky lemon glaze.

8. Lemon Blondies

Lemon Blondies are a mix of brownie texture and lemon flavor, made using an easy one-bowl recipe. They’re soft, fudgy, with a lemony kick in the blondie and glaze layers.

9. Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Lemon Crinkle Cookies are tangy treats made with fresh lemon juice, zest, and extract. They’re coated in powdered sugar and baked until soft and chewy.

10. Lemon Drop Candies

Lemon Drop Candies are a sweet and sour confectionery that can be made in different ways. Sugar imparts sweet notes, while citric acid contributes a tangy quality. Lemon extract adds a vibrant, citrusy flavor to the candies.

11. Lemon Scones

These Lemon Scones are inspired by the popular game, the Sims 4. They have a light texture, combined with a vibrant lemon taste, and the right touch of sugar for a sweet note. 

12. Lemon Glaze

This lemon glaze is quick to make with powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice, and zest. It gives a lemony flavor to baked goods, and you can adjust its texture and how sweet it is.

13. Lemon Buttercream

Lemon Buttercream is a tangy and sweet frosting for cakes, cupcakes, and macarons. Made with basic ingredients, it has a smooth texture that’s easy to spread and enhances any dessert it tops.

14. Lemon Bars With Nilla Wafer Crust

These Lemon Bars With Nilla Wafer Crust are like regular lemon bars but with a crunchy Nilla Wafer bottom. The recipe is simple, and you can make it in one bowl without needing special tools.

15. Southern Lemon Pound Cake

This pound cake recipe calls for fresh lemon and sour cream for moisture. It also includes a lemon glaze on top that makes it even more lemony and sweet.

16. Lemon Pie

This recipe is a twist on Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Lemon Pie. The pie layers a graham cracker crust, a creamy lemon center, and whipped cream on top.

17. Lemon Ice Cream

This lemon ice cream tastes fresh and lemony, making it a great cold and sweet treat. Enjoy it in a cone or a bowl; adding your favorite toppings will make it even more special.

18. Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This dessert is bound to impress. It combines a moist, lemony cake perfectly balanced by cream cheese, and a sweet-tart lemon cream cheese glaze that makes it irresistible.

19. Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

These cookies are bursting with lemon flavor and have a funfetti-like appearance with the addition of sprinkles. They can be made in under 30 minutes and are a favorite for many who taste them!

20. Lemon Tres Leches Cake

This cake is infused with fresh lemon flavor and soaked in a mix of three kinds of milk. It’s covered with sweet whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

21. Lemon Greek Yogurt Loaf Cake

This Lemon Greek Yogurt Loaf Cake offers a perfect blend of sweet and tangy flavors. The recipe is straightforward and doesn’t need a mixer. Using vanilla Greek yogurt ensures the cake is moist and rich in texture.

22. Lemon Velvet Cake

Lemon Velvet Cake is a fluffy cake rich in lemon flavor from lemon juice, zest, and extract. It’s layered with lemon curd and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

23. Lemon Brownies

These Lemon Brownies are a refreshing and citrusy spin on a classic dessert. The treats are dense and moist, and topped with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze.

24. Lemon Shortbread

This dessert is rich and crumbly, made from just four basic ingredients. For an exciting variation, consider adding a teaspoon of lemon poppy seeds to the mix.

25. Lemon Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe for Lemon Oatmeal Cookies is a twist on the usual oatmeal cookie. They have fresh lemon and vanilla in them, making them soft, chewy, and great for any occasion. 

Tips For Using Lemon Extract

Lemon extract can improve the taste of your dishes in cooking and baking, but it’s vital to use it carefully for the best results. Here are some effective tips:

• Start sparingly. Lemon extract is potent, so begin with a small amount and add more if needed.
• Complement fresh lemon. Combine with fresh lemon juice or zest for a balanced flavor.
• Watch the heat. Add lemon extract towards the end of cooking to preserve its flavor.
• Mix thoroughly. Stir or whisk well to evenly distribute lemon extract in your recipe.
• Adjust as you go. Taste your dish and adjust the extract amount as required.
• Blend with other flavors. Experiment with combinations like vanilla, almond, or coconut.
• Consider application. Use it in baked goods, sauces, dressings, or beverages where it fits.
• Store wisely. Keep lemon extract in a cool, dark place away from heat and light.
• Avoid excess. Don’t overpower your dish; use lemon extract judiciously.
• Substitute if needed. Lemon zest or fresh lemon juice can often replace lemon extract.
• Read the label. Check for additional ingredients or additives on the extract’s label.

The bottom line

Using lemon extract can make your food taste lemony and awesome. From luscious lemon desserts to flavorful frostings, the versatility of lemon extract knows no bounds. So, whether you’re good at cooking or just starting out, give these recipes using lemon extract a shot and enjoy the lemony flavor in every bite.

More About Lemon

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• Lemon Recipes
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• Lemon Dessert Recipes
• How Much Juice Is In Lemon