10 Best Substitute for Orange Juice

Delicious and refreshing, orange juice is a great drink, especially during the summer months! You can also use it for cooking and baking to incorporate sweet-tart flavors. While it is available ready to drink, it tastes best when you enjoy it fresh!

What if orange juice isn’t available? What else can you use? Read on as we talk about the best options if you are looking for a substitute for orange juice.

Top 10 Best Orange Juice Substitutes

1. Orange Concentrate

When you run out of orange juice, you can consider orange concentrate as an alternative. As the name implies, it is in a concentrated form, which makes it economical. You will need only a few drops to achieve a robust refreshing flavor.

In an orange concentrate, most of the water has been removed. It is thick and has a syrup-like consistency. It is up to seven times more concentrated compared to a traditional orange juice.

Nonetheless, take note that it can be heavily processed, so some people may have concerns about its health implications.

If you are buying an orange concentrate, buy only from brands you trust to ensure the high quality. Also, follow the instructions about its use, especially the ratio of the orange concentrate and water to yield the best flavor.

Orange Juice Concentrate Home Made

2. Orange Extract

Do not confuse orange extract with orange concentrate. An orange extract is a reduction of an orange concentrate. This is a viable alternative if your recipe calls for several teaspoons of orange juice or concentrate.

However, take note that while it is potent, orange extract is not as the sweet as the orange juice. Hence, you might need to add sugar to achieve a similar flavor profile to the juice.

One of the best ways to use orange extract when cooking is to use it as a flavoring for chutneys, compound butter, sauces, and marinades. It will also taste great as a flavoring for vegetable dishes, such as green beans, parrots, and peas.

How to Make Orange Extract

3. Lemon Juice

When looking for a substitute for orange juice in baking, lemon juice is a great option. They help in the process called leavening, which is what makes the cake airy. If the recipe calls for one tablespoon of orange juice, you can use half tablespoon or lemon juice and half tablespoon of water instead.

Take note that lemon juice has a more pronounced sour flavor. When used in large quantities, you will need to add a sweetener, such as honey or molasses.

In terms of nutritional value, both lemon and orange juices have high Vitamin C. Meanwhile, lemon juice has up to 50% lesser calories and 70% lesser sugar. Meanwhile, orange juice contains more niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin.

how to make fresh lemon juice

4. Citric Acid

Citric acid is naturally present in citrus fruits, such as oranges. It is responsible for the sour and tart flavors, making it another great option when orange juice is unavailable.

There are many ways to use citric acid when you are cooking or baking. Its acidic flavor will counteract bitterness in food. Plus, its depth can complement the taste sensations of different ingredients.

For baking, citric acid will make a great option for leavening. Combined with baking powder, it creates a chemical reaction for baked goods to rise. It also adds a tart flavor, which is similar to the taste profile that you can expect from orange juice.

Aside from culinary applications, citric acid is also used in preserving personal care products, such as cosmetics. Additionally, it can remove tough stains, making it a popular ingredient in cleaning products.

Citric Acid uses

5. Orange Liqueur

If you love entertaining friends and making drinks a home, orange liqueur should be a staple in your home bar. This will make a great substitute to orange juice when you are making cocktails.

For those who do not know, orange liqueur is a distilled spirit with citrus flavor. It is produced worldwide, with the most popular brands being Grand Marnier and Cointreau.

The most common use of orange liqueur is for making cocktails, such as Cosmopolitan, Long Island Iced Tea, and Mai Tai. Alternatively, you can also use it for cakes, pies, and stews, specifically those that require orange juice.

How to make ORANGE LIQUEUR Homemade in just 5 days 🍊ARANCELLO 🤪 Orange flavored liqueur

6. Apple Juice

Overall, the flavor profiles of orange and apple juices are very much different. Nonetheless, they have the same tartness, which can be great if you want to incorporate a slightly sour flavor when cooking or baking.

One of the main differences between the two is that apple juice has a weaker flavor. Hence, if you want to achieve the same robust taste as an orange juice, you might need to double up on the quantity.

While Vitamin C can provide up to 138% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C, apple juice only provides 3%. Meanwhile, one cup of apple juice has 114 calories while one cup of orange juice has 112 calories.

How To Make Healthy Apple Juice – Home Cooking Lifestyle

7. Orange Marmalade

If you have orange marmalade, it can be another great option in lieu of orange juice. It is like a jam or jelly, which uses oranges and lemons, giving it a sour-tart flavor with a hint of sweetness. The latter depends on the type and quality of the oranges you will use.

The most popular way to use marmalade is a spread. You can also top pancakes with such. More so, it is a great addition to recipes that typically require orange juice, such as soups, pasta sauces, cakes, and pastries. You can also add it to yoghurts, cocktails, and ice creams.

Orange marmalade recipe

8. Apple Cider Vinegar

When looking for orange juice substitutes, apple cider vinegar might not be on the top of the list. It can do wonders, as long as there are no contradicting flavors. It should complement everything else that the recipe calls for.

Using apple cider vinegar is a great way to add acidity to whatever it is you are cooking or baking. The acidity, however, can be too strong to some people. The best way to tone it down is to add natural sweeteners, such as honey.

What Apple Cider Vinegar Really Does To Your Body

9. Coke

This is one more item that you might have not thought of when it comes to substitutes for orange juice. It has the same sweetness as orange juice, making it especially great if you need orange juice for baking and the latter is unavailable.

Using Coke in your baked treats is a great way to make it fluffy and moist. The bubbling air will make the cake rise faster. Nonetheless, while it will make your cake fluffy and sweet, it does not have the same level of acidity as you can find in orange juice.

What Happens If You Drink Coke Instead of Water?

10. Orange Blossom Water

Also known as orange flower water, this is another alternative worth considering if you do not have orange juice. Nonetheless, take note that it has a very subtle flavor and aroma, which is nothing compared to orange juice.

Orange blossom water is a common ingredient in traditional dessert dishes that require an aromatizer. From madeleines to scones you can use it in many things that require a hint of orange flavor without overpowering tartness.

How To Make Orange Blossom Water