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A close up of a glass jar with orange extract inside. There's a fresh orange behind the jar.
Nico

Simple Homemade Orange Extract Recipe (For Baking & More)

Making homemade orange extract is a great way to incorporate the flavour of orange into homemade baking and beyond. This simple orange extract recipe uses only two ingredients and is easy for beginners to make!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 42 days
Total Time 42 days 10 minutes
Servings: 1 jar
Course: Easy Extracts
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Peels of 2-3 fresh oranges - unwaxed and organic oranges are best
  • 1 cup - 80-proof vodka or 40% alcohol

Equipment

  • An airtight container with a tight-fitting lid – I use a glass mason jar with parchment paper between the metal lid and tincture or extract to prevent the alcohol from corroding the metal. – I use these glass mason jars
  • Glass storage jar – You can use an amber glass bottle if you want the extract to have more protection from UV light but it’s not necessary.
  • A fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
  • A small funnel
  • A grater or knife – for grating the orange peel or cutting the peels off

Method
 

  1. Use a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the orange part of the peel. Avoid the white part and the bitter white pith.
  2. Add the zest into a clean jar.
  3. Cover the zest with alcohol until everything is completely submerged. The alcohol will help extract and preserve the orange oil which is responsible for the orange-y flavour!
  4. Add a lid and shake the jar to make sure everything is covered.
  5. Set it in a dark, cool place for 4-6 weeks away from direct sunlight. If you want a stronger extract, you can leave it for 6-8 weeks. Aim to shake it daily to keep everything moving.
  6. After 6 weeks, use a mesh strainer or cheesecloth to strain off the extract. 
  7. Use a small funnel (or your best aim) to bottle the extract. And that’s it!

Notes

How much orange extract to use?

A small amount of pure orange extract goes a long way. Think of it like vanilla extract and only use a little bit in your baking. Otherwise, the orange flavour may be overpowering.

How long does orange extract last?

If you strain off the extract, keep it sealed, and store it in a cool place, it should last a few years!

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!