Orange Extract vs Orange Oil

Orange extract is a flavoring ingredient made when the essence of flavor is extracted from the orange peel, usually using alcohol. Orange oil is produced when the essential oils from the orange peel are squeezed out of it. Orange oil is much more strongly concentrated flavor wise than orange extract, but orange extract is better suited for delicate cooking, like baking and sweets making. Extracts in general are better suited for adding supporting or softer flavors to a dish.

Does Organic Orange Extract Expire?

Orange extract doesn’t expire in the same way that the fruit orange expires. Alcohol is a preservative. Since orange extract is mostly made of alcohol, it doesn’t really expire. It will eventually lose flavor over time, but you will know when it is starting to get dull when you are able to smell more alcohol than orange. Generally, this happens after about a year, but you can extend the life of your extract by storing it in a cool, dark place.

How Organic Orange Extract is Made

Organic Orange Extract is made with three ingredients. The orange peel used in making orange extract is carefully collected without the white pith, as the white pith inside the peel has a bitter flavor. Organic Orange Peel is added to a mixture of vodka and water, and after a period of about two months the liquid is drained, and the solids are discarded. The alcohol and water draw the essential oils out of the orange peel over this period, pulling all the flavor out of the peel and into the liquid. The orange peel can be left in for varying times to either decrease or increase the intensity of the orange flavor.

Store your Organic Orange Extract away from sources of heat and light to protect the flavor of the extract. It is not necessary to store this extract in the fridge as it is shelf stable. Over time the flavor of the orange will naturally dissipate, but these preventative measures will give your extract a longer life.

The alcohol used to make our organic orange extract is sourced from 100% organic sugar cane.  This product is safe for use in individuals who may have allergies to vodka as there is no vodka in our extracts. The alcohol used in this extract is also naturally gluten free, but the gluten levels are not tested. 

What’s in it?

Our Organic Orange Extract is made from Organic Orange, Organic Alcohol, and Water.

Cooking with Organic Orange Extract

Orange extract obviously fits right in with sweet applications. It is delicious in cookie recipes, stirred into creams or custards, and plenty of fruit based dishes, especially anything with cranberries or strawberries. You may want to add it to your blueberry lavender ice cream recipe! It’s also good for savory applications! Salad dressings, chicken dinners, and rice or fish heavy dishes are all great candidates for an orange extract upgrade.

It’s excellent in ciders, like mulled cider for example, and tastes lovely in ginger based drinks as well. You might like to stir some orange extract into your hot chocolate and top it with a swirl or two of whipped cream. It’s fantastic in cream based sauces for a brightening, citrus effect.

Some of the best orange fudge you’ll ever eat in your life requires only four ingredients. 2 pounds of white chocolate, 16oz of cream cheese, 6 cups of confectioner’s sugar and 1 tablespoon of orange extract are all it takes. Melt your chocolate over low heat, stirring often to avoid burning it until it is creamy. Remove from heat and stir in room temperature cream cheese. Beat in confectioner’s sugar until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the orange extract and spread out in a baking pan. An 8x8 is a pretty decent size and will hold all of this mixture. Refrigerate and cut into bite sized pieces once cooled. The candy can be stored for a few days in the fridge, but you will just might catch yourself sneaking to the fridge multiple times to eat a bite or two of this fudge on a pretty frequent basis.

This Organic Orange Extract is very flavorful, so use a little at first and then add more to your recipes as you continue to experiment. What you like varies by dish and also by batch, so be sure to taste as you cook!

What Does Organic Orange Extract Taste Like?

Orange Extract imparts a lovely orange flavor in a variety of dishes but should never be consumed as a standalone thing. If you drank orange extract you could become extremely ill. Never leave orange extract where a child could get ahold of it and accidentally ingest it.

Substitutions and Conversions

Organic Orange Extract can be substituted with orange oil, but just a few drops of orange oil are needed to be equivalent to a full teaspoon of orange extract. You can also use orange zest for a substitute, depending on the recipe! One teaspoon of zest is about equivalent to the flavoring power of a half teaspoon of extract.

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