Lemon Juice Substitutes

Out of lemon juice? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert lemon juice between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the lemon juice converter.

What to use instead of lemon juice

  • Lime Juice

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup lemon juice = 1 cup lime juice (1:1 by volume)

    Lime juice is sharper and more floral than lemon juice but close in weight (248 g vs 255 g per cup). Swap 1:1 in dressings, marinades, and cocktails; expect a less rounded flavour in lemon curd or sweet bakes.

    See lime juice substitutes →

  • White Vinegar

    Ingredient swap

    1 tbsp lemon juice = 1/2 tbsp white vinegar (for chemical leavening only)

    Vinegar is roughly twice as acidic as lemon juice, so halve the volume when subbing for baking soda activation. Skip for flavour swaps: vinegar has no citrus aroma.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for lemon juice?
There are 2 workable substitutes for lemon juice, depending on what you have on hand and which property of lemon juice matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually 1 cup lemon juice = 1 cup lime juice (1:1 by volume). Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting lemon juice change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the lemon juice converter
How do I measure lemon juice accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The lemon juice converter on this site converts between cups, grams, ounces, millilitres, fluid ounces, tablespoons, and teaspoons, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the lemon juice converter

Other ingredient and produce substitutes

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