Alcohol Substitutes for Cooking |
Type of Alcohol |
Substitute |
Amaretto |
Almond extract (1/2 teaspoon extract for 2 tablespoons of Amaretto) or Italian soda syrup. |
Anisette |
Anise Italian soda syrup or fennel. |
Apple Brandy |
Apple juice, unsweetened apple juice concentrate, apple cider, or apple butter. |
Apricot Brandy |
Syrup from a can of apricots in heavy syrup, or apricot preserves. |
Beer or Ale |
A strong chicken, beef or mushroom broth, or non-alcoholic beer. |
Beer or Ale (Light) |
Chicken broth, white grape juice or ginger ale. |
Bourbon |
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. |
Brandy |
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of brandy or rum extract for 2 tablespoons of Brandy. When liquid amount is critical to the recipe, use water or fruit juices corresponding to flavor of brandy (use same amount of liquid as the recipe calls for brandy), |
Calvados |
Apple juice, unsweetened apple juice concentrate, apple cider, or apple butter. |
Chambord |
Raspberry juice, syrup or extract. |
Champagne |
Ginger ale, sparkling apple cider, sparkling cranberry juice, or sparkling white grape juice. |
Cherry Liqueur or Cherry Brandy |
Syrup from a can of cherries in heavy syrup, or cherry Italian soda Syria or cherry preserves. |
Claret |
non-alcoholic wine, diluted grape juice or cherry cider syrup. |
Coffee Liqueur |
To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of chocolate extract mixed with 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, which has been mixed in 2 tablespoons of water. Can also substitute expresso, non-alcoholic coffee extract or coffee syrup. |
Cognac |
Apricot, peach or pear juice. |
Cointreau |
To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 2 tablespoons of orange juice concentrate or 2 tablespoons of orange juice with 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract. |
Crème de cacao |
Powdered white chocolate combined with water, or non-alcoholic vanilla extract and powdered sugar. |
Crème de cassis |
Black currant Italian soda syrup or black currant jam. |
Crème de menthe |
non-alcoholic mint extract, mint Italian soda syrup, spearmint extract, or spearmint oil with a little water added. If green color is needed, add a drop of green food coloring. |
Curacao |
To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 2 tablespoons of orange juice concentrate or 2 tablespoons of orange juice with 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract. |
Framboise |
Raspberry juice or raspberry syrup. |
Frangelico |
Hazelnut or almond extract. |
Galliano |
Licorice extract. |
Gewurztraminer |
White grape juice combined with lemon juice. |
Grand Marnier |
To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 2 tablespoons of orange juice concentrate or 2 tablespoons of orange juice with 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract. |
Grappa |
Grape juice. |
Grenadine |
non-alcoholic grenadine or pomegranate syrup. |
Hard Cider |
Apple juice or apple cider. |
Kirsch |
Cherry cider or black cherry, raspberry, boysenberry, currant, or grape juice or syrup. Substitute same amount of liquid as called for in the recipe. |
Licorice or Anise Liqueur |
Anise Italian soda syrup or fennel. |
Mirin |
White grape juice combined with lemon juice or lemon zest. |
Muscat |
White grape juice combined with powdered sugar. |
Ouzo |
Anise Italian soda syrup or fennel. |
Orange Liqueur |
Orange juice concentrate, orange juice, orange zest or orange marmalade. |
Peach Brandy |
Syrup from a can of peaches in heavy syrup, or peach preserves. |
Peppermint Schnapps |
non-alcoholic mint or peppermint extract, mint Italian soda syrup, or mint leaves. |
Port |
Concord grape juice with some lime zest added, cranberry juice with some lemon juice added, or grape juice concentrate. Substitute orange juice or apple juice for lighter ports. |
Red Burgundy |
Red wine vinegar, grape juice or non-alcoholic wine. |
Red Wine, sweet or dry |
non-alcoholic wine with a tablespoon of vinegar added to cut the sweetness, grape juice, cranberry juice, grape jelly, tomato juice, beef broth, liquid drained from vegetables, or water. Use equal amounts of liquid as called for in the recipe. |
Riesling |
White grape juice with a pinch of powdered sugar added. |
Rum |
White grape juice, pineapple juice, or apple juice in equal liquid amounts as called for in the recipe. Can also use these juices with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of non-alcoholic rum, almond or vanilla extract added. |
Sake |
Rice vinegar. |
Sambuca |
Anise Italian soda syrup or fennel. |
Schnapps |
To replace 2 tablespoons of schnapps, add 1 teaspoon of a corresponding flavored extract. |
Sherry |
Apple juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, or non-alcoholic vanilla extract. |
Southern Comfort |
Peach flavored nectar combined with a small amount of cider vinegar. |
Sparkling Wine |
Ginger ale, sparkling apple cider, sparkling cranberry juice, or sparkling white grape juice. |
Tequila |
Cactus juice or nectar. |
Triple Sec |
Orange juice concentrate, orange juice, orange zest or orange marmalade. |
Vermouth, Dry |
White grape juice, white wine vinegar, or non-alcoholic white wine. |
Vermouth, Sweet |
Apple juice, grape juice, balsamic vinegar, non-alcoholic sweet wine, or water with lemon juice. |
Whiskey |
If a small amount is called for, it can be eliminated. |
Vodka |
White grape juice or apple cider combined with lime juice or use plain water in place of the vodka. |
Savory |
Thyme, marjoram, or sage |
White Burgundy |
non-alcoholic wine, white grape juice combined with white wine vinegar. |
White Wine, sweet or dry |
non-alcoholic wine with a tablespoon of vinegar added to cut the sweetness, white grape juice, apple juice, apple cider, tomato juice, chicken broth, liquid drained from vegetables, ginger ale, or water. Use equal amounts of liquid as called for in the recipe. |