When you bake and cook with flavorsome extracts, a little can give your special dish a burst of flavor. With extracts, a little goes a long way. Store them properly, and they will provide your cooking and baking with flavor for a long time.
An extract is a substance made from extracting parts of a plant. It’s a concentrated form of a particular food that is obtained through different extraction methods. These extracts are used as flavorings and colorants in other food products.
The secret with these extracts is to choose one of good quality. A good, well-known brand of extracts and flavorings is always natural.
With cooking and baking, however, which extract does one use? Amaretto and almond extract are two ingredients used in food preparation, but they have different properties.
When it comes to adding flavor to your food, both the extracts are delicious options. Depending on your preference, you can either opt for the sweet, nutty taste of amaretto or the more intense almond taste of your almond extract.
What is Amaretto?
It’s an almond-flavored liqueur. It’s made from apricot pits and almonds, and it adds a nutty taste to dishes.
What is almond extract?
It’s a concentrated flavoring made from almond oil and alcohol. With baking and cooking, you have to use it in small amounts to add a tinge of almond flavor to your baked foods.
| Amaretto Extract | Almond Extract |
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Amaretto extract is a concentrated flavoring. It is made by combining almond oil with apricot pits and other flavors. Amaretto comes from the town of Saronno in Italy. Today, it is made all over the world. 
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Almond extract is a concentrated flavoring. It is made by combining bitter almond oil with alcohol. Like amaretto, it is also used in cooking and baking to add a particular taste to dishes. 
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| Amaretto tastes like almonds. The American Association of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology says those with a nut allergy can safely ingest amaretto. You get a unique, natural blended taste of almond and apricot kernels. | Almond extract has a potent flavor, and only a small amount is needed. Always choose a quality product, as flavor differs quite a bit by brand. Almond extract is made with bitter almond oil and ethyl alcohol. These bitter almonds are actually inedible, but the oil has a strong, sweet flavor. |
| Amaretto has a sweet, nutty taste with a touch of bitterness. It tastes slightly fruity because other ingredients are sometimes added. These can be lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla. | Almond extract has a strong, potent flavor. It is fairly bitter and should be used in small quantities. |
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It is used primarily in baking and cooking. It is also used in savory dishes. It is also enjoyed as a liqueur and can be used to make cocktails. 
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Like amaretto, almond extract can also have certain synthetic flavors and additives. Always read the labels because these ingredients can drastically affect taste and quality. 
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| Amaretto typically has an alcohol content of around 25-28%. It can’t be used in large quantities in cooking or baking. | Almond extract has a very high alcohol content of about 80%. Only a small amount is needed to add flavor to a dish. |
| To always ensure the best flavor and potency, store your amaretto extract in a cool, dark place, just like with almond extract. | Store almond extract in a cool, dark place. |
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Amaretto is made by infusing bitter almond oil and other flavors into a base of neutral spirits,. The mixture is then aged for several weeks to allow the flavors to blend. 
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Almond extract is made from bitter almond oil. It contains a compound known as hydrocyanic acid. While the amount in the extract is low, in high doses, it can be toxic. 
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Like almond extract, only a small amount is needed to add flavor to a recipe.
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Use almond extract in moderation and always adhere to the recommended quantities in recipes. |
| There are health issues with amaretto and almond extract. Amaretto is a sweet liqueur. It has quite a bit of sugar and should be consumed in moderation, especially if you’re a diabetic. If you are looking for extracts that are suitable for a specific dietary preference, such as vegan or gluten-free, check the labels and ingredients to ensure they meet your needs. | |
| Extracts like these two are made by mixing a concentrated flavor with alcohol. You’re ultimately left with the flavor you want in your cooking. This is because the alcohol burns off during cooking. | |
If you needed to substitute one of these extracts, there are differences between the two. So if your recipe calls for amaretto, you can’t substitute it with almond extract. The flavor won’t be the same.
Which extract? Amaretto or Almond?
When you look at these two extracts, you see that there are some important differences. They have different alcoholic contents and flavors. Some of them come without any added sugar or salt.
While the two extracts do share slightly similar flavors, they aren’t really interchangeable.
And yet there are cooking experts who say that almond extract can be substituted for amaretto in sweet, baked goods. They say that for every 2 tablespoons of amaretto in a recipe, you can use a teaspoon of almond extract.
Amaretto vs. almond extract? Are there differences? Yes, there are, and knowing the difference between these two ingredients is important. If you don’t know the differences, you can’t expect your cooking or baking recipe to turn out the way it should.