28 Substitute For Orange Marmalade

Here are 25+ orange marmalade substitutes that can instantly enhance the taste of any recipe. 

I have used and tried several of them myself over the years, and they work like a charm, always.

So, let’s talk about our first ingredient.

28 Substitute For Orange Marmalade

1. Orange Juice

Most easily available substitute 

Orange juice gives you a similarly sweet, sour, and bitter taste to orange marmalade.

It is commonly available in packaged form in all seasons. Depending on whether your orange juice contains sugar or not, you can adjust the sweetness levels according to your recipe.

Following this, you can add it to sauces, salad dressings, baking goods, and marinades.

However, it is not a good substitute for toppings. 

How to Substitute

To use orange juice, first heat it in a small saucepan so that it reduces. You can also add some orange zest or orange essence if you want a stronger orange flavor.

Try this recipe to make Easy Orange Chicken:

2. Dried or Fresh Orange Zest 

Orange zest works as a great substitute in baking recipes and as waffles and pancake topping. It adds an excellent refreshing zesty flavor.

But it doesn’t provide the same texture and sweetness as orange marmalade. Still, its orange aroma and flavor fit well with most recipes.

If you’re making fresh orange zest, ensure that you don’t use the white part of the orange peel since it can add a more bitter taste to your desserts and other baked items.

How to Substitute

For every tablespoon of orange marmalade, take 1 teaspoon of orange zest.

Here’s how you can make an orange zest cake:

3. Lemon Marmalade 

Lemon marmalade creates a similar sour and bitter effect to orange marmalade. 

Its taste is sourer and tangier than orange. So, it fits well into both sweet and savory dishes. You can use it as a garnishing material for pancakes, tarts, and puddings or 

make lemon marmalade cocktails with it.

But lemon has an intense aroma and it isn’t as sweet as an orange. Thus, if you’re making a sweet dish, you’ll have to add more sugar than usual.

Check out this video to make lemon marmalade at home:

4. Fig Jam

Ripened fig provides an outstanding level of sweetness similar to honey. Even though it isn’t tart and bitter like orange, it fits perfectly with dishes that contain cheese. You can also put fig jam on tarts and sweet pizzas. 

Fig jam has a sticky and a little coarse texture like orange marmalade. Hence, it is a great substitute for sweet dishes.

Watch this video to know how you can make 

Italian Crostata Rustica using figs jam/figs marmalade:

5. Apricot Jam

The color and texture of apricot jam is nearly the same as orange marmalade. It brings about the same level of sourness as orange and you wouldn’t notice a big change in the overall flavor of your dish. 

It works great for sweet recipes and desserts because it has no bitterness.

Try this recipe to make Apricot Jam Bars:

6. Orange Jam/Jelly

Orange jam and jelly contain the same sweet and sour flavors as orange and are a good substitute.

You can use orange jam for making both sweet and savory recipes. However, it produces an unmatchable taste in sweet dishes like pancakes, ice-creams, and waffles. 

Orange jelly works well for savory dishes like orange chicken and can also be used as a meat glaze.

Here’s how you can make a 3-layer orange pudding using orange jelly powder: 

7. Mango Jam

Mango jam closely resembles the texture of orange marmalade peel. They both have the same level of sweetness and tartness. 

Thus, it goes well with cookies and you can even put it into baked salmon to enjoy a sweet and fishy aftertaste.

Here’s how you can make easy mango shortbread cookies at home: 

8. Grapefruit Marmalade

A low-calorie substitute 

Grapefruit contains more bitterness and less tartness than orange. It is a citrus fruit that gives your dishes the same sweet, acidic flavor as orange marmalade. 

You can use it in desserts, salads, and on top of toasted bread. 

However, grapefruit marmalade wouldn’t provide you with the characteristic orange flavor or aroma.

Check out this video to make Pistachio and Grapefruit Marmalade Tart:

9. Homemade Orange Marmalade

A DIY substitute

Making your own orange marmalade at home can give you the closest taste and texture in any recipes that require orange marmalade.

To make a DIY orange substitute, you need ¼ cup each of sugar and water for every orange. Put them into a saucepan along with sliced oranges. Let the ingredients boil and then heat it on a slow flame for about 40 minutes. 

When you reach the desired consistency, let the mixture cool down.

Use it in the same way as orange marmalade.

Watch this video to know how you can make your own Orange Marmalade Jam:

10. Peach Chutney And Marmalade

White peaches have a floral and sweet taste, while yellow peaches have a more acidic flavor. 

Hence, both peach chutney and its marmalade make great alternatives. 

Just a combination of brown sugar, ginger, apple cider, or white vinegar can be used to make peach chutney. But use ginger only in a pinch because it produces a strong flavor and aroma. 

Here’s how you can make a sweet and spicy peach chutney at home:

11. Peach Jam

Peaches have less tartness than oranges and contain no bitter taste. So, it works like a charm in desserts and many other dishes that require orange marmalade.

You can use it in making tarts and muffins to experience its soft and crunchy taste. Its bright red color instantly enhances the appearance of your dish.

Check out this video to make Jam filled muffins:

12. Raspberry Jam

Raspberry and orange have very different colors.

Yet, in spite of its coarse texture, it gives almost identical sweetness and acidity to orange marmalade. 

Hence, it goes well with any dessert like tarts as well as fits perfectly into sweet and sour sauces and meat glazes. 

See this video to make Raspberry Glazed Pork Loin:

13. Pineapple Jam

Both orange and pineapple contain a combination of sweet and sour flavors. And even though pineapple jam doesn’t have the same taste as orange, you can add a bit of lime or orange juice to make its flavor more identical. 

You can use it for making cakes, cookies, donuts, and tarts. 

Here’s how you can make pineapple jam donuts: 

14. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice has a highly sour and bitter taste with a characteristic aroma. It adds a refreshing pungent and tart-like flavor. 

You can use it in the same way as Lemon Marmalade. It goes well with steamed vegetables and gives your meat marinades an amazingly tangy taste. Plus, it also fits well into beverages and desserts.

Check out this video to make a fluffy lemon cake using lemon juice: 

15. Orange Juice Concentrate

Orange juice concentrate has a strong orange flavor and aroma. It doesn’t contain the same level of sweetness as marmalade but adding some sugar according to your need quickly fixes this limitation. 

It is a good alternative for making marinades and sauces.

However, it is not recommended for use in baked goods.

Watch this video to learn how you can make Creamy Orange Popsicles using Orange juice concentrate:

16. Mango Chutney or Jam

You can make your own mango chutney by using mangoes, sugar, vinegar, ginger, and mustard. If you’re making a savory dish like curry or meat, adding red chili flakes will give it a deliciously spicy touch.

In this chutney, vinegar compensates for the acidity of orange marmalade, and mangoes and sugar provide a similar sweet and sour taste.

However, mango marmalade or mango jam is a suitable substitute for making desserts and other baked items.

Watch this video to know about 4 ways in which you can make mango chutney at home: 

17. Preserves

Fruit preserves consist of diced fruit pieces immersed in a syrup or a gel and stored in a jar. 

You can use it in the same manner as marmalade. It goes well as a topping for scones, toast, and ice cream and you can even put it into fruity cakes and puddings to yield a juicy flavor.

However, preserves don’t provide the same bitterness and smooth texture as marmalade. 

Here’s how you can make grilled steak using preserved lemons:

18. Citrus Zest

When replacing orange marmalade, using the zest of citrus fruits like orange, grapefruit and lemons will give you a very similar taste.

Except, it doesn’t provide you with the same sweetness. Still, it works well enough for marinades, pasta sauces, baked dishes, and meat rubs. 

However, it is not recommended for making meat glazes because of its highly bitter taste.

Try this recipe to make creamy chicken pasta using lemon zest:

19. Orange Oil

Best used in cold recipes, orange Oil is another great alternative for recipes that require an oil-based essence. 

If you want to add it while cooking a dish that utilizes high temperature, then you must add it only towards the end of your cooking procedure.

You can use orange oil both for sweet and savory dishes. Just add 2-3 drops of essential orange oil yields plenty of orange flavor and aroma. 

Check out this video to make Olive Oil Orange Cake:

20. Orange Essence

If your dish needs only the flavor of orange marmalade and not its texture, then using orange essence is a good option.

But you should always add it near the end of the cooking process to prevent its flavor from burning out due to high heat. 

Watch this video to make Soft Fluffy Orange Cup Cake using orange essence:

21. Lemon or Lime Zest

Lime zest gives a great finishing touch and adds more brightness to your drinks, desserts, salads, and soups.

To use it instead of orange marmalade, you can mix it with orange essence. It will help you achieve the correct orange flavor along with the right level of bitterness.

Here’s how you can make dry-aged steaks in lime zest:

22. Concentrated Orange Marmalade Compound

To use concentrated orange marmalade compound as a substitute in sweet dishes, you need to first boil it in water and add some sugar to it.

However, you can use it directly in savory dishes. 

Make sure you adjust its sugar levels according to your recipe.

Watch this video to know how you can make your own fruit powder concentrate at home:

23. Fresh Oranges

Fresh Oranges are a rich source of vitamin C.

You can use them in desserts, sorbets, ice-creams, salads, and several savory dishes. 

Try this Orange Mousse Recipe:

24. Apricot Jam + Lemon Juice + Orange Essence

Combining apricot jam, lemon juice, and orange essence produces a flavor that closely resembles orange marmalade. 

Here, the apricot jam will give you a similar color and sweetness, the essence will make up for the orange aroma and flavor, and lemon juice provides the tartness and bitterness.

Check out this video to make Chocolate Cake with Apricot Jam Filling:

25. Orange Extract 

Extracts contain a highly concentrated orange flavor. So, you must use it only in a very small amount. It’s great for baking and making desserts, sauces, and marinades. 

How to Substitute

Use only 1 teaspoon of orange extract.

Here’s how you can make a DIY orange extract at home: 

26. Orange Bitters or Orange Liqueur

Generally used for making cocktails, orange bitters/orange liqueur can also be used as a substitute if you can’t find any other options.

Since they contain alcohol, they fit well into baking recipes.

Watch this video to make a delicious Orange liqueur Cake:

27. Orange Preserves

Even though orange preserves don’t add the bitter punch like orange marmalade, it still goes perfectly well as a toast topping and can also be used for baking.

They provide pretty much the same texture and flavor. 

Here’s how you can make orange preserves using only four ingredients at home:

28. Citrus Marmalade

You can get many types of citrus marmalade in the market. It is generally very sweet in taste.

So, if you’re making a savory dish, then adding a few drops of lemon juice will easily bring down the sweetness level.

It is great to use in sauces and marinades, but you must never use citrus Marmalade in baking.

See this video to make a tasty breakfast spread mix fruit Golden Marmalade:

FAQs

Bottom Line

Although orange marmalade is the traditional choice for these recipes, there are many other spreads that can be substituted depending on your preference and what you have on hand.

Whether you’re looking for a healthier option or just want to try something new, we hope this article has given you some ideas for delicious dishes that will tantalize your taste buds.

What is your favorite recipe that uses orange marmalade? Share it with us in the comments below!