This Lemonade sorbet is bursting with zesty lemon vibes, making it the ultimate cool-down frozen treat. With just five simple ingredients, its the best way to beat the heat and keep things chill all summer. It’s a delightful blend of tangy sweetness that’s bursting with fresh lemon! Get at it!
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Why I Love This Recipe
Around this time of year, I get super busy with life which explains why I am giving you a recipe for easy lemon sorbet. I ain’t got time to make glorious yet time consuming cakes.
I have a way of making desserts to fit my lifestyle. So this easy, quick, light and delicious easy lemon sorbet hit the ticket. I know that in a matter of minutes, I can make the base of this sorbet and have it in the ice cream maker churning away.
I rely on sorbets a lot in my busy seasons. They always deliver, and they are stress free. See for yourself. In fact, time yourself to see how long it actually takes to make the easy lemon sorbet mixture before adding it to your ice cream maker.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Sorbet
- Great Flavor: The combination of fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and limoncello means each bite simply bursts with lemon flavor! It will have you puckering in the best way.
- So easy to make: All it takes is a quick mix of ingredients, a short chill, and it’s ready for the ice cream maker.
- It’s dairy-free: This lemonade sorbet recipe is the perfect frozen treat for anyone who can’t tolerate dairy or is looking to avoid it.
- Refreshing flavors: It’s perfectly sweet with plenty of tangy lemon flavor and makes a refreshing treat for the summer.
Looking for more lemon and citrus flavors to enjoy this summer? You will also love a cold glass of homemade lemonade or strawberry lemonade to sip on.
Ingredients to Make Lemonade Sorbet
All you need are four simple ingredients to make a bright, citrusy sorbet. Here’s a closer look at what you need to gather up.
- Water: Aids in dissolving the sugar and balancing the sweet, tangy flavors.
- Sweetness: Lemon sorbet combines granulated sugar and corn syrup for plenty of sweetness. The corn syrup also gives the sorbet a creamier, thicker consistency because it inhibits the formation of ice crystals.
- Lemon: You will be using both juice and zest. Definitely use fresh lemons for the best flavor.
- Limoncello: A sweet lemon-flavored Italian liqueur with an intense citrus flavor. It also lowers the freezing point of the sorbet making it slightly easier to scoop.
How to Make Lemonade Sorbet
- Whisk together the water, sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, and limoncello.
- Refrigerate the mixture for 15-20 minutes to chill slightly.
- Pour the lemon sorbet mixture into an ice cream machine. Freeze your sorbet following the instructions included with your ice cream machine.
- Once the sorbet is done, transfer it to an ice cream container and freeze it until you’re ready to serve.
Expert Tips
- Use Fresh Lemons. While it may seem easier to use bottled lemon juice you won’t get the same fresh, clean flavor. Bottled lemon juice contains ingredients for preservation which change its flavor quite a bit.
- Roll Your Lemons. Before cutting the lemons, roll them firmly on the counter with the palm of your hand. This loosens up the juice and makes it easier to squeeze.
- Use a Microplane. You want a very fine texture for the lemon zest which is best achieved by using a microplane. If you don’t have one, use the smallest grate hole possible and press lightly to zest the lemon. If it looks too thick, chop it finely with a knife before mixing it in.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Other Citrus Flavors: Turn this lime or orange flavored by switching out the fresh juice for fresh limes or oranges. For orange, use an orange-flavored liqueur such as triple sec, and to make lime sorbet you can use lime extract or syrup in place of the limoncello. It’s still on point either way.
- Alcohol-Free: Since limoncello is a liqueur, the sorbet contains a small amount of alcohol. You can make this alcohol-free by using lemon extract instead. The texture will be slightly harder however.
- Pink Lemonade Sorbet: Pink it up by adding a few drops of red food coloring to tint it.
How to Store Lemon Sorbet
Grab yourself a strong airtight container and add the sorbet with just a little room at the top. Keep it tucked away from the freezer door. We don’t want those temperature roller coasters making our sorbet icy and grainy. We’re all about that smooth, velvety texture, so let’s keep it steady and fabulous in a nice, calm spot in the freezer.
How long will lemonade sorbet last in the freezer?
Any homemade sorbet is best eaten fresh so be sure to enjoy it within 1-3 days!
Frequently Asked Questions
No, sorbet is made with fruit puree, water, and sugar. Sometimes liqueur or corn syrup are added to give it a creamier consistency.
While they are both made with fruit, sherbet contains dairy while sorbet does not.
Citrus sorbet will generally be a bit icier than other fruit sorbets because it doesn’t contain large amounts of fruit puree. Since it’s predominantly water and juice it needs additional ingredients added to give it a less icy texture. I find using corn syrup and a bit of limoncello contribute to a smoother texture. Both keep ice crystals from forming and the liqueur keeps it from freezing solid so it’s easier to scoop.
More Sorbet and Ice Cream Recipes
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Lemonade Sorbet Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- 2 cups fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons limoncello
Instructions
- Whisk together water, sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest and limoncello.
- Place mixture in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
- Pour lemon sorbet mixture into ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Once sorbet is done, add to ice cream container and freeze until time to serve.
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What a classic crowd pleaser! It looks delightful 😀
Thanks so much!
Yes for sorbets! Now it’s time for us to try sherbets. They are great summer sweets.
Yes, I definitely want to try some sherbets! Aren’t they so yummy??
Oh, my! I ♥ sorbets and lemons (of course!). 😀 I’ve been dreaming about this sorbet since I first saw it!!
Thanks so much Valerie! I know how much you adore lemon!
This is a wonderful treat for the summertime. 🙂 Perfect for all those hot days! I love lemon anything, too. So refreshing!
Thanks so much Sally!
When I was a child we lived on the east coast near the ocean. On many summer weekends my parents would take up to a beach after dinner. They would buy us lemon sorbet (not ices) from an icecream stand and we would eat it while watching the sunset. I love your lemon sorbet. It looks so refreshing and the zest makes all the difference! I will be eating it and remembering beautiful sunsets. Thanks, Jocelyn. 🙂
Aww thank you so much. That is such a sweet and beautiful memory!
Hey pretty lady! This looks and sounds absolutely incredible. I am obsessed with anything lemon. I am definitely going to be making this soon!
Thanks so much! I have that same lemon obsession too!
How refreshing! I could dive into a bowl of this right now!
Thanks so much Chung-Ah!
I can just imagine how clean and fresh this would taste! It looks really lovely. I love Limoncello and keep meaning to make a dessert with it, your sorbet seems perfect for it.
And thanks for your kind comment to my blog 🙂 🙂
http://www.asplashofvanilla.com
No problem Emma! And I also adore limoncello!
This is the perfect hot weather treat! I need to put my ice cream maker to good use!
It is perfection during the hot weather!
Yum! I love lemon, especially in sorbet. So refreshing!
Thanks so much Dorothy! Refreshing indeed!