The ultimate creamy, sweet, and slightly tart homemade strawberry sorbet is perfect for summer—a simple three-ingredient sorbet crawling with bursts of lemon.
Say hello to the BEST strawberry and lemon sorbet I have ever made. This sorbet is homemade and only uses three ingredients (with an optional fourth ingredient).
Sorbet is a dairy and gluten-free frozen dessert. It can be made with fresh or frozen fruit. Sorbet is one dessert everyone in our family loves. We often make two complementary flavors. This recipe packs a punch of strawberry flavor with sharp hints of lemon—the best summer flavors. It’s better than any store-bought sorbet I’ve ever had.
I once used an old-fashioned nostalgic ice cream maker. The kind where ice is placed between the bowl and outer shell, and you turn a handle to churn the ice cream. It was fun for a while but later evolved into too much work, which yielded a small amount of ice cream. So I upgraded to a Cuisinart ice cream maker. It is simple to use, works like a charm, and stores away very well. I freeze the double-insulated freezer bowl for 16-24 hours, and it’s ready to go.
Tips for the best sorbet results
Equipment
- Ice cream maker – Unless you plan to churn out daily pints of frozen desserts, I suggest a simple Cuisinart ice cream maker. Some come with an extra double-walled freezer bowl, or you can purchase an extra one. You can keep one bowl in the freezer that is always ready to use. It is also great if you want to make two different frozen treats.
- No ice cream maker – No problem! Use a shallow metal pan and freeze the mixture. I suggest a loaf or cake pan. After 30 – 45 minutes, remove the pan and break up the mixture with a fork. Smooth the mixture and return to the freezer. Repeat 2-3 times. Once frozen (about 2 hours), add sorbet to a double-walled or airtight container.
- Freezer bowl – Make sure the freezer bowl sits on a flat surface before freezing. If the bowl freezes lopsided, the machine will wobble as it churns.
- Double-walled container – Store your frozen treats in a 1.5-quart double-walled ice cream tub.
Ingredients
- Strawberries – While I recommend fresh strawberries, you may use frozen strawberries off-season or when fresh is not an option. I suggest thawing frozen strawberries before puréeing.
- Tequila or vodka – A tablespoon of alcohol goes a long way. You will not taste the tequila, but it will give the sorbet a creamy texture and keep it from a hard icy freeze.
Make refreshing small-batch fruit popsicles to add variety to your summer treats. They are delicious and flavorful.
2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled Ice Cream Maker - Set up the ice cream maker according to its instructions. Most require freezing 16-24 hours before use. Tequila is optional. You will not taste the alcohol. It keeps the sorbet from becoming hard and icy.
You may eat the sorbet immediately after churning. It will be soft and creamy. Freeze for at least 2 hours for a firm and creamy texture.
Store in a 1 1/2 quart double-walled ice cream container.Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 whole lemon: zest, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 large lemon - juiced
1 tablespoon tequila or vodka (optional)Instructions
Notes
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