Lemon Sorbet Recipe

Combine sugar and water

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water. Stir to distribute the sugar evenly before heating.

Infuse with zest

Add the finely grated zest of 2 lemons to the saucepan.

Heat to dissolve

Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is just simmering (do not boil vigorously). This should take about 3–5 minutes.

Cool and steep

Remove the pan from heat and let the syrup steep with the lemon zest for 20–30 minutes to extract aroma and oils. Taste to ensure it has a pronounced lemon fragrance.

Strain syrup

Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or measuring cup to remove zest. Press gently on zest to extract liquid, then discard the zest solids. Chill the syrup until lukewarm or cold (about 15–30 minutes in the fridge).

Juice the lemons

While the syrup is cooling, juice fresh lemons until you have 1 cup of lemon juice (about 4–5 medium lemons). Strain the juice through a fine sieve to remove seeds and excess pulp if you prefer a silky sorbet.

Combine syrup and juice

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cooled lemon simple syrup and 1 cup fresh lemon juice until uniformly combined. Taste the mixture: it should be bright, tart, and slightly sweet. If it is too tart, add a touch more simple syrup; if too sweet, add a little more lemon juice.

Season

Stir in 1 teaspoon fine sea salt to enhance flavor and balance sweetness. If using, add 1 tablespoon vodka or light liqueur now (this lowers freezing point slightly and yields a softer scoopable texture). Mix thoroughly.

Chill mixture thoroughly

Refrigerate the mixture until it is fully chilled, at least 2 hours or ideally overnight. The colder the base, the better the texture after churning.

Churn (ice cream maker)

Pour the chilled lemon mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes).

Freeze to firm

Transfer the churned sorbet into a shallow, airtight container. Smooth the top, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals, and seal the container. Freeze for at least 2–4 hours to firm up to scoopable consistency.

No-machine method (optional)

If you don't have an ice cream maker: pour the chilled mixture into a shallow metal or glass pan and place in the freezer. Every 30 minutes for the first 3 hours, stir vigorously with a fork or whisk to break up ice crystals (or use a handheld blender briefly). Continue until firm and smooth.

Serve

Scoop the sorbet into chilled bowls or cones. If desired, garnish with extra lemon zest or a thin lemon slice. Let scoops rest 2–3 minutes at room temperature for easier scooping if very firm.