10 Delicious Sorbet Recipes for An Ice Cream Maker - Homebody Eats (2024)

The 10 best sorbet recipes to make with an ice cream machine. Have an ice cream maker that you need to put to good use? Fill your hot summer day with some easy and refreshing sorbet desserts. These easy sorbet recipes are healthy-ish and can be made with simple ingredients. They are perfect for a Cuisinart machine or any other ice cream maker you have at home.

10 Delicious Sorbet Recipes for An Ice Cream Maker - Homebody Eats (1)

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  • What Is Sorbet?
  • Sorbet Ingredients
  • 10 Homemade Sorbet Recipes
  • Ice Cream Machines For Sorbet

If you love sorbet, you're going to be as obsessed as am I with all these recipes! These ten easy and scrumptious sorbet recipes are made in an ice cream machine. There are lots of creative recipes in this post including fruit-based recipes, boozy recipes, and even one with coconut.

All these sorbet recipes are perfect to eat as a frozen summer treat. But, the beauty of sorbet is that it's also fancy enough to serve at a dinner party to impress your guests.

What Is Sorbet?

It's important to know what sorbet is and how it differs from ice cream.

Sorbet isn't technically classified as ice cream because there is no milkfat present. Instead, you can think of it as vegan ice cream.

Sorbet is made up of sugar, cold water, and fruit purée or fruit juice. Sometimes wine or liqueur are also added to the recipe. It's then churned and frozen in an ice cream maker.

There are sweet sorbets and herb or vegetable-based sorbets. Savory sorbets are usually served as a first course or a palate refresher in between courses. Sweet sorbets, on the other hand, are typically served as dessert.

A really important part of making sorbet is having the correct ratio of sugar, water, and fruit. Too much sugar will result in a soft and syrupy sorbet, while too little sugar results in a grainy, firmer consistency.

Sorbet Ingredients

Let's dive a little bit deeper into the ingredients used in a classic sorbet to help you gain more understanding of the science behind these recipes.

Sugar: Sugar is a main ingredient in sorbet, and it is responsible for sweetening the dessert and providing a creamy texture. The amount of sugar in a sorbet recipe really depends on the type of fruit you use. For example, lemon juice will require more added sugar than strawberries.

There are different methods to check that you have enough sugar in your sorbet including using a refractometer, floating an egg in the sorbet base, or using a sugar concentration ratio. Once you've practiced making sorbet, you'll begin to get a feel for the correct amount of sugar.

It's also important to talk about the types of sugar found in sorbet recipes. Some call for sugar syrup (similar to the simple syrup we use in cocktails), while others use corn syrup. Serious Eats has an informative article that breaks down the benefits of each type of sugar.

Other sugar substitutes such as honey, agave, and maple syrup behave differently than traditional sugar and corn syrup. These are not typically recommended to use in sorbet.

Sorbet Base/Flavoring: Sorbets are usually made from a base of fruit. Fruits like mango, strawberry, or peaches work really well for flavorful sorbets.

You also have the option to flavor your sorbet with some wine or liqueur.

Additionally, herbs or vegetables can be used to replace the fruit in a sorbet recipe for a savory, palate-cleansing recipe.

Water: Water is the final component of sorbet. It's an important ingredient because it helps the mixture to freeze so it becomes a frozen treat. Different amounts of water will need to be added to a recipe depending on how much water is present in the fruit.

As always, these basic ingredients can be manipulated and transformed to create new recipes. This list of ingredients just includes the basics to help you get started.

10 Homemade Sorbet Recipes

1. Orange Limoncello

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This sorbet recipe is made with limoncello liqueur, freshly squeezed orange juice, plus some lemon zest and juice. If you're looking for a light and refreshing sorbet, this citrus sorbet is perfect! This recipe can be eaten as a dessert or used as a palate cleanser in between courses. Only four ingredients are needed!

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2. Strawberry Mojito

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Meet the ultimate summer sorbet! Made with fresh strawberries, mint, citrusy lime, and a splash of rum, this strawberry mojito sorbet boasts an ultra creamy, velvety texture. Plus, this recipe only requires a few ingredients. It couldn't be easier to make, and it requires less than 30 minutes of hands-on time.

3. Peach

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During the dead of summer, this peach sorbet recipe is the perfect treat! All you need is four ingredients, including ripe and juicy peaches. This original recipe is a very simple dessert that still highlights the beauty of the peaches without masking them under other flavors.

4. Watermelon Basil

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Make a delicious sorbet with leftovers from your herb garden! Basil and watermelon sorbet combines two perfect flavors. Optionally add in some booze (Chambord and vodka) for a delicious and refreshing summer treat.

5. Peach Thyme with Bourbon

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Nothing screams summer louder than the flavor of juicy, ripe peaches. This sorbet recipe celebrates peaches with some added citrus, thyme, and bourbon flavors. The alcohol from the bourbon evaporates leaving only the flavor. However, should you wish to omit that, substitute water for the amount of bourbon listed in the recipe.

6. Pineapple Mango

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Need a tropical treat? Try this simple combination of fresh fruit. Pineapple and mango are mixed with a hint of lime. You'll only need four total ingredients for this delicious recipe. If you're feeling extra fancy or need to impress guests at a party, serve the sorbet in a pineapple.

7. Raspberry

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Need a super easy sorbet recipe? This would be a great beginner Cuisinart ice cream maker recipe. You'll just need one type of fruit - raspberries - for this refreshing treat. It's a great, healthy-ish recipe that can help cool you down in the summer.

8. Gin Rickey

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Gin Rickey is definitely a refreshing and light cocktail. If you're unfamiliar, it's light-tasting gin, coupled with mineral water and some lime juice.Try a fun twist on this cocktail by turning it into a sorbet.

9. Coconut

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Typically, sorbet is made from fruit or fruit juice. However, you can enjoy this fun twist! The sorbet mixture is made with coconut water, coconut cream, and coconut milk. The best part about this sorbet is how silky smooth it is!

10. Mango

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This mango sorbet is perfectly soft and creamy. It's a great summer treat to keep you cool. Using a blender and ice cream machine, you’ll get theperfectsorbet consistency. This is the perfect recipe to use up overly ripe mangos.


Ice Cream Machines For Sorbet

While there are sorbet recipes out there that can be made with ice cube trays and a food processor, high-quality sorbet comes from churning it in an ice cream machine.

Ice cream makersare a great tool for home chefs to have in their kitchen, especially if you love making frozen treats. There are many ice cream makers on the market, but these are two favorite machines for sorbet:

  1. Whynter Compressor Ice Cream Maker: This machine has a compressor freezer, which makes it ideal if you want to churn multiple batches of sorbet in a row. This machine can get as cold as -31°F. It's easy to get sorbet with creamy texture using this machine. Be sure to check out more pros and cons of the Whynter Ice Cream Maker.
  2. Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream Maker: Cuisinart makes a very space efficient and affordable ice cream machine for anyone looking to start making homemade frozen desserts. The one downside to this machine is the frozen freezer bowl that helps the sorbet base freeze. It needs to be placed in the freezer 24 hours before you want to churn any sorbet recipe. Be sure to check out more pros and cons of the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.

Each ice cream machine churns a little differently, so make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for the best outcome.

In addition to an ice cream maker, you'll also want to purchase a freezer container that you can store your freshly churned sorbet in. Sorbet comes out of the ice cream machine in a similar texture to soft serve. It needs time to harden up in the freezer.

Love this guide? Please leave a comment below. Don't forget to follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest for more recipes.

10 Delicious Sorbet Recipes for An Ice Cream Maker - Homebody Eats (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good sorbet? ›

The Master Ratio

If you don't know the exact sugar content of your fruit, the best thing you can do is play it safe. A sugar concentration between 20% to 30% will generally produce a scoopable, creamy sorbet. * Add less and your sorbet is too icy to scoop; add more and it may never freeze.

Why is my homemade sorbet so hard? ›

If your sorbet is rock-hard after churning and freezing: Allow it to sit on the counter for 5 minutes to soften before scooping OR. Melt the base back down to liquid, add more sugar, or a bit of corn syrup, or a splash of alcohol, then re-churn and refreeze.

Why is my homemade sorbet icy? ›

Too much sugar will not only make for a sickeningly sweet dessert, it also reduces the freezing point so that firstly, your sorbet will take ages to freeze, and secondly, it will crystallize as it freezes. Too little sugar and you end up with loads of crunchy ice crystals.

How long does homemade sorbet last in the freezer? ›

Freeze for at least 4 hours, until the sorbet has hardened. Homemade sorbet will generally keep for about a month in the freezer before starting to become overly icy. Serve the sorbet.

What thickens sorbet? ›

Tapioca starch (or corn starch): tapioca starch fis our go-to starch to thicken a sorbet mixture, for the velvety texture it creates. If you do not have tapioca starch, you can use corn starch instead, which is not the same, but it still works.

Why put egg white in sorbet? ›

The optional egg white helps to stabilize, emulsify, and preserve the texture of the sorbet if you are going to keep it in your freezer for a few days.

Is sorbet healthier than ice cream? ›

Sorbet has less calories than ice cream and other frozen desserts, and no fat. It's fruit content also makes it rich in vitamin C. Any downsides? That fruit content also means it contains a fair bit of sugar, and if we're comparing it with ice cream and gelato, it has less calcium, vitamin A and iron.

What can I use to stabilize my sorbet? ›

  • Procrema 100 Cold/Hot Natur allows us to stabilize ice creams naturally with an easy formulation.
  • Prosorbet 100 Cold Natur allows us to stabilize sorbets naturally with an easy formulation.
  • Guar gum allows us to stabilize ice creams whithout the need of heating up.
  • Carob gum allows us to stabilize ice creams with heat.
May 1, 2021

What makes the smooth and creamy texture in sorbet? ›

Ice cream machines work by churning / aerating mixtures whilst freezing them. As the mixture freezes, the churning action breaks down large ice crystals, producing that creamy smooth texture we know and love.

Why is my sorbet crunchy? ›

One of the secret of great quality sorbet is that temperature fluctuations should be reduced as much as possible. The more the temperature fluctuates up and down, the larger the water crystals become inside the sorbet, making the it less creamy and with a crunchy feel.

What does stabilizer do in sorbet? ›

An all-natural stabilizer, Cremodan 64 is used for creating sorbets, as it improves the texture, making it creamier, denser and overall more appealing. This sorbet stabilizer also inhibits ice crystallization, again, making the texture smoother.

Why do you add sugar to sorbet? ›

Sorbet needs plenty of sugar to stay soft and scoopable, and sometimes the amount of sugar you need for a smooth texture makes a sorbet that tastes candy sweet. But if an alternative sugar is less sweet than table sugar, you can use more of it without killing the sorbet with sweetness.

How to tell when sorbet is done churning? ›

This sorbet will expand and fluff up during churning. It is ready when it looks smooth and fluffy. The total churning time depends on your ice cream maker and could be anywhere from 30-70 minutes. To evaluate if it is ready, lift a spoonful; it should be thick enough to stand on the spoon, but it will still be soft.

Can you eat refrozen sorbet? ›

Can you eat sorbet after it has melted and refrozen? - Quora. Yes, if it didn't set around at room temperature long enough to spoil. But the texture will be different and harder.

What if my sorbet is too sweet? ›

If it's too sweet, all it takes is the addition of highly acidic ingredients like lemon or vinegar, some water, or more fruit. Whether you planned to make a summer strawberry sorbet or decided to boost it with some Grand Marnier, you'll find these tips very helpful.

What makes sorbet so creamy? ›

The fruit puree provides natural sweetness and contributes to the creamy texture when frozen. 2. Churning Process: During the churning process of making sorbet, the air is incorporated into the mixture, creating a light and airy texture. This aeration helps give sorbet its smooth and creamy mouthfeel.

How do you get rid of ice crystals in sorbet? ›

Glucose- and corn syrups are handy here. Using a little neutral alcohol will also affect the freezing (without actually affecting the flavour), will help fight the growth of the ice crystals and prevent the sorbet from freezing too hard.

References

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