Basic Fruit Sorbets Recipe

Written by
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Expert baker and published author, Carroll Pellegrinelli shares her knowledge of bread baking and desserts.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Updated 06/14/19
Sorbet recipe

The Spruce 
  • Total: 25 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Chill and Mix: 3 hrs
  • Yield: 1/2 gallon (4 servings)

Want a delightfully frozen fruit sorbet to finish a meal or add to a dessert? If you have an ice cream maker, you are only a couple of ingredients away from making sorbet from fresh or frozen fruit.

If you have fresh fruit from your garden or the farmer's market, you can make a seasonal sorbet and freeze it to enjoy for weeks to come. You can also use frozen fruit or juice to make sorbet. The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination. See below for specifics for making cantaloupe, cherry, grapefruit, lemon, orange, peach, pineapple, raspberry, strawberry, and watermelon sorbet.

Sorbet does not contain any dairy products, so it preferred for a dairy-free, vegetarian, or vegan diet. It is also gluten-free and doesn't have any of the stabilizers or preservatives found in commercially prepared frozen desserts.

1:22

Click Play to See This Simple Fruit Sorbet Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 cups cantaloupe (chopped)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Fruit in bowl
    The Spruce 

  2. Bring 3 cups water and sugar just to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

    Add sugar
    The Spruce 

  3. Remove from heat. Cool.

    Pot of water
    The Spruce 

  4. Process sugar syrup and fruit, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth.

    Process fruit and sugar
    The Spruce 

  5. If the fruit variant you are using calls for fruit juice*, add it here.

    Fruit in a food processor
    The Spruce 

  6. Cover and chill 2 hours.

    Cover and chill
    The Spruce

  7. Pour mixture into the freezer container of a 1-gallon ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Tips

  • Frozen sorbet will be best while it is fresh.
  • You can freeze it and enjoy it for a couple of weeks.
  • If it develops crystals, you may have let it go too long in the freezer and it may not be as enjoyable to eat. You could always heat it up to use as a warm fruit syrup instead, or mix it with yogurt and blend it into a smoothie.

Recipe Variations

  • Cantaloupe Sorbet: Use 4 cups chopped cantaloupe.
  • Cherry Sorbet: Use 1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, prepared, and 1 (16-ounce) jar maraschino cherries. Strain and discard pulp, if desired.
  • Grapefruit Sorbet: Use 3 cups fresh grapefruit juice and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint.
  • Lemon/Lime Sorbet: Use 1/2 cup fresh lemon/lime juice and 2 teaspoons grated.
  • Orange Sorbet: Use 3 cups fresh orange juice and 2 teaspoons grated orange rind.lemon/lime rind.
  • Peach Sorbet: Use 5 cups fresh or frozen peaches and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
  • Pineapple Sorbet: Use 2 cups chopped pineapple. Strain and discard the pulp after processing mixture in a blender, if desired.
  • Raspberry Sorbet: Use 5 cups fresh or frozen raspberries.
  • Strawberry Sorbet: Use 5 cups fresh or frozen strawberries and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
  • Watermelon Sorbet: Use 4 cups chopped seedless watermelon and 1/4 cup lime juice.