Easy Blueberry Sorbet Recipe

By
Kimberly Kunaniec
Kimberly Kunaniec
A trained pastry chef and food writer who specializes in frozen treats like ice cream and sorbet.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/15/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Easy Blueberry Sorbet in white bowls

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Chill/Freeze: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1 quart
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
214 Calories
0g Fat
55g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 214
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 47mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 55g 20%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 48g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 15mg 75%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 120mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Blueberries lend their great flavor to many different frozen desserts. This easy blueberry sorbet recipe takes advantage of their natural sweetness to make a healthy and delicious dessert. It uses a little lemon juice and salt to enhance the flavors and balance the sweetness, so you will have sorbet that tastes like fresh, ripe fruit.

Making sorbet is one way of enjoying fresh blueberries while they are in season. You may have them in your garden, pick them at a local orchard, or buy them at the farmers' market. Blueberries that are just at the point of ripeness are best since they still have some acid and tannins. If you use overly ripe blueberries, they have lost this complexity. When the blueberry season has passed, you can still make blueberry sorbet using fresh frozen fruit. Commercially frozen blueberries are picked at their peak and they will make a lovely sorbet.

"I made this with fresh blueberries and it was delicious. Make sure to cook the syrup for at least 5 minutes to reduce the mixture. It's easiest to scoop when served within 2 to 6 hours. If it freezes for much longer, you may have to transfer it to the refrigerator to soften a bit before scooping." —Diana Rattray

blueberry sorbet/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup water

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 6 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Blueberry Sorbet ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture reduces to 1 cup, about 10 to 12 minutes.

    Sugar and water in a saucepan on a burner, stirred with a spatula

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Add the lemon juice and salt to the warm sugar syrup.

    Sugar syrup, with lemon juice and salt mixture in a saucepan on a burner, stirred with a spatula

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Puree the sugar syrup mixture with the blueberries in a food processor or blender until completely smooth. This will be your sorbet base.

    Sugar syrup and blueberries mixture in a blender

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Chill your blueberry sorbet base in the freezer in an air-tight container until for about 1 hour.

    Churn the sorbet in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the mixture to an air-tight container and freeze for 2 hours or up to overnight before serving.

    Easy Blueberry Sorbet in a metal container

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • Decide what kind of texture you want. If you want your blueberry sorbet to be even smoother, strain it after you puree the ingredients together. Using a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth will remove the seeds and skins, so you have a very smooth texture.
  • This recipe is a great way to use frozen fruit, especially when ripe fruit is not available. You won’t be able to tell the difference between using fresh or frozen blueberries with this sorbet recipe. Make sure that the frozen blueberries don’t have added sugar or you will need to adjust the recipe. Defrost the berries before you puree them so you get the right texture for the finished product.
  • Although this recipe can be made with less sugar, it will impact the finished product. Fresh sorbets can get especially hard in the freezer if they don’t have plenty of sugar or a little alcohol in the recipe. If you plan on reducing the sugar, make sure to eat it right away.

How to Store

For best quality, store homemade sorbet in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.

What is the best way to soften sorbet?

If sorbet is too hard to scoop, place it in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.