Dragon Fruit Frozen Sorbet Recipe

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/29/22
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
Dragon fruit frozen sorbet dessert recipe

The Spruce/Bahareh Niati
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Freeze: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 5 to 6 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
57 Calories
0g Fat
14g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 57
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 3mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 48mg 241%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 225mg 5%
*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.)

This easy four-ingredient recipe for dragon fruit sorbet is a cooling, refreshing frozen treat in a brilliant magenta color.

Dragon fruit comes in three varieties―white-fleshed, pink-fleshed, and magenta-fleshed (the sweetest)―and actually is a type of cactus with tiny edible black seeds similar to those in kiwifruit.

Dragon fruit is originally from Mexico, Central America, and South America and is now grown in Southern California and Florida. The fruit also is very popular in Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia. The flavor is reminiscent of watermelon, cactus pear, and kiwi.

You can even find tropical dragon fruit sorbet at a high-end restaurant in Kraków, Poland, far away from an island paradise. 

"I couldn't find red dragon fruit, but it worked well with white. The white variety is mild and not as sweet as the red, so I added a few more tablespoons of sugar to the blender after tasting. I ended up with about 1 1/2 quarts, but it all depends on the size of the dragon fruit." —Diana Rattray

Dragon Fruit Sorbet/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe magenta-fleshed dragon fruits, peeled and cubed

  • 3/4 cup water, optional

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 4 tablespoons sugar, more to taste, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make dragon fruit frozen sorbet

    The Spruce/Bahareh Niati

  2. Place dragon fruit in a food processor or blender. Add water (only if the fruit isn't ripe and juicy), lemon juice, and sugar, if needed. Sometimes the fruit is sweet enough so the sugar is not necessary. Purée until smooth. Taste the mixture and add more sugar, if needed.

    dragon fruit in a blender with sugar

    The Spruce/Bahareh Niati

  3. Pour purée into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until frozen.

    dragon fruit puree in an ice cream machine

    The Spruce/Bahareh Niati

  4. Allow about 10 minutes at room temperature for the sorbet to soften before serving.

    dragon fruit sorbet in a loaf pan

    The Spruce/Bahareh Niati

Tips

  • If you start with frozen fruit, the churning process will be much quicker.

Making Sorbet Without An Ice Cream Maker

Alternatively, if you don't have an ice-cream maker, transfer the pureed dragon fruit mixture to a large metal pan or metal loaf pan put in the freezer. Stir the mixture every 30 minutes or so, paying special attention to scraping the frozen bits along the side, until it's all frozen, at least 2 hours. Once it's all frozen, whip it with electric beaters to lighten the texture, if you like, and then refreeze it before serving.

Recipe Variations

  • For fruitier flavor, add a sliced frozen banana or about 1 cup of frozen raspberries or strawberries to the blender with the dragon fruit.
  • Add extra lemon juice for a more tart lemon flavor.
  • Instead of granulated sugar, sweeten the dragon fruit with palm sugar, honey, or agave syrup.

What is the difference between sorbet and granita?

Sorbet is usually churned in an ice cream machine, making an airy, evenly frozen mixture without ice crystals. Granita is more like shaved ice—the puréed fruit is poured into a shallow container, placed in the freezer, and stirred or scraped every 30 minutes or so until frozen.

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