Lemon Lime 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 02/5/23
Lemon Lime Sorbet

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Chill & Freeze Time: 60 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
104 Calories
0g Fat
27g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 104
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 8mg 42%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 37mg 1%
*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.)

Lemon and lime make a popular flavor combination in sodas and popsicles, but why not sorbet? This lemon-lime sorbet recipe is regularly in our freezer because it is so easy to make. With a few lemons and limes, plus some sugar and water, you can have homemade sorbet that is as good as anything you can buy at the store.

Our lemon-lime sorbet recipe only takes a few minutes to put together. If you can heat up water and sugar, you can make this recipe. You can even make it with bottled juice if you have it on hand (we won’t tell).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup lime juice

  • 1 small lemon, zested

  • 1 lime, zested

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make lemon lime sorbet

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.

    Sugar and water in a small sauce pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Cook the sugar mixture until the sugar has completely dissolved in the water, creating a syrup.

    A small sauce pan of reduced syrup

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the other ingredients.

    A spoon mixing in lemon and lime juice and zest into the sauce pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Refrigerate the sorbet base until it is completely cool.

    A bowl of the lemon and lime syrup mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Freeze using the directions from your ice-cream maker.​

    Lemon and lime sorbet in an ice cream maker

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Put the sorbet in the freezer in an air-tight container for 30 minutes to set up a little more before serving.

    Lemon and lime sorbet in a container

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Try using Meyer lemons or Key limes instead of regular lemons and limes. They will slightly change the flavor and give you a different experience. This recipe is a good base for sorbet using any tart and acidic fruit juice.
  • It may sound like a lot of sugar and water, but a cup of lemon and lime juice needs a balance. This is a strong sorbet base that packs a lot of citrus flavors. Sorbet using a sweeter fruit might use less sugar, but this one needs it. The sugar syrup also helps the sorbet stay softer in the freezer.
  • It’s hard to predict how many lemons you will need to get the 1/2 cup of juice this recipe calls for since they come in many different sizes. Two large lemons or four small lemons is a rough estimate.