Watermelon Sorbet – 5 ingredients
Inside: The secret ingredients that give watermelon sorbet it’s smooth, scoopable texture and using your Cuisinart ice cream maker to bring lightness to this fruity frozen dessert.
This easy watermelon sorbet is the answer to your summer snacktime cravings. It’s made with fresh watermelon, tart lemon and sweeteners in a blender or food processor and takes about 10 minutes to assemble.
When it comes to beating the summer heat, watermelon sorbet is the ultimate treat!
Unless you’ve got a crowd, tackling a whole watermelon can seem daunting for just 3-4 people, so if you’re wondering what to do with extra watermelon, I say turn it into this refreshing watermelon dessert!
This watermelon sorbet recipe is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy, with a vibrant color that screams summer.
The sweet fruit and naturally high water content make this frozen watermelon sorbet a refreshing and healthier alternative to traditional summer desserts.
Why this recipe works
- Quick prep: A blender or food processor quickly transforms chunks of fruit into a smooth purée.
- Bright flavor: Fresh lemon juice adds a tangy note that makes the sorbet taste like frozen pink lemonade.
- Balanced sweetness: Sugar and a bit of corn syrup sweeten the sorbet without making it overly sugary. The corn syrup also helps prevent ice crystals.
- Scoopable texture: A splash of vodka (optional) keeps the sorbet from freezing too hard, so it’s easy to scoop and serve.
- With or without churn: An ice cream maker makes it faster, but the recipe works without one too.
- Hot weather hero: This sorbet is ultra-refreshing on steamy summer days.
- Kid-friendly treat: It’s sweet, fruity, and fun—perfect for little ones.
- Easy to scale: You can double or triple the recipe—just freeze in batches if needed.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Fresh Watermelon – You need about 4 cups of fresh fruit, so that could be ¼ to ½ of your melon, depending on how large it is.
- Granulated Sugar
- Corn Syrup (I used Karo corn syrup – you can use regular or light. Karo syrup doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup).
- Lemons–freshly squeezed lemon juice gives a tangy quality that balances the sweetness of the watermelon.
- Vodka–Adding a small amount of liquor to frozen treats is another failsafe from freezing so solid that the sorbet can’t be scooped. You only need a little if you use it, and it doesn’t make the watermelon dessert taste boozy.
Step-by-step directions:
- Cut watermelon into large chunks, discarding the rind.
2. Transfer the fruit to a blender or food processor and pulse until completely pureed.
3. Squeeze fresh lemons to make ½ cup of lemon juice.
4. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat to cool.
5. Add the lemon syrup mixture and vodka (if using) to the watermelon, whisk to blend. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill until very cold, about 2-3 hours.
6. Set up your Cuisinart ice cream maker (or other ice cream churn) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the watermelon mixture to the frozen canister and start the machine to churn the sorbet.
7. Churn for 15-20 minutes, until the sorbet is slushy.
8. Check the consistency of the sorbet and if it needs more, continue to churn until it reaches a more solid texture, about 5-10 minutes longer. It should look something like this.
9. Transfer the watermelon sorbet to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
How to make sorbet without a machine:
If you don’t have an ice cream churn, use this hack:
- Pour the watermelon mixture into a wide, shallow pan, like 9″ cake pan and freeze it.
- Every 20-30 minutes, remove the pan from the freezer and use a fork to scrape, stir and mix the sorbet so it doesn’t freeze into a solid block.
- When the watermelon sorbet is completely frozen, transfer it to a freezer-safe container with a lid (so it doesn’t get infiltrated with weird freezer smells).
Pro-Tips:
- If you’re using a Cuisinart ice cream maker like mine to churn the watermelon sorbet, don’t forget that the cylinder has to be frozen overnight before using. Otherwise, it won’t freeze the sorbet. Plan ahead.
- Let the sorbet rest on the counter for 10 minutes before scooping for the best consistency.
- Place ice cream bowls in the freezer for 10 minutes (I do this when I remove the sorbet from the freezer) to keep the chilled dessert cooler for longer (especially beneficial on a hot day).
Swaps and Variations:
- For plain watermelon sorbet, you can skip the lemon juice.
- Use lime juice instead of lemon, for a change of pace.
- Add other summer fruits for a watermelon sorbet blend. It would be good with strawberries or raspberries.
- Make popsicles by transferring the fruit puree to popsicle molds and freezing until solid.
- Make pink lemonade–omit the vodka and corn syrup. Prepare a simple syrup by combining ½ cup of sugar, ½ cup of lemon juice, and ½ cup of water. Heat until the sugar dissolves and cool to room temperature. Strain the pureed watermelon through a sieve, then mix it with the simple syrup and pour it over ice for a homemade pink lemonade. Add sparkling water for the kids or a shot of vodka in each glass for the adults.
FAQs
Watermelon sorbet is made from fresh fruit, sweeteners and lemon juice.
If your fresh watermelon doesn’t have a lot of sweetness, turn it into this watermelon dessert.
You can keep the frozen watermelon dessert in a well-sealed container for up to 10 days to 2 weeks in the freezer.
Storage:
- You can use any airtight storage container to keep the sorbet in the freezer, but my favorite ones are this Tovolo 1-quart and 1½-quart containers. {affiliate links}.
- The 1-quart container has a flexible silicone lid that is easy to remove and fits tightly over the sorbet to keep the dessert tasting fresh. I also have the larger variety, which I use for this pineapple sorbet and some big batch ice creams.
- They have airtight lids to prevent the contents from taking on weird freezer odors and tastes and prevent freezer burns. The larger variety has a non-slip bottom so you can scoop confidently.
Serving:
- Let the sorbet sit on the counter for 10 minutes before scooping, for the best texture.
How does it taste?
This watermelon sorbet is sweet and tangy, like a frozen pink lemonade. The texture is just beyond slushy. It will wake up your taste buds and probably give you a brain freeze if you eat it too fast…
My tasters loved the balanced flavors, the sweetness and the lush melt on their tongues.
It’s just THAT GOOD.
More frozen dessert recipes to try:
More watermelon desserts, drinks and recipes you’ll love:
Watermelon Sorbet
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- 1 food processor or blender
- 1 ice cream maker we use Cuisinart
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 cups fresh seedless watermelon cut into chunks
- ½ cup lemon juice fresh squeezed from 2-3 lemons
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons vodka optional
DIRECTIONS:
MAKE THE WATERMELON SORBET MIXTURE:
- Puree 4 cups fresh seedless watermelon chunks in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
- In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup corn syrup and ½ cup lemon juice. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- Add the lemon syrup and 2 tablespoons vodka (if using) to the watermelon puree and pulse to blend. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, until very cold.
MAKE THE SORBET:
- Transfer the watermelon sorbet mixture to your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturers instructions, about 20-25 minutes or until the sorbet freezes to the consistency of soft whipped cream.
- Transfer the watermelon sorbet to a freezer safe storage container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
- To serve, let the watermelon sorbet rest on the counter for about 5 minutes to make it easier to scoop.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ICE CREAM MAKER:
- Make the watermelon sorbet as directed, then transfer to a wide, shallow freezer-safe container, like a 13×9" cake pan. Transfer the pan to the freezer.
- Remove the pan every 20-30 minutes, and use a fork to scrap and mash the watermelon sorbet. Please continue to do this until the mixture is frozen, then pack it into an airtight storage container to keep in the freezer.
RECIPE VIDEO:
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
Pin it for later!
My kids wanted to make ice cream, but we had half of a watermelon in the fridge and I didn’t want it to go to waste. OMG – we love this sorbet! It’s so light and refreshing with a great watermelon flavor. Kids and hubby all agreed its a keeper!