Watermelon Sorbet

5 from 3 votes

This light and refreshing watermelon sorbet is a delicious, dairy-free dessert perfect for summer. Cool off with this riff on the classic pink lemonade, made with fresh watermelon and lemon juice.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword frozen dessert, sorbet, watermelon

Dietary Restrictions Dairy-Free, Egg Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Churning Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 113kcal

Author Lisa Lotts

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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

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 13x9" 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.

Video

Notes

Vodka doesn't change the flavor of the watermelon sorbet or make it boozy. It simply prevents the sorbet from hardening to a solid mass so you can scoop it right from the container.

If you want to skip it, you can, but you may need to let the sorbet sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes to soften enough to scoop.

Nutrition