Easy Sorbet

This Sorbet recipe is the ultimate guide to the PERFECT homemade sorbet made from only 2 ingredients! Learn how to make sorbet with fresh or frozen fruit – no ice cream maker required!

 

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

When summer’s at its peak, there’s nothing more refreshing than an icy sweet treat. Sorbet is one of the BEST summer desserts made with real fruit and it’s one of our favourite treats that we’ve made hundreds of times. It’s an easy homemade treat, it’s vegan, it contains far less sugar that conventional store-bought sorbet… Trust us – if you’ve never made homemade sorbet before, you’ve GOT to try this recipe!

1. It’s EASY to make. Whip up some simple syrup in 5 minutes and throw it in the food processor with your fruit and voila! It seriously could’t be easier to make.
2. It’s INEXPENSIVE. Frozen fruit is readily available in supermarkets everywhere and it’s usually more inexpensive than buying fruit fresh. Frozen fruit often goes on sale, so be sure to stock your freezer when the prices go down.
3. It’s easy to CUSTOMIZE. Choose whatever fruit you like and make it into sorbet! Love mangos? Mango sorbet is so smooth and delicious! Enjoy peaches? Try peach sorbet for a sweet treat! Obsessed with berries? A mix of frozen berries like blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries makes a delicious berry sorbet! Combine 2 or 3 different fruits for an even more flavourful dessert (peach mango raspberry sorbet, anyone?)!
4. It doesn’t require special EQUIPMENT. Not everybody has an ice cream maker (or the space to store one), but food processors are easy to find, easy to use for a variety of recipes, and inexpensive. If you don’t have one, check your local thrift store for a budget find!
5. It’s absolutely DELICIOUS. On a hot summer day, there’s nothing quite as refreshing as a scoop or two of fruit sorbet. We LOVE serving homemade sorbet to our guests at a summer dinner party and our kids love to enjoy it when they come in to cool off after playing outside on a hot day.
6. It’s a HEALTHIER choice. Most conventional sorbets are full of corn syrup and other processed sweeteners. Adding a small amount of simple syrup keeps the calorie content in this recipe low, and it can even be replaced with honey or agave nectar for a more natural sweetener.

Sorbet is a refreshing frozen dessert made primarily from fruit and sugar. The basic ingredients of sorbet include fruit puree or fruit juice, combined with a sweetener, usually in the form of a simple syrup. This mixture is then churned in an ice cream maker to create a smooth, icy treat that highlights the natural flavours and sweetness of the fruit used.

Unlike ice cream, sorbet does not contain dairy, making it a popular choice for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. Its texture ranges from soft and slushy to firm and scoop-able, depending on the specific recipe and preparation methods. The key to perfect sorbet is balancing the sugar content and fruit puree, which helps to prevent the formation of large ice crystals and ensures a smooth consistency.

While sorbet and sherbet may seem (and sound) similar, there are specific differences that set them apart. The primary difference lies in the ingredients: Sorbet is a dairy-free treat that’s made from fruit and sugar alone. It has a more intense and pure fruit flavour and a light, icy texture.

Sherbet, on the other hand, usually contains a small amount of dairy—usually milk or sometimes even buttermilk—which gives it a much creamier texture than sorbet. The added dairy makes sherbet softer and richer than sorbet, and it’s often sweeter because it contains more sugar. Sherbet is also made with fruit juice or other liquid flavourings and not with whole fruit like Sorbet.

We’ve made this frozen sorbet recipe hundreds of times and we firmly believe the BEST homemade sorbet is made with frozen fruit, not fresh! Although it’s possible to make homemade sorbet with fresh fruit, it can require extra steps or an ice cream maker. Frozen fruit is always our choice for the best homemade sorbet and here’s why:

1. Flavour: Freezing fruit at its peak ripeness locks in the flavours and sugars, which intensifies the taste, and almost all frozen fruit available at the grocery store is frozen this way. The natural concentration of sugars in the fruit not only enhances the fruit’s flavour but also helps in creating that silky texture that sorbet is famous for.
2. Texture: When blended in the food processor, frozen fruit has a creamy texture that’s almost scooping-consistency, thanks to the fact that it’s already frozen. A simple 1-2 hours in the freezer after blending is enough to make it scoop-able.
3. Convenience: Frozen fruit can be purchased year-round, giving you an easy and consistent option for making sorbet, regardless of what season it is. This means you can enjoy mango sorbet in the middle of winter or strawberry sorbet when strawberries are not in season.
4. Economical: Frozen fruit is often cheaper than fresh, especially for varieties that are out of season or are usually imported. Using frozen fruit for making sorbet can be a budget-friendly way to enjoy a wide range of flavours, any time of the year.
5. Shorter Prep Time: Since most frozen fruits come already cleaned and pre-cut, the prep time is much shorter! You can make sorbet on a whim, without the added steps of washing, peeling, or chopping fruit.
6. Shorter Freeze Time: Since blended frozen fruit is still partially frozen, there’s no need to wait for hours like you would for an ice cream maker to transform blended fresh fruit into frozen. Using frozen fruit allows you to enjoy your sorbet much more quickly!

Here are all our best tips for making the perfect homemade icy treat!

It’s better not to add hot simple syrup to the food processor with the frozen fruit as this will increase the temperature of the mixture. We like to make the simple syrup the day before and store it in the fridge in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it.

Frozen fruit is far superior to fresh fruit when it comes to making this recipe at home. It helps create a deliciously frozen texture.

High-quality frozen fruit is a great choice for flavourful sorbet that has the perfect texture. Be sure to choose fruit that’s flash frozen and frozen at its peak ripeness. It shouldn’t have any added sugars or other ingredients – just pure fruit.

Blenders require a lot of liquid to achieve a creamy texture, but food processors can easily blend harder ingredients like frozen fruit.

Store your sorbet in a good quality, airtight container to keep it fresh and prevent freezer burn.

Having trouble making this homemade sorbet recipe? Here’s a list of a few issues you might encounter and how to fix them:

If the sorbet is too watery, store it in the freezer and let it harden until it reaches a scoop-able consistency.

If the sorbet is too chunky, be sure to blend the mixture well in a food processor until no more chunks of fruit remain.

Let the sorbet sit out at room temperature for about 20 minutes before trying to scoop it. This will make it easier to scoop.

If you find the sorbet isn’t sweet enough, you can add a little more simple syrup if desired. Feel free to taste the mixture before adding it to the freezer to be sure it’s sweet enough.

We recommend making this homemade sorbet recipe with frozen fruit, which means an ice cream maker isn’t required. If you want to make this sorbet with fresh fruit, simply follow the recipe as directed, replacing the frozen fruit with the same amount of fresh fruit. You can freeze it, stirring every hour to achieve that classic creamy texture.

Instead of having to stir every hour, if you have an ice cream maker you can add the mixture to your ice cream maker, following the directions from the ice cream maker manufacturer to freeze the mixture.

We’ve used several different ice cream makers, and here are two we love:

1. The KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment. If you own a KitchenAid stand mixer, this attachment is a great addition to your kitchen if you like making homemade ice creams, frozen yogurt, and sorbets.
2. Cuisinart 2 quart Ice Cream Maker. If you want a basic ice cream maker that does the job, this is our favourite one. It’s budget-friendly, it doesn’t take up too much storage space in the kitchen, and it works well and quickly.

Here’s a list of the basic kitchen equipment you’ll need to make this recipe with frozen fruit (paid links):

• a small pot or saucepan for making the simple syrup
• measuring cups and spoons for measuring the ingredients
• a Liquid Measuring Cup for measuring the simple syrup
• a Food Processor for blending the sorbet
• a Silicone Spatula
• food storage containers for storing the sorbet in the freezer

Here’s our formula for creating the BEST homemade sorbet (paid links):

Basic Sorbet Base Recipe Ingredients

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 cups frozen fruit of your choice

Combining 1/3 cup of water and 1/3 cup of sugar in a small pot and heating until the sugar dissolves should yield just about 1/2 cup of simple syrup. You’ll need 1/2 cup of simple syrup for every 3 cups of frozen fruit you use, so adjust the amounts accordingly so you have enough simple syrup for the amount of sorbet you want to make.

We like to make a big batch of simple syrup to keep in the fridge for a couple weeks to use whenever we make fruit sorbet, but it’s also a great addition to a homemade latte or frappuccino, lemonade, or other homemade drinks.

You can buy simple syrup anywhere you can purchase drink mixers or bar syrups, but we recommend making your own. It’s SO easy and it’s much cheaper to make it yourself!

What you’ll need to make Strawberry Sorbet:

• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 3 cups frozen strawberries

What you’ll need to make Peach Sorbet:

• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 3 cups frozen peaches

What you’ll need to make Mango Sorbet:

• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 3 cups frozen mango chunks

What you’ll need to make Raspberry Sorbet:

• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 3 cups frozen raspberries

Want to try something new? Here are some of our favourite variations on the classic sorbet recipe!

1. Strawberry Mint – Possibly our favourite variation, add some fresh mint to the food processor with the frozen strawberries for a minty, sweet variation.
2. Peach Basil – Add some herbs like fresh basil to your peach sorbet as it blends for a delicious, fresh flavour.
3. Watermelon – Freeze some watermelon cubes and use them to make a light and refreshing sorbet!
4. Grapefruit – Freeze some grapefruit chunks on a baking sheet and use them instead of other frozen fruit. You may need to add a little extra simple syrup for this variation, but it’s divine!
5. Cherry – Use frozen cherries for a deep, rich sorbet. Add a drop or two of almond extract for added flavour.
6. Blueberry – Vibrant blueberries create a gorgeous sorbet. This flavour is especially delicious with a splash of lemon juice.
7. Pineapple – For a tropical and tangy flavour, make sorbet from frozen pineapple. Add a hint of rum for an adult treat and a splash or two of coconut milk, if desired!
8. Ginger Peach – Use frozen peaches and some grated fresh ginger for a spicy option. Add a pinch of cinnamon for even more flavour!
9. Raspberry Lemonade – Use frozen raspberries, lemon juice, and lemon zest for a tangy and sweet choice.

OPTIONAL TIP: Use a fine mesh strainer when making raspberry or strawberry sorbet to strain out the seeds, if desired.

• Add the water and sugar to a small pot over medium heat. As the water heats up, the sugar will dissolve.
• Stir every few minutes and when the sugar has disappeared, remove the pot from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.
• Store it in the fridge in a jar with a tight-fitting lid or in an airtight container.

We hope you love this sorbet recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite sorbet flavour? We’d love to know!

• Keto Ice Cream
• No Bake Matcha Cheesecake
• Easy No Churn Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
• No Bake Lemon Tart
• Easy No Churn Snickers Ice Cream
• Grilled Peaches
• Easy No Churn Lemon Ice Cream
• Oreo Cheesecake Bites
• Easy No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream

Watch the video below to see exactly how we make this recipe. You can find many more deliciously simple recipe videos on our YouTube channel!