Homemade Lime Sherbet

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 11/2/21
Lime sherbet in a bowl garnished with mint

Tonic Photo Studios, LLC / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Freezing: 60 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Lime sherbet combines the ingredients of lime sorbet with dairy in the form of milk or heavy cream. As a result, you get to keep the sweet and tart fruit flavor of the sorbet while adding the smoothness of ice cream. Citrus fruits such as lime and orange are classic flavors for sherbet. The taste is sweet, tart, a bit creamy and, in general, lighter than ice cream. Try making both flavors and swirling them together to make your own rainbow sherbet.

This lime sherbet recipe is a very easy one to put together, so it’s a great introduction to making sherbet. If you can heat up water in a small pan, you can make this recipe.

Sherbet is, of course, refreshing and delicious on its own as a dessert or garnished with a bit of mint if desired. It's also a classic ingredient in punch, alcoholic or nonalcoholic, and works well in floats or cocktails, too.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan, stirring frequently until sugar has completely dissolved.

  3. Remove pan from heat and stir in lime juice and zest. Refrigerate mixture until it is completely chilled.

  4. Stir milk and green food coloring (if using) into lime juice.

  5. Churn sherbet according to directions on an ice-cream freezer.

  6. Store lime sherbet in an airtight plastic container in your freezer. Allowing it to set for at least an hour before serving will give you a firmer texture than if you serve it right out of an ice cream maker.

Recipe Variations

  • For an adult option, add 2 tablespoons of tequila. It is a great combination with the lime. Vodka or even a flavored vodka (citrus is an obvious choice) would also taste great.
  • You can also make a completely vegan non-dairy sherbet with equal amounts of coconut milk (from a can, not a carton). It will lend a tropical flavor to the sherbet, thanks to the subtle coconut flavor.

How to Store Lime Sherbet

Naturally, lime sherbet needs to be frozen. Sealed well, it will keep in an airtight container for at least a month.

What's the difference between sorbet and sherbet?

Sorbet and sherbet are both fruit based, and most recipes don't include eggs. But that's where the similarities end. Sorbet typically contains no dairy, whereas sherbet does. Sherbet, however, is not ice cream; it usually contains about 1 to 3 percent milk fat, whereas ice cream must contain 10 percent milk fat.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
186 Calories
3g Fat
40g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 186
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 3%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 37mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 40g 14%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 38g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 9mg 47%
Calcium 99mg 8%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 141mg 3%
*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.)