Can I just say how much I love summer? I mean, really. Isn’t it just the best time of year?
But, then again, I do really enjoy winter too…with the change in the weather (well, the California “weather changes”) and the holidays. I guess life is pretty much good all year-round. Hard to complain these days. **Somewhere, Dustin is scoffing at me right now for saying that.**
This watermelon sorbet is just lovely. Vibrant flavor. Beautiful color. Easy to make. Simple and delicious. Perfect for summer! Hopefully your freezer won’t cut out on you and take all day to actually freeze it like mine did. See, there I go again with the complaining. Guess Dustin’s right. Darn it!
Seriously, though, the sorbet was everything I could have hoped for when I added it to my Summer List of food to make and, well, eat. ‘Cuz that’s what I do.
I usually am not a sorbet kind of person. I tend to prefer ice cream. But this sorbet was so flavorful, so light and refreshing that it may persuade me otherwise.
I hope you try this watermelon sorbet recipe and that you enjoy it on a hot summer day.
Watermelon Sorbet
recipe adapted from the Culinary Philosopher
1¼ cup sugar
1¼ water
6-7 cups fresh seedless watermelon chunks (about half of the melon)
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice (approximately 3 1/2 medium-sized limes)
Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved (do not stir). Place in a bowl to completely cool.
Put the watermelon chunks and the lime into a blender or food processor. Pulse about 20 times to chop the melon and then process until the watermelon is completely pureed. Press the watermelon through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds and any extra pulp. Combine with the cooled sugar syrup. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Pour the watermelon mixture into the freezer bowl of your ice cream maker (I recommend the Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker, as it’s what I use and it hasn’t failed me yet). Mix until the sorbet has thickened, approximately 25-35 minutes. The sorbet will have soft serve texture. You can enjoy right away or put the sorbet into an airtight container and place in the freezer until firm for about 2 hours.
Enjoy!
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As always, I want to thank you for reading. I welcome your comments, questions, recipe suggestions and food stories. Here’s to doing what you love!
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Very pretty and sounds delicious. I’ve been making watermelon agua fresca and a watermelon ginger drink all summer but now I think I’ll try this. Thanks.
Thanks, Michelle! Hmmm…I’m intrigued by your watermelon-ginger drink. Thanks for commenting!
I love the color of this. To me, watermelon just screams summertime! I have a watermelon, so this might not be on “my list” for much longer. Thanks!
Hi Betty! I agree with you about watermelon. Happy summer
Hey Lacey! Wow–that sorbet turned out beautifully! And congrats on getting 1,000 hits the other day. I’m just getting started too, and I can’t imagine getting that much traffic. You’ve got a really beautiful blog!
Hi Jenn! Thanks so much! Yea, it was pretty exciting to have that many people visit my site. Most of the traffic was from tastespotting and foodgawker, which is always nice. Good luck with your blog!
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This sounds so wonderfully refreshing!
Hi Kathy! It really is refreshing. Thanks for commenting!
The idea of watermelon IN sorbet sounds miraculously refreshing!
Right? It totally is!
Your watermelon sorbet looks so light and refreshing. I am all about watermelon these days. I recent posted watermelon frozen yogurt pops.
Hi Marla! I’ve been really into watermelon lately too. Watermelon frozen yogurt pops sound yummy! Thanks for commenting!
The photos are so beautiful and the sorbet looks SO delicious!!
I can’t wait for summer to start here so I can make sorbet and ice cream (it’s still a little too cold here).
You really have me craving this sorbet!! Mmmm
Thanks, delicieux! Love your name. I hope summer comes soon for you. Thanks for stopping by!
Watermelon sorbet absolutely scream summer! I made a watermelon-basil sorbet a little while back and it was so refreshing and delicious! This sounds like a winner too!
Oooh, Peggy, watermelon basil sorbet sounds really good, too. Yes, this sorbet recipe will be a keeper for many summers for sure.
This sounds delicious. I was just wondering if the ice cream maker was necessary, or if there was any other way to achieve the last step. I would love to make this, but I don’t an ice cream maker. Thank you!
Hi Syleanna. I’ve never tried to make sorbet or ice cream without an ice cream maker, but not without salt gives a bunch of options for how to do it. I’d recommend taking a look at that link. I’m thinking you could freeze the watermelon chunks first, blend it all together in a food processor or blender and then freeze until mostly solid. Please let us know if you try it out. Good luck!
I made this a few days ago and it was fantastic! I did make a little substitution… instead of the lime juice I added peach liquor. In my experience, if I wanted the sorbet to remain smooth and not harden in the freezer after a day, the alcohol would keep it from doing so. Did you have any problems with this sorbet hardening too much? Or did it even last that long??
Oh, I am so glad you liked it, Elise! Wow, what a great substitution: I bet the peach liquor went really well with the watermelon. You’re right that it freezes to a solid without the addition of alcohol. I had to let it set out in the open air for about 15 minutes for it to become the right texture after it had frozen. But, you’re also right that it really didn’t last that long anyways! Thanks for commenting!
I have made some watermelon sorbet myself, but never with the lime juice. Is this something that changes the texture? How does it change the flavor?
Hi Dan! I’ve found that lime juice actually makes the watermelon flavor pop. If added in the correct amount (not too much), you actually don’t even taste the lime juice — it just leaves a fresh, very watermelon taste.
Sounds delicious.
I will try this out. I have a different recipe.
When i serve watermelon sorbet I add a small amount of watermelon salsa (diced watermelon, sugar syrup and mint julienne) under it.
Tastefully yours,
Matthew
Matthew, your watermelon salsa sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Hi just wondering how many people this would serve as i am having a dinner party and am wanting to make it. thanks Harriet
Hi Harriet! It doesn’t make a ton, but it should serve 4-6 with hefty portions or 6-8 with lesser portions. Have a great party! Oh — and, if you’re making it ahead of time, I’d recommend adding a few tablespoons of vodka so it doesn’t freeze all the way, too!
Love this recipe! I’m going to try it out while visiting my sister in law this weekend.
Would you mind if I link back to your blog and post this recipe on my site?
Also, GREAT PICTURES!
Of course not, Elisa! I hope you enjoy the recipe and I’d love it if you could send me the link once you’re done
Hi Lacy,
I’ve posted this recipe. It’s on the front page! It turned out great, but it is definitely sweet. I think next time I’ll use less sugar and perhaps throw in some lemon and lime juice.
http://www.thekissingfrog.com/2011/06/while-flipping-through-pages-of.html
Hi Elisa! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Yes, it is sweet, but we really enjoyed it. The sweetness will also vary with your watermelon.
Hi-sweet pea chef (love the name by the way). I’m going to attempt the watermelon sorbet but I haven@t got an icecream maker…what can I use instead?
Hi Sue! I recommend checking out not without salt‘s recommendations for how to make sorbet without an ice cream maker. Good luck!
Made this tonight, and it was delightful. I have a Cuisinart maker, and found this to be about double what my machine could hold. I have the 2 quart machine.
We enjoyed it after a meal of Cuban Pork Tenderloin with rice and salad, and it was just a perfect meal. Bookmarking this–thank you!
Ronica recently posted..When you give a teething baby an ice cream sandwich…
Yay, glad you enjoyed it, Ronica! Thanks so much for sharing.
When I made this, I hollowed out the watermelon shell, then froze the sorbet in it. It takes a bit longer to set up (the shell insulates the sorbet from the cold), but it was a really cool presentation to serve “slices” of sorbet!
Oooh, Chryssy, that’s a wonderful idea! The sorbet stays attached to the rind when you slice it?? I’ll have to try that out — and soon! Thanks for sharing
Yep, it stays attached to the rind, if you let it set long enough (mine was in the freezer for almost 48 hours). I set the rind in a sink of hot water to soften it up a bit, then using a serrated knife, I just saw away. Then I put the slices on a serving platter, in the fridge to soften it up a little, then served. It is such a unique presentation!
Sounds awesome, Chryssy
This sounds wonderful! I bought a huge watermelon the other day and I had to freeze about half (I cut into chunks first). I was wondering if I can use the frozen watermelon for this recipe. The straining part is what I think might not work if it’s already frozen.
Hmmm…I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to use the frozen watermelon. At the very least, you could thaw the watermelon and then follow the recipe. Good luck!
We have used this recipe multiple times since I’m now having to eliminate dairy from my diet. We have found in the last few months that my 8 month old breastfed daughter is allergic to dairy.
Anyway…
Watermelon is my very favorite food. It would be the food I chose if someone asked me “If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?” Oh how I love it so!
With this recipe I do not miss ice cream and it is really so simple to put together. Thanks for sharing!
You are so very welcome, Chandra. I’m glad to help with the non-dairy goodness
awsome recipie I’m 11 years old and just made it it’s soo easy and soooo yummmyy
and I also made the same recipie but instead of watermelon I used strawberry and lychees
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teeth recently posted..1
I made this with mint syrup by steeping fresh mint leaves in the water and sugar as they were heating and cooling. Delicious!
I had already pureed my watermelon and was wondering what to do with it all (I have about 8 cups)when I found your site and recipe, and I really want to try it! Do you have any idea how many cups of juice I should use to equal 6-7 cups of watermelon chunks??
Thanks – and lovely website!
We made your watermelon sorbet last weekend, and it was delicious! Perfect for 100 degree south Texas summertime. I’ll be entering this sorbet in our church’s ice cream contest next Sunday. Wish us luck.
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Also
Sarah recently posted..
i came across a watermelon sorbet recipe when looking for ideas to use in my cuisinart frozen yogurt & sorbet maker.
and every recipe i spotted was no machine required. until this one. YAY now i know it works, thats what im doing today.
Can you freeze the leftovers for awhile, or should it be eaten within the day?
eep thanks for the recipe
I would recommend eating it pretty quickly. Storing in the freezer as written will make it rock solid. I’ve heard using some hard liquor like a couple tbsps of vodka or rum would help keep its consistency, but I have yet to try that. It’s not the end of the world if it freezes though — just let it thaw a little before serving. Still tastes great