Hazelnut Free Zesty Lemon Sorbet
Bright, bracingly tart, and impossibly refreshing, this lemon sorbet is the kind of frozen dessert that makes you close your eyes on the first spoonful. It's built on a short, clean ingredient list — sugar, water, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt — so there's nowhere for unwanted allergens to hide. Tree nut concerns can make store-bought frozen desserts a real minefield, since shared production lines are common and labels aren't always clear, but making sorbet from scratch sidesteps all of that completely. The technique is straightforward: a quick simple syrup infused with lemon zest, strained smooth, chilled down, then churned in an ice cream maker until pale, opaque, and perfectly scoopable. Pressing plastic wrap directly against the surface before the final freeze keeps the texture silky rather than icy. The result is a clean, vivid dessert that tastes like pure sunshine — elegant enough for a dinner party and easy enough for a weeknight treat.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the sugar, water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 3–4 minutes. Do not let the syrup boil vigorously — remove it from the heat as soon as the sugar is clear.
- 2
Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or large measuring cup, pressing on the zest to extract its oils, then discard the zest. Stir in the lemon juice and salt.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!