Bright, tangy, and impossibly refreshing, this lemon sorbet is the kind of frozen dessert that feels both fancy and effortless. The ingredient list is beautifully short — just sugar, water, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt — which is exactly what makes it such a smart choice for anyone navigating nickel restrictions. Many packaged frozen treats and even some restaurant sorbets sneak in high-nickel ingredients like nuts, seeds, or whole grains, but this one keeps things clean and simple from start to finish. The technique is straightforward: a quick sugar syrup, a good chill in the fridge, and a spin in the ice cream maker until the base turns pale, opaque, and scoopably soft. Straining out the zest after steeping means you get all that fragrant citrus oil without any unwanted texture. The result is a silky, jewel-bright sorbet that tastes like pure sunshine — ideal on its own or alongside a light dessert spread.
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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.
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.
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