Sorbet

Published: August 6, 2025
Chef: KemoNine • Category: Sweet • Cuisine: Fruit

Tags: Information • Lemon • Lime • Cherry • Pink Lemonaid • Raspberry • Mango

This page contains all of my notes and recipes related to sorbet. This page will be updated with additional information and recipes over time.

Changelog

2025-08-06
Initial creation

Hardware

Required

Optional

Notes

Fixes

  • Can fully melt and re-work a sorbet
  • Always re-freeze a sorbet fully before making any adjustments or similar. Not re-freezing between fixes can break the mix – chill your base down to 40°F or lower before you churn it again
  • Too sweet: Add more lemon, water, or fruit
  • Too icy: Add more sugar until you’re satisfied
  • Under seasoned: Lots of sorbets are; simply add more salt and spin it again.
  • If a sorbet is just ’too problematic’, toss in a blender with a little [coconut] water (and/or alcohol) and make a slushie / daiquiri

Blending

  • A fully frozen sorbet will not blend. It needs to melt some before blending

Sugars

Relative Sweetness

See the source page for full detail.

Sweetener Relative Sweetness Glycemic Index
Sucrose 1 60 (25g)
Agave nectar (56-92% fructose + glucose + water) 1.4 11-15
Honey (70% fructose/glucose + sucrose + maltose… + water) 1 31-87
Maple syrup (66% sucrose + other sugars + 33% water) 0.6 54
Corn Syrup (Karo @ ~47% dextrose) 0.3

Simple Syrup

A 1:1 ratio between water and sugar. Heat together in skillet on medium heat until all sugar is dissolved. Cool and store in fridge.

Agave Nectar

A number of recipes show 1:1 swaps for agave nectar from simple syrup. However, online guides say to use 75% liquid sweetener in place of granulated (white) sugar so things are a bit muddy regarding agave nectar substitutions.

The general approach / equation I recommend:

  • 0.75 * [amount of sugar] = amount of agave nectar to use
  • 0.2 * [amount of liquid] = amount to reduce liquid by for recipe

Note: I’ve developed a number of recipes using this general equation and they can be used to get an idea what the math looks like in practice.id

Some key considerations with agave nectar:

  • It’s 20% water so you need to adjust liquid content in recipes when using agave nectar as a substitute
  • It’s mostly sugars so it needs to be heated in order to incorporate into other liquids, same as granulated (white) sugar, skipping this step will break a sorbet (I learned this the hardware
  • Math and tinkering are required for making an appropriate substitution, see sorbet recipes for ideas on what amounts to use in your own recipes

Corn Syrup

Best used to increase creaminess of sorbet. Be careful: sucrose / refined sugar(s) ’taste better’ in most blind taste tests. Can act as a full replacement for sucrose if the slight change in flavor doesn’t bother you.

Additionally: corn syrup is a liquid and can dilute flavor so be careful when swapping granulated sugar for corn syrup.

Sugar Conversion

Online guides say 1.5:1 for corn syrup to sugar ratio and for every cup of corn syrup, reduce liquid of recipe by 1/4 cup total.

Simple Syrup % Sugar Corn Syrup Sugar Water
1 cup 0% 1.5 cup 0 5 fl oz
1 cup 25% 1 cup + 2 tbsp .25 cup 5.75 fl oz
1 cup 50% .75 cup .5 cup 6.5 fl oz
1 cup 75% 6 tbsp .75 cup 7.25 fl oz
Agave Nectar Conversion

A number of recipes show 1:1 swaps for agave nectar from simple syrup. However, online guides say to use 75% liquid sweetener in place of granulated (white) sugar so things are a bit muddy regarding agave nectar substitutions.

The general approach / equation I recommend:

  • 0.75 * [amount of sugar] = amount of agave nectar to use
  • 0.2 * [amount of liquid] = amount to reduce liquid by for recipe

See citrus recipes that use agave nectar for examples.

Alcohol

From the source article:

Sorbet recipes often call for alcohol, sometimes as little as a tablespoon, to improve texture. Why? Alcohol reduces a sorbet base’s freezing point, thus making the sorbet softer and easier to scoop. And the more alcohol you add, the softer the sorbet gets, until you add so much that the sorbet’s freezing point is literally too cold to freeze in a conventional freezer (you start fiddling with this danger zone above five tablespoons of 80 proof alcohol per quart).

Alcohol certainly helps stubbornly icy sorbets become less icy, but it’s not a miracle worker. Unlike sugar, it adds zero creaminess of any kind—the sorbet will melt just as watery in your mouth. And alcohol-fortified sorbets are less stable, so they melt fast and have a tendency to re-freeze harder and icier than when they were first churned. If you’re adding alcohol to a sorbet, do so in small increments, and don’t leave your finished sorbet out of the freezer any longer than you have to.

The Magic of Blender Sorbet

From ’the internet':

Sorbet, traditionally a mix of fruit puree, sugar syrup, and sometimes alcohol, frozen and churned, can seem intimidating to make at home. However, with a good blender and the right ingredients, achieving that same delightful texture and flavor is surprisingly easy. The blender mimics the churning process, breaking down the frozen fruit into a fine, smooth consistency.

Choosing Your Fruit

From ’the internet':

The best sorbet starts with the best fruit. Aim for ripe, flavorful fruit that is at its peak. Overripe fruit, while useable, might require adjusting the sweetness levels. Underripe fruit, on the other hand, will lack flavor and could make the sorbet overly tart.

  • Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are all excellent choices. They tend to blend easily and offer vibrant colors and flavors.
  • Mangoes and Pineapples: These tropical fruits provide a rich, creamy texture and naturally sweeten the sorbet.
  • Citrus Fruits: Lemons, limes, and oranges can add a refreshing tang to your sorbet. Use sparingly and balance with sweeter fruits.
  • Stone Fruits: Peaches, plums, nectarines, and cherries offer unique flavors and work well, especially when combined with a touch of acidity.

Cooking Fruit

From the source article:

This is a personal choice, but I usually don’t. On the plus side, cooking fruit concentrates flavor, drives off water for a creamier final texture, and allows you to infuse spices or herbs like ginger or mint. But when I make sorbet I want it to taste like nothing but fresh fruit at its absolute best. Cooking, no matter how delicately, kills that freshness.

Some fruit, like pears, cranberries, and some plums, tastes better when cooked. If that’s the case, cook away, but no more than necessary to soften the fruit. When I do cook fruit for sorbet I add bright accents: herbs, citrus zest, spices, or ginger—otherwise the sorbet simply tastes…cooked.

Key Ingredients and Proportions

From “the internet”:

While fruit is the star of the show, other ingredients contribute to the final texture and flavor of your sorbet.

  • Frozen Fruit: This is crucial. Fresh fruit can be frozen whole or in chunks. Aim for fully frozen fruit for the best results.
  • Liquid: A small amount of liquid helps the blender process the fruit. Water, fruit juice (complementary to the fruit used), coconut water, or even a touch of liquor (vodka or white rum) are all suitable options. Start with a minimal amount and add more if needed.
  • Sweetener: Depending on the fruit’s natural sweetness, you might need to add a sweetener. Simple syrup, honey, agave nectar, or even a sugar substitute like stevia can be used. Adjust to your taste. If you don’t know the exact sugar content of your fruit, the best thing you can do is play it safe. A sugar concentration between 20% to 30% will generally produce a scoopable, creamy sorbet.
  • Acidity (Optional): A squeeze of lemon or lime juice can brighten the flavors and prevent the sorbet from becoming overly sweet.

General Proportions

All versions are valid and can be adjusted. There are good, yet rough, starting points that are commonly seen.

The Personal section outlines my personal, generic recipe proportions while the External Sources section are proportions culled from various external sources and were used to create my personal recipe proportions.

Personal

Fruit Sorbet
  • 2 cups frozen fruit
  • 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar
  • water to thin mix if necessary
Citrus Sorbet (Agave Nectar + Corn Syrup)
  • 8oz citrus juice (lemon / lime / others)
  • 8oz water
  • 3/4 cup light agave nectar
  • 1/2 - 2/3 cup light corn syrup
Citrus Sorbet (Agave Nectar)
  • 1 cup citrus juice (lemon / lime / others)
  • 3/4 cup light agave nectar
  • 7oz water
Citrus Sorbet (Sugar + Corn Syrup)
  • 1 cups citrus juice (lemon / lime / others)
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 6.5 fl oz water
Citrus Sorbet (Simple Syrup / Sugar)
  • Simple Syrup
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 cup juice (lemon / lime / others)
  • 2 teaspoons zest (optional)

External Sources

Version 0 - Fruit + Sucrose

Four cups fruit purée to one cup sugar by volume

Version 1 - Generic Fruit & Low Sugar

Note: Eat immediately if possible

  • 4 cups frozen fruit
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup liquid
  • 1-3 tablespoons sweetener (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon citrus juice (optional ; lemon / lime usually best)
Version 2 - Frozen Fruit
  • 16 ounces frozen fruit chunks (2 cups)
  • 1/4-1/2 cup agave nectar honey, or simple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon citrus juice (optional ; lemon / lime usually best)
  • 1 teaspoon zest (optional ; lemon / lime usually best)
Version 3 - Fruit Juices
  • 3/4 cup sugar (for simple syrup)
  • 3/4 cup water (for simple syrup)
  • 1 1/4 cups juice (lemon / lime / others)
  • 2 teaspoons zest (optional)

The Blending Process: Step-by-Step

From “the internet”:

Here’s how to make sorbet in your blender

  • Prepare Your Fruit: Wash and cut your fruit into manageable chunks before freezing. Freeze until solid, preferably overnight.
  • Chill Your Blender Container: Placing your blender container in the freezer for 15-20 minutes beforehand can help keep the sorbet colder during blending.
  • Combine Ingredients: Add the frozen fruit, a small amount of liquid, and any desired sweetener or acidity to your blender.
  • Blend in Pulses: Start blending on low speed, using short pulses to break up the frozen fruit. This prevents the blender from overheating.
  • Increase Speed Gradually: As the fruit breaks down, gradually increase the blender speed to medium or high, depending on your blender’s capabilities.
  • Use a Tamper (if applicable): If your blender has a tamper, use it to push the fruit down towards the blades.
  • Add More Liquid (if needed): If the mixture is too thick and the blender is struggling, add a tablespoon or two of liquid at a time until the fruit starts to blend smoothly.
  • Blend Until Smooth: Continue blending until the sorbet reaches a smooth, creamy consistency. This may take a few minutes.
  • Serve Immediately or Freeze: The sorbet is best served immediately for a soft-serve consistency. For a firmer texture, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for 1-2 hours.

The Egg Test

From the source article

A well-loved trick among home chefs and pros alike, allow me to introduce you to the “egg test.” Take an uncooked egg in the shell, wash it very well with soap and water, dry it, then place it in your sorbet base after you’ve mixed everything together. A portion of the egg about the diameter of a quarter should be visible on the surface of the liquid. If the egg sinks to the bottom, your mixture needs more sugar to reach the correct concentration for optimal texture. If the egg totally floats on top, add more citrus juice or fruit purée/juice to thin the liquid out a bit.

Storage Tips

  • Short-Term Storage: Store sorbet in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week.
  • Long-Term Storage: While technically safe to eat for longer, the texture and flavor will degrade over time. Consider making smaller batches more frequently for optimal quality.
  • Thawing: If the sorbet becomes too hard, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before serving.

Ingredient Suggestions

Recipes - Personal

Please note: there are a lot of recipes linked in the References section. The recipes here are only my personal recipes and many were based on recipes linked in the References section.

Instructions

These are general instructions for all of the below recipes. Any deviations will be noted as part of each recipe.

Simple Syrup

  • Add sugar and water to a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat
  • Simmer for 1-2 minutes, whisking occasionally, or until the sugar has dissolved
  • Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before using
  • Can store in fridge for later use

Sugars

When mixing sugars with other liquids, be mindful they actually dissolve fully in the liquids of the sorbet. This isn’t an issue with fruit sorbet (usually) but is very much a concern with ‘citrus juice’ sorbet’s.

You may need to put the sugars and liquids into a pan and heat while whisking to properly dissolve sugars so they can properly incorporate into your sorbet.

Heating is particularly important when using agave nectar. It must be heated in order to dissolve into liquids, the same as granulated (white) sugar.

Sorbet

  • For fruit
    • Cut fruit into chunks & freeze if necessary
    • Blend ingredients using short pulses
  • For citrus
    • Dissolve sugars into non-juice liquids over medium low heat
    • Cool
    • Mix in citrus juice
  • Pour the mix into a 9x5-inch metal loaf pan (or ice cube trays for faster freezing)
  • Freeze for 3-4 hours, or until mostly firm (can freeze longer depending on blender, willingness to tamp the mix down, etc)
  • Transfer the mixture to a high speed blender or food processor and blend for a minute or two, or until smooth. Avoid over blending to avoid heating it up too much.
  • Pour the mixture back into the loaf pan and freeze for another 4 hours or longer
  • Let sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes before scooping & serving

Citrus Sorbet (Agave Nectar + Corn Syrup)

  • 8oz citrus juice (lemon / lime / others)
  • 8oz water
  • 3/4 cup light agave nectar
  • 1/2 - 2/3 cup light corn syrup

Cherry Vanilla Sorbet

  • 2 cups frozen, pitted cherries
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup honey

Pink Lemonade Version 1

  • 1 cup pink lemonade
  • 3/4 cup corn syrup
  • 6 oz water
  • 1/4 cup granulated white sugar

Notes

  • Simply Lemonade juice used
  • 8oz has 25g sugar which is 2 tbsp sugar (per label)
  • Use granulated white sugar because the juice uses cane sugar already

Raspberry Mango Sorbet

  • 10 oz frozen mango chunks
  • 10 oz frozen raspberry
  • 1 - 2 oz lemon juice
  • 1/4 - 3/4 cup light agave nectar
  • 1/2 - 1/2 cup water

Notes

  • Adjust agave amount to get to preferred sweetness level (start with less)
  • Adjust water so mix isn’t “too thick” (start with less)

Citrus Sorbet (Agave Nectar)

  • 1 cup citrus juice (lemon / lime / others)
  • 3/4 cup light agave nectar
  • 7oz water

Citrus Sorbet (Sugar + Corn Syrup)

  • 1 cups citrus juice (lemon / lime / others)
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 6.5 fl oz water

Citrus Sorbet (Simple Syrup / Sugar)

  • Simple Syrup
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 cup juice (lemon / lime / others)
  • 2 teaspoons zest (optional)

References

General

Recipes

Pictured: Three bowls of sorbet with a serving missing and three plates of sorbet that have been served. The image was obtained from Unsplash at https://unsplash.com/photos/ice-creams-in-white-plastic-containers-J9gOVV85RTA