Raspberry Sorbet
Looking for a tasty summer dessert? Whip up a batch of Raspberry Sorbet! This dairy-free treat is perfect for warm summer evenings!
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It’s summer. It’s hot. And that means we need delicious summer desserts to cool us off on these warm evenings. While I do love a good bowl of ice cream, sometimes I go the fruit route – and that’s what led to this Raspberry Sorbet recipe.
This Raspberry Sorbet is a delicious non-dairy treat that is packed with raspberry flavor. Indeed, raspberries are the main ingredient in this recipe. Raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and water. (Does water even count as one of the 4 ingredients!?) The sweetness from the berries and sugar combined with the tartness from the lemon juice? Delicious.
For this recipe, I used frozen berries from the store. You could absolutely use fresh berries, but the frozen ones are a bit cheaper. You’re going to be pureeing the raspberries up anyways, so save the fresh ones for eating plain!
Raspberry Sorbet
To make this Raspberry Sorbet, you’ll need an ice cream machine. We use this one from Cuisinart, and it’s fantastic. (Our version is about 10 years older, so it’s not as fancy…but it’s still going strong for all sorts of ice creams, sorbets and sherbets!)
Sorbet vs. Sherbet vs. Ice Cream
Before we get to the actual recipe for this Raspberry Sorbet, let’s chat about what sorbet actually is. Unlike ice cream and sherbet, sorbet does not contain any eggs or dairy products. Ice cream does use dairy products (milk or cream) and sometimes eggs. Sherbet falls in between ice cream and sorbet in that it often uses a little bit of dairy. In addition to being dairy-free, sorbet is also gluten-free and vegan. The calories in sorbet are typically lower than ice cream, too.
If you’ve never made homemade sorbet before, then you’re in for a real treat! Sorbet is still a frozen dessert, but it’s not quite as creamy as ice cream. The main ingredient is either fruit juice or fruit purée, and sorbet makes for a great lower calorie treat for warm summer evenings! (Sorbet is sometimes used as a palate cleaner between courses of a meal, too.)
The flavor of this Raspberry Sorbet comes from the raspberries themselves. I chose to press the raspberry purée through a fine sieve to remove the seeds – there are a surprisingly large amount of seeds in raspberries! This step leads to a smoother texture for your sorbet. Of course, feel free to leave the seeds in there if you’d like.
If you’re looking for a flavor-packed summer dessert, then put this Raspberry Sorbet on the list! One spoonful will whisk you away to a happy place. I hope you enjoy this frozen treat as much as we do here in our house!
Did you make this homemade Raspberry Sorbet recipe? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Raspberry Sorbet
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ Tbsp lemon juice
- 20 oz. frozen raspberries thawed (approximately ~4 cups)
Instructions
- Using a medium bowl, combine the water, sugar and lemon juice; stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Meanwhile, process the thawed raspberries in a blender or food processor until pureed. (Note: I used an immersion blender to puree the berries – it worked great!)
- Using a rubber spatula, gently press raspberry puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds.
- Stir the raspberry puree into the sugar syrup until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Pour mixture into ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Transfer mixture into freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 more hours. (Note: If the sorbet is still soft after 4 hours, let it freeze overnight.)
- To serve, scoop sorbet into bowls and garnish with fresh berries. (Tip: Let sorbet sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften before scooping.)
Looking for more frozen dessert recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had raspberry sorbet before perfect for hot days in Singapore love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
This really is a delicious recipe for a hot summer day, Ramya – give it a try!!
Oh that looks good and I wish I had a pint of it! Glad you removed the seeds.
This one is SO good, Mimi – I highly recommend it!!
While I do love homemade ice cream, it tends to be super high in fats and calories, so I make sorbet more often now 🙂 I love that you used just a small amount of sugar, unlike many other online recipes! Also, sharing with you a tip that I learned last year: adding a little of liquid (culinary) glycerin helps achieve even more smooth sorbet texture!
The sugar varies so much from recipe to recipe. While a little sweetness is certainly needed, I like to let the flavor of the actual berries shine through. Thanks for the tip about liquid glycerin – I’ve never tried that!
this looks absolutely gorgeous David. Yes a great idea to use frozen fruit when it’s going to be whizzed up anyway! I make a lovely chocolate sorbet which is lighter than ice cream – so full of flavour. I do like a dairy-free version.
cheers
sherry
Yes – save that fresh fruit for snacking on and use the frozen fruit for recipes like this. 🙂 I’ve never come across chocolate sorbet. That sounds quite tasty!! What about a scoop of raspberry and a scoop of chocolate together??
I’ve made this one myself and I can attest to the fact it’s delicious and super-refreshing. Perfect for these dog days of summer. And this year those dogs are really barking!
Umph…you’re telling me, Frank! It’s been hot and humid down in the NC mountains this summer. Frozen desserts are the way to go on hot days!!
Delicious and gourmet! I can’t believe how easy this is to make, too!
This really is shockingly simple to make, Heidi – perfect for really hot summer days!!
Ohhh it has been ages since I made one of these, thanks for the reminder and the wonderful recipe!
Sorbet is surprisingly easy, and it’s perfect for warm days!
Ooooh such a delicious and delightful recipe – and it’s dairy free, making it PERFECT for me! Thanks for sharing this one, David!
That’s true! This sorbet is indeed dairy free. Make a batch for this weekend, Shashi – I promise it won’t last long!!