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    Grits and Pinecones » Recipes » Desserts

    Easy Homemade Strawberry Sherbet

    August 4, 2022 by Sharon Rigsby 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest pin showing an ice cream cone with two scoops of strawberry sherbet.

    Easy Homemade Strawberry Sherbet is a sweet-tart, light, refreshing frozen dessert made with fresh luscious strawberries. The perfect ending to the perfect meal, this simple sherbet ice cream recipe only takes minutes to prepare, and then your ice cream maker takes over.

    Made from scratch with only five ingredients, this frozen confection will quickly become a treasured family favorite. 

    Strawberry sherbet in an ice cream cone.

    With a creamy consistency and beautiful rosy pink color, strawberry sherbet is bursting with flavor and a winning dessert for warm summer evenings and neighborhood cookouts. It also makes a great afterschool snack and a decadent and unique treat any time of year.

    With fewer calories and less fat than regular ice cream, Strawberry Sherbet, like my Mixed Berry Sherbet and Dark Sweet Cherry Sherbet, is a flavorful and welcome change of pace from heavy, rich desserts. 

    Ingredients – here’s what you need:

    A large bowl of strawberries plus other ingredients to make ice cream.
    • Fresh strawberries – with their heavenly aroma and irresistible sweet fresh taste, are the star of this recipe.  
    • Granulated sugar – what would a dessert be without sugar? And this is especially true with sherbet. The sugar combines with the strawberries to produce a delicious, frozen strawberry dessert.
    • Light Karo Syrup – also known as corn syrup, combines with the other ingredients to add a bit more sweetness, but even more importantly, it gives the sherbert a creamy, scoopable texture. 
    • Buttermilk – is an unusual ingredient that adds creaminess and a bit of tang. It is also lower in fat than most dairy products commonly used in making ice cream or sherbet. 
    • Lemon juice – adds a citrusy element and complements and intensifies the flavor of the strawberries.

    Directions – here’s how to make this recipe:

    1. Rinse and pat dry the strawberries with paper towels. Then remove any leaves or stems and quarter the berries. 
    2. Combine the strawberries, granulated sugar, and Karo syrup in a large bowl. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to macerate the berries and amp up their flavor. 
    Fresh strawberries in a bowl topped with sugar.
    1. Pour this mixture into the bowl of your food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process the strawberries until the mixture is smooth. This should only take a minute or so. 
    Strawberry puree in the bowl of a food processor.
    1. Add the berry puree, buttermilk, and lemon juice to a large bowl and stir until everything is combined. Cover and place this mixture in the refrigerator for four hours or until it has cooled to 40 degrees F. 
    Strawberry puree and buttermilk in a large glass bowl.
    1. Add the mixture to the bowl of your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions to freeze the sherbet. This should take around 20 minutes. 
    An ice cream maker with strawberry sherbet.
    1. Transfer the strawberry sherbet to an airtight storage container and allow it to harden in the freezer for about two hours. Then, take it out of the freezer about ten minutes before you plan to serve it to make it easy to scoop. 
    A scoop of strawberry sherbet  on a container of ice cream.

    Frequently asked questions:

    What’s the difference between sherbet and sorbet?

    While both are made with fruit, sherbet is made with dairy, while sorbet doesn’t contain any dairy products. 

    Is sherbet ice cream always made with fruit?

    A trademark of sherbet is that it is always made with fruit, berries, or a combination of the two. 

    What’s the most popular flavor? 

    The most popular flavor of sherbet ice cream is orange, followed by lemon or lime, and then strawberry. 

    What is sherbet punch? 

    If you have been to a baby shower or bridal shower, you most likely have had punch made with sherbet and some combination of sprite, seven-up, ginger ale, or another lemon-lime soda and sometimes fruit juice. It’s both as beautiful to look at as it is tasty, and it’s really easy to make. 

    How long will it last in the freezer?

    At our house, not very long! This sherbet is so delicious we rarely have any leftovers. However, it will keep well if stored in an airtight container for up to three months. 

    Sharon’s tips:

    • You can substitute frozen strawberries in this recipe, and they do not need to be thawed first. If you do use frozen, you can skip the step of cooling down the mixture prior to freezing it. 
    • If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender to puree the berries. 
    • Strawberries have tiny seeds. I don’t strain them out, but if you prefer to remove the seeds, you will need to pour the pureed fruit mixture through a fine wire strainer or piece of cheesecloth before combining it with the other ingredients. 
    • I used a Cuisinart Electric Ice Cream Maker with a two-quart bowl to make this recipe, but any type of ice cream maker will work.
    • Instead of rinsing my strawberries under running water, I have found the easiest way to clean them is to use a salad spinner. I put the berries in the spinner basket, fill it with water, swish the basket around and then let them sit for a minute or two. Then, lift out the basket and let them drain. You will be surprised at the dirt and debris you will find in the water.

    More frozen dessert recipes:

    If you are like me and like cold and refreshing desserts, in addition to this roundup post of 35 Different Ice Cream Flavors with Recipes, I think you might also like these popular recipes on my blog:

    • A piece of Frozen Lemonade Pie with Berries on a small white plate.
      Frozen Lemonade Pie – It’s as Easy as Pie
    • Easy Watermelon Lemonade Ice Pops stacked and ready to enjoy
      Easy Watermelon Lemonade Ice Pops
    • Red White and Blue Ice Cream Pie full of strawberries and blueberries
      Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Pie
    • Easy No-Cook Meyer Lemon Ice Cream in an ice cream cone
      Easy No-Cook Meyer Lemon Ice Cream

    If you are looking for more recipes or menu ideas, you can find all of my dessert recipes here.

    ★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

    Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!

    A scoop of strawberry sherbet on a container of ice cream.

    Easy Homemade Strawberry Sherbet

    Sharon Rigsby
    Easy Homemade Strawberry Sherbet is a sweet-tart, light, refreshing frozen dessert made with fresh luscious strawberries. The perfect ending to the perfect meal, this simple sherbet ice cream recipe only takes minutes to prepare, and then your ice cream maker takes over.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Churning & Freezing 4 hrs 20 mins
    Total Time 4 hrs 30 mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 229 kcal

    Equipment

    • Ice Cream Maker with 2-quart bowl
    • Food processor with steel blade, or blender

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 cups quartered strawberries
    • 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup Light Karo Syrup or corn syrup
    • 2 cups buttermilk
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse and pat dry the strawberries with paper towels. Then remove any leaves or stems and quarter the strawberries.
    • Combine the berries, granulated sugar, and Karo syrup in a large bowl. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to macerate the berries and amp up their flavor.
    • Pour this mixture into the bowl of your food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process the strawberries until the mixture is smooth. This should only take a minute or so.
    • Add the berry puree, buttermilk, and lemon juice to a large bowl and stir until everything is combined. Cover and place this mixture in the refrigerator for four hours or until it has cooled to 40 degrees F.
    • Add the mixture to the bowl of your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions to churn the sherbet. This should take around 20 minutes.
    • Transfer the strawberry sherbet to an airtight storage container and allow it to harden in the freezer for about two hours. Then, take it out of the freezer about 10 minutes before you plan to serve it to make it easy to scoop.

    Notes

    You can substitute frozen strawberries in this recipe, and they do not need to be thawed first. If you do use frozen, you can skip the step of cooling down the mixture prior to freezing it.
    If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender to puree the berries. Strawberries have tiny seeds. I don’t strain them out, but if you prefer to remove the seeds, you will need to pour the pureed fruit mixture through a fine wire strainer or piece of cheesecloth before combining it with the other ingredients.
    I used a Cuisinart Electric Ice Cream Maker with a two-quart bowl to make this recipe, but any type of ice cream maker will work.
    Instead of rinsing my strawberries under running water, I have found the easiest way to clean them is to use a salad spinner. I put the berries in the spinner basket, fill it with water, swish the basket around and then let them sit for a minute or two. Then, lift out the basket and let them drain. You will be surprised at the dirt and debris you will find in the water.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 229kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 73mgPotassium: 194mgFiber: 1gSugar: 51gVitamin A: 108IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 0.3mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today! Mention @gritspinecones or tag #gritspinecones!

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    1. Carolyn

      August 11, 2022 at 2:56 pm

      This sounds delicious and I will certainly give a try. Carolyn

      Reply

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    Sharon Rigsby, blogger at GritsandPinecones.com

    Hello, I'm Sharon Rigsby, blogger, recipe developer, videographer, and photographer for Grits and Pinecones®. I have over 50 years of experience in the kitchen, and I like nothing better than developing and reimagining recipes for my family, friends, and you!

    More about me →

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