Easy Strawberry Sorbet

This is the happiest little cold treat to blast through a strawberry craving in about ten minutes (plus a bit of freeze time). It’s bright and clean, just strawberries, a squeeze of lemon, sugar, and a tiny pinch of salt to make it pop. No eggs, no dairy, no drama—just a blender and a freezer and suddenly you’re that person who “just whips up sorbet” on a Tuesday.

My husband is a strawberry monster. I’ll be rinsing berries and he’s already got three in his mouth, two on the counter, and one rolling under the toaster. The first time I made this, I swear our kid licked the blender lid. Now it’s our end-of-dinner peace treaty: I’ll handle dishes if he scoops, everyone gets a bowl, and we eat it on the back steps like we’re on vacation instead of surrounded by laundry. It’s become our silly little ritual, late-night spoonfuls straight from the pan if we’re honest. Sticky counters. Zero regrets.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Strawberry Sorbet

– It’s five ingredients and tastes like a July farmers market.
– Works with fresh or frozen berries. Use what you’ve got. I won’t tell.
– Blender-only. No ice cream machine needed (but it churns beautifully if you have one).
– Sweetness is adjustable, so your strawberries get to be the diva.
– Scoopable, not icy, thanks to a couple tiny tricks.

How to Make It

Grab 1 pound strawberries (about 4 cups hulled), 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and either 1 tablespoon vodka or 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional, but makes it scoop like a dream). If your berries are on the tart side, bump sugar to 2/3 cup. If the blender’s cranky, splash in 2–3 tablespoons water.

Toss everything in the blender. Let it sit 2–3 minutes so the sugar melts a bit (lazy person’s simple syrup) and then blend until it’s glossy and smooth. Taste. If it’s flat, add another squeeze of lemon. If it’s too sweet, add a splash of water or a couple extra berries and blitz again.

If you’re using fresh berries and want the silkiest texture, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to ditch the seeds. I usually skip it unless I’m feeling fancy—nobody at my house complains.

Now pick your adventure:
– No-churn: Pour into a shallow metal pan. Freeze 45 minutes, whisk like you mean it to break up ice crystals, and repeat every 30–45 minutes for 2–3 hours until scoopable.
– Ice cream maker: Chill the puree 30–60 minutes, then churn 15–20 minutes per your machine. Freeze 1–2 hours to firm up.
– Instant fix: Use frozen strawberries and blend with 2–3 tablespoons warm water. You’ll get soft-serve sorbet right away; freeze 45–60 minutes for scoops.

Lick the blender. That part is mandatory.

Ingredient Notes

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– Strawberries: The riper the better. Pale, out-of-season berries just need a touch more sugar and lemon to wake up.
– Sugar: Not just sweet—it keeps ice crystals smaller. If you cut too much, it’ll freeze hard like a brick.
– Lemon juice: Brightens everything. If it tastes “meh,” it needs more acid, not always more sugar.
– Pinch of salt: Tiny, but don’t skip it. Makes the strawberry taste bigger, not salty.
– Vodka or light corn syrup (optional): Texture insurance. A tablespoon keeps it scoopable straight from the freezer. Vodka is tasteless here, promise.
– Water: Only if the blender throws a tantrum. Add a tablespoon at a time so you don’t water it down.

Recipe Steps

1. Hull strawberries and add to blender with sugar, lemon juice, salt, and optional vodka or corn syrup.
2. Rest 2–3 minutes to dissolve sugar, then blend until completely smooth.
3. Taste and adjust with more lemon or sugar as needed; strain through a sieve if you want it ultra-smooth.
4. Chill 30–60 minutes if churning; otherwise pour into a shallow pan for no-churn.
5. Churn 15–20 minutes then freeze 1–2 hours, or for no-churn, freeze and whisk every 30–45 minutes until set (2–3 hours).
6. Scoop and serve; let the pan sit at room temp 5–10 minutes if it’s too firm.

What to Serve It With

– Shortbread cookies or vanilla wafers for dipping.
– A drizzle of thick balsamic or a few torn basil leaves—sounds weird, tastes like summer.
– Warm brownies. Hot-cold magic.
– Pound cake or angel food cake with extra berries.
– A splash of bubbly for a super low-effort dessert float.

Tips & Mistakes

– Taste your berries first. Great berries need less sugar; sleepy berries need lemon love.
– Don’t skimp on the blend. If it’s grainy, keep going until it’s glossy.
– If you skip sugar entirely, it’ll freeze hard. Use a touch of corn syrup or a tablespoon of vodka for softness.
– Metal pan > glass for faster freezing.
– If it freezes rock solid, park it on the counter 10 minutes or microwave the pan bottom for 10 seconds (carefully!) to loosen.

Storage Tips

Freeze in a loaf pan or lidded container with plastic wrap pressed on the surface to prevent ice. It’s happiest for 2–3 weeks, still good up to a month. It will be firmer the next day—just let it sit 5–10 minutes before scooping. Also, yes, it’s fabulous straight from the freezer at 7 a.m. with coffee. Fruit = breakfast, I don’t make the rules.

Variations and Substitutions

– Mixed berries: Swap in raspberries or blueberries for up to half the strawberries. Strain if seeds bug you.
– Mango or peach sorbet: Same formula, reduce sugar slightly if fruit is super ripe.
– Honey or maple: Sub for half the sugar. Flavor will peek through (in a good way).
– Lime twist: Use lime juice and zest for a brighter, mojito-ish vibe; add mint if you’re feeling fancy.
– Boozy scoop: Add 1–2 tablespoons Aperol, rosé, or vodka for softness and a subtle kick (adults only).
– Lower sugar: Use 1/3 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon corn syrup to keep texture nice without going icy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Strawberry Sorbet

Bright, refreshing strawberry sorbet made with ripe berries, a quick simple syrup, and a touch of lemon for sparkle—no ice cream maker required.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 4 cup strawberries, hulled fresh or frozen, roughly chopped
• ▢ 0.75 cup granulated sugar adjust to taste based on berry sweetness
• ▢ 0.5 cup water for the simple syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
• ▢ 0.125 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vodka optional; helps keep texture scoopable

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Make a simple syrup: In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
• Blend: Add strawberries, cooled syrup, lemon juice, salt, and vodka (if using) to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
• Optional: For the silkiest texture, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds.
• Chill the mixture in the refrigerator until cold, about 60 minutes.
• Freeze: Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until thick and slushy, then transfer to a container and freeze until firm. No machine method: Pour into a shallow metal pan and freeze, stirring with a fork every 30 minutes until scoopable.

Notes

Sweetness will vary with your berries. Start with the listed sugar and add more syrup or a squeeze of lemon to balance. For a softer scoop straight from the freezer, include the vodka or replace 2 tablespoons of water with light corn syrup.