Lemon and limoncello ice cream
- Preparation 10 min
- Refrigeration 6 h
- Servings 8
- Freezing Absolutely
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☀️ The taste of sunshine, even in February
This lemon and limoncello ice cream is completely legendary. I love limoncello, I love ice cream, and I find everything lemon absolutely incredible. So combining all three in a single recipe is just insane in your mouth. It’s the perfect summer dessert for warm evenings on the patio, but the best part is that you can make it year-round. In the dead of winter, scooping out a ball of this vibrant lemon ice cream is like having a ray of sunshine in your mouth in the middle of February. A heads-up to intense lemon lovers: you’re going to lose your mind.
🥄 No ice cream maker, no problem
That’s the beauty of this recipe: no ice cream maker needed, no re-mixing every hour, no specialized equipment. You whip your very cold 35% cream to stiff peaks, gently fold in the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and zest, limoncello and vanilla paste with a spatula, transfer into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container, and pop it in the freezer and forget about it for 6 hours (or overnight). The result: a creamy, vibrantly lemony ice cream that tastes like sunshine. Completely set-and-forget.
🍋 Vanilla paste, my signature secret
My trick that sets this recipe apart: vanilla paste instead of regular vanilla extract. You’ll find it at most large grocery stores, in a small screw-top jar, next to the vanilla beans in the baking section. It’s a mixture of fresh ground vanilla with sugar. Completely legendary in your mouth. It’s about $16 for the small jar, I know it’s pricey, but it’s absolutely worth it. The paste gives more depth, more aroma, and you can see the little black specks of fresh vanilla in the ice cream. If you can’t find it, a good splash of pure vanilla extract gets the job done too. But try the paste at least once, you’ll understand why.
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🌿 Vanilla paste: my signature ingredient that changes everything
It’s the detail that transforms an ordinary lemon ice cream into a legendary one. Vanilla paste (Madagascar Vanilla Co., Heilala or other) is a mixture of fresh ground vanilla with sugar, sold in a small screw-top jar. You’ll find it at most large grocery stores, in the baking section next to the vanilla beans. It’s about $16 for the small jar, it’s pricey, but it’s absolutely worth it. You’ll have enough for several recipes. The paste gives a depth of flavour that’s impossible to replicate with extract, and you can see the little black specks of fresh vanilla in the ice cream. If you really can’t find it, a good splash of pure vanilla extract gets the job done, but try the paste at least once.
🥶 Everything very cold: cream, bowl and beaters
To nail your stiff peaks in 3 to 5 minutes with the mixer, everything needs to be very cold. The 35% cream must come straight from the fridge (never at room temperature). To take it a step further, put your large bowl and the hand mixer beaters in the freezer 15 minutes before you start. It’s not mandatory, but I strongly recommend it. The cream whips faster, holds more stably, and the final texture is more airy. A little pro trick that makes a real difference.
🍋 Juice AND zest of 2 lemons: a double layer of citrus
My favourite ratio: ⅓ cup of lemon juice (about 2 large lemons, squeezed) + the zest of 2 lemons. The zest brings the aromatic essential oils from the peel, the juice brings bright acidity. Combined with the limoncello that adds yet another layer of sweet-tart Italian citrus, you get a triple layer of lemon that pops with every bite. Grate the zest with a Microplane, avoiding the bitter white pith. 🍋🟢 The optional lemon extract for intense lemon lovers If you’re on team “I like it when it really tastes like lemon,” add ½ tsp of lemon extract at the end before folding. It pushes the intensity up another notch and you get a truly tart ice cream. Taste before pouring into the pan. If it’s not intense enough, add another ½ tsp. It’s your ice cream, you decide the dosage.
❄️ Pop it in the freezer and forget about it for 6 hours
That’s the beauty of the no-ice-cream-maker method. Pour into your loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface (to prevent frost) and into the freezer it goes. No need to re-stir every hour like some recipes call for. The sweetened condensed milk doesn’t form large ice crystals, and the whipped cream keeps its natural airiness. Six hours minimum, ideally a full night for a perfectly firm texture. You take it out, you serve it, that’s it.
🍦 Let it temper for 10 minutes before serving if too hard
After 6 hours of freezing (or more), the ice cream can be a little too firm to scoop beautifully straight out of the freezer. Remove the pan from the freezer 10 minutes before serving and let it temper at room temperature. The texture softens just enough to scoop without breaking your arm. No more than 15 minutes though, or it starts to melt.
🥄 Variations: other citrus fruits and berries
Once you’ve mastered the technique, you can riff on it endlessly. Other citrus variation: replace the lemon juice and zest with lime (brighter), blood orange (stunning red colour) or pink grapefruit. Adjust the sugar to taste based on the acidity of the citrus. Berry variation: fold in ½ cup of lightly fork-mashed strawberries or raspberries when folding in the condensed milk. You get an incredible “lemon-strawberry” or “lemon-raspberry” ice cream. Non-alcoholic variation: replace the ¼ cup of limoncello with ¼ cup of additional lemon juice for a kid-friendly version.
✅ What to serve with my lemon and limoncello ice cream?
Honestly, the best way to serve it is straight from the scoop, in balls in a beautiful bowl. It’s a dessert all on its own. But you can also lean into the festive side. Serve it on an angel food cake drizzled with a homemade strawberry coulis. I did this with my kids and they completely lost it. It’s also incredible on my Limoncello and maple macerated strawberries and blueberries, on my warm Lemon and limoncello pound cake, alongside an extra drizzle of limoncello in the bowl for the adults, or with buttery shortbread cookies for the texture.
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Lemon and limoncello ice cream
- 2 cups (500 ml) 35% whipping cream, very cold
- 1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml) vanilla paste (or a good splash of pure vanilla extract)
- ⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) salt
- 1 can of 14 oz (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup (60 ml) limoncello
- Zest of 2 lemons
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) lemon extract (optional, for a more tart ice cream)
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Preparation
- In a large, very cold bowl, combine the very cold 35% whipping cream, vanilla paste and salt. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until stiff peaks form.
- Gently add the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, limoncello, lemon zest and lemon extract (if using).
- Fold everything together with a spatula using gentle, sweeping motions from the bottom of the bowl upward, to keep the mixture light and airy. Taste it: this is the moment to decide if you want more lemon. An extra ½ tsp of lemon juice or lemon extract and it gets noticeably more tart. Taste now. Don’t leave it to chance.
- Pour the mixture into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container. Smooth the top with a spatula and add a little extra lemon zest for garnish if you feel like it.
- Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface or an airtight lid. Place in the freezer and forget about it for a minimum of 6 hours, ideally overnight, until completely firm.
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let it temper for about 10 minutes at room temperature if it’s too hard to scoop with an ice cream scoop.
My ice cream keeps easily for 2 to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container. The limoncello helps with long-term preservation. The alcohol prevents large ice crystals from forming during storage. Beyond 3 months, the lemon flavour starts to lose its vibrancy and the texture can become a little grainy. Always cover the surface with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the ice cream before putting the lid back on to prevent frost.
Absolutely. For a non-alcoholic version (perfect for kids or a sober evening), replace the ¼ cup (60 ml) of limoncello with ¼ cup (60 ml) of additional lemon juice. It maintains the liquid volume, accentuates the lemon profile and gives a more tart ice cream. One small catch: without alcohol, the ice cream can become a bit firmer in the freezer. You’ll likely need to let it temper 15 to 20 minutes (vs. 10 min with limoncello) at room temperature before serving.
You’ll find it at most large grocery stores in Quebec (IGA, Provigo, Costco, select Maxi locations) in the baking section, next to the vanilla beans and extract. Look for a small screw-top jar, usually from brands like Madagascar Vanilla Co., Heilala, or Watkins. It’s about $16 for the small jar. It’s pricey, but you’ll have enough for several recipes (cakes, cookies, crème brûlées, ice creams). If you really can’t find it, a good splash of pure vanilla extract (not artificial imitation) gets the job done too.
Absolutely. The same technique works beautifully with other citrus fruits. Lime for a brighter, more tropical version. Blood orange for a stunning red colour and a softer profile. Pink grapefruit for an adult bittersweet twist. Lemon-lime combo for a double layer of acidity. Adjust the sugar slightly to taste depending on the acidity of the citrus you choose (grapefruit needs a little more, lime a little less). Keep the same amount of juice (⅓ cup) and zest (2 fruits).
The best way: straight from the scoop, in balls in a beautiful bowl. It’s a dessert all on its own that can close out any meal. For a festive touch, serve it on an angel food cake drizzled with a homemade strawberry coulis (I did that with my kids and they completely lost it). It’s also excellent on my limoncello and maple macerated strawberries and blueberries, on my warm lemon and limoncello pound cake, or with an extra drizzle of limoncello in the bowl for intense lemon lovers.
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