Creamy Lemon Cup Sorbet (2024)

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There is truly nothing more refreshing than this creamy lemon cup sorbet! This dessert brings me right back to my childhood.

Growing up, we went to a favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant where they would serve lemon and orange sorbet inside the actual fruit.

Even as a kid, it was one of my favorite things! Not only is it visually enticing and fun to eat but freezing the sorbet in the rind gives it an incredible aroma and brings incredible flavor to the sorbet.

The only way I can try to describe it is like eating the essence of a lemon.

This frozen creamy lemon sorbet is inspired by a dessert they make in the lemon haven of Italy, the Amalfi coast.

I love the simplicity of Italian cooking, which is one of the main cuisines I grew up on. This creamy lemon cup sorbet is the epitome of the minimal simplicity of Italian cooking and is a perfect dessert after a delicious bowl (or two) of pasta!

Made with only 3 Ingredients:

This creamy lemon sorbet is a healthy treat with a perfect combination of sweet and tart. The coconut cream brings an incredible dairy free creaminess to the blended frozen lemons. I highly recommend this brand, it’s really creamy with great flavor.

Freeze the coconut cream into cubes by using these silicone ice cube trays! They’re BPA free and the key to making this ice cream by easily being able to pop them out when you’re ready to make and enjoy your sorbet!

What are the health benefits?

Lemons also contain amazing health benefits! Lemons are very high in vitamin C, have antibacterial benefits, have been used to boost immunity, help digestion and promote healthy glowing skin!

Consuming a little bit of the rind and seeds when blended is also great for your health. I love an ice cream that’s delicious and refreshing but also giving my immune system a little boost! 🙂

You can use any blender for this recipe, although I highly recommend a high speed blender like the Vitamix (I use it every single day from smoothies to soups to vegan cheese). If you don’t have a high speed blender, simply allow the frozen lemon and coconut cream cubes thaw for a bite before adding to your blender to make them easier to blend.

How to make the Lemon Cups

Start by cutting the off the very bottoms of the lemons, about 1/4 of an inch thick. This allows the lemons to “sit” upright.

Set the pieces aside. Then cut off the tops of the lemon. About 1/2-1 inch thick pieces. I like to call these the “lemon hats”, it’ll be the top part you put on top of lemon after filling with sorbet.

Once cut, use a spoon to remove the juice and pulp inside.

Using a spoon to gently scrap the inside of the lemon and it will remove all the flesh. You can discard or freeze the pulp. Saving 1/4 cup of the lemon juice for the sorbet recipe.

Then place the bottoms (the pieces you cut off first) inside the lemons on the bottom. This will allow you to close off any holes on the bottom, still allowing the lemon to remain upright.

Once you make your sorbet, fill the lemons up and top with remaining slices aka top hats! 🙂

Extra Lemony Love

Give these an extra pop of lemon flavor but adding in some food grade lemon essential.

I love a pretty lemony, tart flavor so I like to add a 1-2 drops. You can also achieve this by adding in the zest of a lemon. About 1-2 tsp of lemon zest.

Looking for a less tart sorbet?

I would add more maple syrup if you’re looking for a sweet sorbet and do only 1 drop of lemon oil or 1 tsp of zest. You can add the maple syrup by the tbsp and the beauty is you can add as you go to your desired sweetness before adding to lemon cups and freezing.

Can I make this recipe without coconut cream?

Yes! If you don’t want or are unable to use coconut cream, I highly recommend substituting for some plain vegan yogurt. You can also freeze into cubes and follow the recipe. Yogurt tends to be more tart so you can adjust the maple syrup amount if needed.

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