Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (2024)

Published: by Chef Dennis Littley

4.64 from 100 votes

Jump to Recipe

Lemon gelato is an amazingly refreshing frozen dessert that will tantalize your tastes with fresh lemon flavor and the creamy texture of ice cream made with milk and heavy cream so the flavors shine through.

Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (1)

All you need to make my lemon gelato (which can be made in your ice cream maker) is lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, heavy whipping cream, milk, and a dash of salt. No egg yolks needed!

Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (2)

Gelato isn’t that much different than ice cream, the big difference is that milk is used instead of all cream, which actually makes the flavors of what you’re using stand out even more, and if you find the right balance between cream and milk, you still get that rich creamy texture that Americans have come to love about our ice cream!

Table of Contents:

What ingredients do I need to make Lemon Gelato?

Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (3)

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make lemon gelato. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

*I originally made this gelato with Meyer Lemons so either variety are good.

How do I make Lemon Gelato?

It’s really easy to make my version of Lemon Gelato. All you need are a few simple ingredients to make this gelato / ice cream recipe.

Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (4)
  • Add the cream, milk, lemon juice, zest, sugar, and salt together. Using a wire whip, mix until the sugar dissolves and is completely incorporated. (the mixture should thicken some)
  • Pour the lemon mixture into a gelato or ice cream maker.
  • Allow the mixture to freeze.
  • When the gelato mixture has sufficiently frozen, place into a container and allow the lemon gelato to completely freeze.

Can I Use an Ice Cream Maker to Make a Gelato Recipe?

Yes, you can. The difference between the two machines is gelato is churned at a much slower rate than ice cream, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream.

Of course, if you don’t have a gelato maker you can easily take my recipe for Lemon gelato and use your ice cream maker to make super creamy and delicious ice cream.

Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (5)

So when life hands you lemons, make gelato. Your friends and family will be oh so happy that you did. Just be prepared for all the compliments and requests to make it again and again.

These are the Gelato Makers I recommend

Recipe FAQ’s

What is the difference between gelato and ice cream?

Ice cream has a higher butterfat content which masks some of the natural flavors, where the creaminess of the ice cream is more of the star than the added flavor. Italian gelato uses less butterfat and also doesn’t whip the mixture as quickly, adding less air into the gelato. This makes the gelato denser and packs the flavor into each spoonful because of the density.

What ingredients do I need to make gelato?

Five basic ingredients are needed to make gelato. Heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt, and the flavoring you’ll be adding. Fresh fruit is my favorite added flavor when I make gelato, but you can easily make pistachio, chocolate, or any flavor you can imagine.

Do I need eggs to make Gelato?

No, you don’t. You can of course, make a custard-type base for your gelato using eggs, but that will require cooking the custard and allowing it to cool before freezing. The eggs will make the base richer, but eggs are not necessary for amazing gelato.

More Gelato Recipes You’ll Love!

  • The Best and Easiest Strawberry Gelato Recipe You’ll ever Make!
  • Blueberry Cheesecake Gelato and Very Cherry Gelato
  • Grilled Peaches and Cream Gelato
  • Blackberry and Mango Gelato Recipes

Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (10)

Print Recipe Save

4.64 from 100 votes

Lemon Gelato

You'll love the creamy texture and tart flavor of my lemon gelato. The recipe is easily made in a standard ice cream maker and is gaurunteed to amaze your family!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

0 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 6

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Lemon Juice about 6 lemons
  • zest from one lemon very fine
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • teaspoon salt

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Using a micro-planer or a very fine grater, zest one Lemon

  • Cut lemons in half and juice them, straining out all the seeds.

  • Add the cream, milk, lemon juice, zest, sugar and salt together and using a wire whip, mix until the sugar is dissolved and completely incorporated. (the mixture should thicken some)

  • Pour the mixture into a gelato or ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer’s instructions.

  • Yield will be about 1 quart of lemon gelato

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 132mg | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

More Dessert Recipes

  • Italian Cream Cake
  • Easy Lemon Bars
  • Chocolate Bundt Cake
  • Chocolate Pudding Cake

About Chef Dennis

Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home.For more details, check out his About page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Kaycee

    Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (16)
    BEYOND AMAZING!! Delicioso! Thank you so much!
    I am glad I doubled this recipe. After enjoying your Strawberry Gelato I already knew the Lemon one would be awesome.
    Doubling the ingredients fit perfectly in my 2 qt. Cuisinart Ice Cream maker.
    A couple of improvisational things:
    –I was 1/2 cup short of fresh lemon juice, so I added bottled juice.
    –And I defrosted skim milk (frozen into cubes) and used that with the same amt. of heavy cream and the results are amazing.

    The only slight quibble I have is the 30 minute prep time listed. It took far longer than that just to zest and squeeze the lemons for juice. Next time I will make this in 2 steps…prepping the fruit juice/zest one day and finishing it the next.
    This is well worth the effort, and far less expensive than a trip to Italy!

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis Littley

      Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed my lemon gelato, it’s always been my favorite and definitely cheaper than a trip to Italy!

      Reply

  2. Natasha

    Can I use half & half instead of heavy cream?

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis Littley

      yes you can.

      Reply

  3. j

    Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (17)
    excellent and easy so refreshing after a spicy meal (had a pizza party) my friends were so happy! thank you chef dennis 🙂

    Reply

    • Me

      Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (18)
      Amazing tart and sweet.

      Reply

      • Chef Dennis Littley

        Thank you, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the gelato.

  4. Poonam Java

    Can I make the gelato without an icecream maker/gelato maker

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis Littley

      you can place the mixture in a bowl set into a bowl filled with ice or an ice bath and whip it by hand.

      Reply

« Older Comments

Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (2024)

FAQs

How to make lemon gelato in a kitchen ado? ›

INSTRUCTIONS:
  1. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat milk to 175°, whisk in sugar until completely dissolved. Add a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. ...
  2. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in lemon juice and cream. Place in a bowl. ...
  3. In assembled KitchenAid stand turn to stir speed one. Pour mixture into freeze bowl.
Jan 18, 2017

What is lemon gelato made of? ›

All you need to make my lemon gelato (which can be made in your ice cream maker) is lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, heavy whipping cream, milk, and a dash of salt. No egg yolks needed!

What's the difference between lemon sorbet and lemon gelato? ›

In comparing sorbet and gelato, the latter has more calories and fat because it contains milk. Sorbet is just fruit juice and sugar (no dairy) and has fewer calories, so many consider it the healthier option.

Does lemon gelato contain milk? ›

Gelato is a slightly lighter version of ice cream due to the use of milk and cream. Although some gelatos don't include egg yolks, this recipe for lemon gelato calls for it. The yolks give it the classic rich, creamy gelato texture.

What does egg do in gelato? ›

Eggs leverage the fat already present in the ice cream base (the butterfat in cream and milk) and make it work even further for a creamier texture. But wait, there's more! Egg yolks also improve the stability of an ice cream, reducing its tendency to melt before you can get it from freezer to cone to mouth.

How is gelato traditionally made? ›

Gelato shops make gelato in much the same way as described in our step-by-step gelato-making process. They start with a base of cream, milk, sugar, and sometimes eggs, then add flavorings. The mixture is churned at a slow speed to maintain its dense texture and then frozen before serving.

Why is gelato so creamy? ›

Gelato: Dense and Intense

It is churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream. Gelato is served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream, so its texture stays silkier and softer.

Is gelato water based or milk? ›

Some gelatos may contain egg or egg yolks, as traditional recipes were made using eggs, but today most gelato is entirely milk-based.

Why is gelato so sticky? ›

It's churned at a slower rate than ice cream, which gives it that dense, almost sticky mouthfeel. It's chilled and served a few degrees warmer than hard ice cream.

Is gelato healthier than ice cream? ›

The main difference between ice cream and gelato is their fat content. With only 4-9% fat to the usual 10-25% of ice cream, gelato usually is lighter and healthier. Per portion, however, the answer is clear, gelato is typically healthier than ice cream.

What is the simplest dessert easy to prepare and serve? ›

The simplest dessert and one of the best are fruits because they are nutritious, appetizing, and easy to prepare and serve. Baked and soft custards vary in so many ways. Creamy, delicate, baked custards may be served in their baking cups or may be unmolded and served with fruit garnishes or with dessert sauces.

Which is healthier, ice cream or sherbet? ›

So, the good news here is that if you're looking for an iced dessert or treat that has similar properties to ice cream but is lower in calories and saturated fat, sherbet is going to be preferable over ice cream as a more diet friendly alternative.

What milk is used for gelato? ›

The best type of milk for the cream flavours of gelato is whole milk (3.5%) as opposed to heavy cream (35%). The milk helps the gelato obtain a creamy and smooth texture, but it also increases its resistance to melting so you can take your time to enjoy it on a hot day.

What is dairy free gelato called? ›

With sorbet being dairy-free and therefore lactose-free, we'd say it's your best bet for a “lactose-free gelato.” Ice cream is the easy one again; there are plenty of lactose-free ice creams out there.

How much sugar is in lemon gelato? ›

Nutrition Facts
NutrientValue
Sugar21g
Protein0g
Calcium0mg
Iron1mg
83 more rows

What two strains make lemon cherry gelato? ›

Bred by Backpackboyz and rumored to be a keeper from the original R'ntz pheno-hunt, Lemon Cherry Gelato is a now-legendary hybrid cross of Sunset Sherbet, GSC, and another unknown strain.

What strain is lemon gelato? ›

Lemon Gelato is an indica-dominant hybrid marijuana strain made by crossing three famous strains: Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies, Lemon Haze, and Sunset Sherbet. This strain is famous for its distinct smell and flavor, featuring bold hints of lemon, blueberry, and sherbet.

How to make gelato vs ice cream? ›

Like ice cream, gelato uses milk, cream, and sugar, but it differs in proportions. Gelato uses less cream and more milk than ice cream and typically contains no egg yolks or eggs at all. Gelato is served slightly warmer than American ice cream and is also churned at a slower rate, introducing less air into the product.

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