This Watermelon Sorbet is sweet, refreshing and so easy to make with just 2 ingredients and no ice cream maker required! It’s the perfect healthy frozen treat to cool you down on a hot summery day! Naturally gluten-free, vegan, paleo and low carb with no refined-sugar.
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Updated July 2022
Easy Watermelon Sorbet recipe
Looking for a healthy and refreshing summer dessert? The only thing better then biting into a juicy watermelon on a hot summer day is digging into this homemade Watermelon Sorbet! This super simple treat is super refresing and brings instant joy straight from your freezer. And it’s incredibly easy to throw together with a food processor or blender!
It’s the perfect treat to cool you down on a hot day and is naturally vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo and low carb depending on the sweetener you use. It takes less than 5 minutes to make with your favorite liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup or honey, to keep things sweetly natural. This dreamy 3-ingredient sorbet will be your go-to summer dessert every year!
What Is Sorbet?
Sorbet is like ice cream’s icy, low-calorie cousin. Think of a mix between snowcones and slushies! Sorbet is often flavored with natural fruit juices, but it can also be made with sugar and flavored water.
Of course we like to go the fresh and natural route, and this watermelon sorbet really shows it! The flavor is spot-on, thanks to the use of ripe seedless watermelon and an optional touch of lime juice. Yum!!!
Ingredients you need
You’ve probably already figured out which 3 ingredients star in the best watermelon sorbet, but let’s go over them anyway!
- Watermelon – cut into cubes. Visit my post for How to cut a watermelon with tips for choosing the best watermelon
- Pure maple syrup – you’ll need 1/4 cup. Feel free to leave the sweetener out if your watermelon is sweet enough or sub any type of liquid sweetener. Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup or monk fruit to keep this recipe low carb.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice – optional but highly recommended for added flavor and freshness.
How to Make Watermelon Sorbet
Ice cream maker who? Grab your food processor or blender and let’s get into the process of making some seriously delicious sorbet.
- Blend Ingredients: Add the watermelon, maple syrup and lime juice (if using) to your food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and combined.
- Taste & Adjust: Taste the mixture and add more sweetener, depending on your flavor preference.
- Freeze: Transfer the mixture to a rectangular loaf pan and smooth it into an even layer. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight, until frozen.
- Let Soften & Serve: Allow the sorbet to soften at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping. Enjoy!
How to Choose the Sweetest Watermelon for Sorbet
There are a few tips and tricks I’ve picked up when it comes to picking a perfectly sweet watermelon. Here are the clues and signs to look out for:
- Roundness Indicates Sweetness: For some reason, sweeter watermelon tend to have a rounder shape. If you have the choice between an oval-shaped watermelon and a rounder one, go for the latter!
- Find Heavy Hitters: The heavier a watermelon is, the more you can bet on it being sweet and juicy – look for one that seems surprisingly heavy for its size.
- Check the Underside: The yellow splotch, or “field spot,” of a watermelon is the area where the melon was in contact with the ground. The deeper the yellow shade, the sweeter the melon.
- Tap It: So you’ve found a watermelon that looks deliciously sweet – now what? Well, it’s time to make sure the melon is ripe. You can do this by tapping firmly on the field spot. If you hear a low, hollow noise, the watermelon is ripe. If it sounds dull rather than deep, find another!
Tips for Success
If you’re new to making sorbet, be sure to check out these helpful hints and suggestions!
- Sticky Sweeteners Only: In order for the sorbet to be scoop-able, make sure whatever sweetener you use is sticky enough to do the job.
- Use the Fresh Lime Juice: I know I said it’s optional, and that’s definitely true, but I just love the zesty freshness you get from adding a little lime juice to the mix. Plus, it helps the sorbet blend better and develop a better texture. Win-win!
- Don’t Have the Sweetest Melon? If you weren’t able to find a watermelon that checks off all the boxes, that’s okay – adding extra sweetener is always an option!
- Adjust to Taste: Speaking of adding extra sweetener, it’s important to give your sorbet a taste test before setting it off to freeze. Make sure you’re satisfied with the sweetness and flavor, and if not, adjust accordingly.
How to Store Homemade Sorbet
Homemade watermelon sorbet can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. After that, it will start to get icier and it won’t soften up as well. I’d honestly be impressed if you could make it last longer than 2 days!
More healthy watermelon recipes you will love:
Watermelon Strawberry and Basil Salad
This Watermelon Sorbet is sweet, refreshing and so easy to make with just 2 ingredients and no ice cream maker required! It's the perfect healthy frozen treat to cool you down on a hot summery day! Naturally gluten-free, vegan, paleo and low carb with no refined-sugar.
- 5-6 cups cubed seedless watermelon , about 1 medium seedless watermelon
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup , can sub with Lakanto SF maple syrup or preferred sticky liquid sweetener
- Juice of 1/2 lime , optional but adds extra freshness and flavor
In a food processor or blender, add the watermelon, maple syrup and optional lime. Blend until smooth and combined. Taste and add more sweetener, depending on preference.
Blend until smooth and combined. Taste and add more sweetener, depending on preference.
Transfer to a rectangle loaf pan and smooth into an even layer. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight, until frozen.
Allow to soften at room temperature for 5-10 minutes, before scooping.
Sabrina -
what a lovely use of watermelon, and really love how easy this is, would never have guessed, thank you!