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

Published: by Chef Dennis Littley

4.65 from 101 votes

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*I originally made this gelato with Meyer Lemons so either variety are good.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

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4.65 from 101 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!

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

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  1. Nona

    Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (12)
    OMG – this is as good as anything I had in Italy! So good, and so easy!! This is my new Show Stopper dessert. Thank you, Chef Dennis!

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis Littley

      You’re very welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed my gelato recipe. It works great with most fruits.

      Reply

  2. Kaycee

    Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (13)
    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

  3. Natasha

    Can I use half & half instead of heavy cream?

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis Littley

      yes you can.

      Reply

  4. j

    Easy Lemon Gelato Recipe (Lemon Ice Cream) (14)
    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) (15)
      Amazing tart and sweet.

      Reply

      • Chef Dennis Littley

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

  5. 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

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

FAQs

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 is the secret to gelato? ›

Unlike ice cream, gelato is churned at a slower speed. This slow churning incorporates less air into the mixture, resulting in a denser, creamier product. This is also why gelato seems to pack more flavor than traditional ice cream.

What is the best milk 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.

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.

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

sorbet is two popular types of frozen desserts. They are both made with milk and sugar, but there are some key differences between the two. For starters, gelato is made with cream, while sorbet is dairy-free. Gelato also has a higher fat content than sorbet.

What's the difference between gelato and ice cream? ›

Gelato has a lower milk fat content than ice cream, usually 4 to 9%, yielding a softer, denser texture and smaller ice crystals. That's a result of the base, which typically includes less cream and more milk, as well as a slower churning process that introduces less air into the final product.

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.

Should gelato have eggs? ›

As the name implies, "ice cream" contains more cream than milk, whereas gelato is made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream. Another ingredient that distinguishes the two is eggs; ice cream includes egg yolks while gelato is (most often) completely void of eggs.

What makes gelato so creamy? ›

Gelato is churned at a much slower speed, which introduces less air into the base—think whipping cream by hand instead of with a stand mixer. That's why it tastes denser than ice cream—it is.

What makes gelato smoother than ice cream? ›

Gelato has at least egg yolks in it if not whole eggs and they make it smoother/prevent tiny ice crystals that make regular ice cream a little less smooth.

How long do you churn gelato for? ›

Classic Gelato Base (Vanilla Flavor)
  1. Prep Time:10 mins.
  2. Cook Time:10 mins.
  3. Churning/Freezing Time:2 hrs 30 mins.

Why is gelato so expensive? ›

The slower, more manual and labour-intensive process of making gelato increases production costs, affecting its price. Denser with less air, offering more product by weight in each serving. Lighter and fluffier due to higher air content, resulting in less actual product by weight.

What is gelato in slang? ›

🍨 Gelato = Italian-American slang for 'Absolutely.

Why is gelato creamier than ice cream? ›

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 Lemon Gelato a good strain? ›

In terms of effects, Lemon Gelato will give you a buzzy head high while your mind eases into an easygoing state of euphoria. This strain may make you feel tingly and relaxed, but it won't lock you to the sofa.

What strain is lemon gelato? ›

Lemon Gelato is an indica dominant hybrid strain that connoisseurs of smell and taste can delight in. Just as the name indicates, Lemon Gelato offers a sweet, sherbet-like flavor that remind you of lemons and blueberries but with a wood-like taste on the exhale.

What is lemon cherry gelato mixed with? ›

Introducing Lemon Cherry Gelato, a Hybrid cross of Sunset Sherbet X Girl Scout Cookies featuring δ-Limonene, Linalool and β-Myrcene as its primary terpenes.

What's the difference between gelato and sorbet? ›

By now, you know that gelato traditionally uses milk and cream as its main ingredients, and that sorbet primarily contains fruit juice or fruit purée and does not use dairy products or eggs.

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