Limoncello, the world-famous Italian lemon liqueur, is known for its vibrant, refreshing citrus flavor and perfectly balanced sweet, zesty taste. Surprisingly, making it at home is delightfully simple.
INGREDIENTS
Lemon Infused Alcohol
- 8 large organic lemons (or 9 small ones)
- 750 milliliters pure grain alcohol (190 proof/95% ABV, approx. 3 cups + 2 tablespoons)
(see notes for adjustments if using a 1-liter or 1.75-liter bottle)
Sugar Syrup (makes 1350 ml or about 5 ½ cups)
- 2 ½ cups white sugar (550 g)
- 4 ½ cups water (1080 milliliters)
Extra Syrup for Milder Limoncello (a little over a cup)
- ⅓ cup white sugar (75 g)
- 1 cup water (240 milliliters)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, carefully peel the lemons, ensuring you only remove the yellow zest. If any white pith is included, trim it off with a knife.
- Place the lemon peels into a jar and cover them with alcohol.
- Let the mixture macerate for at least 7 days, although 3 weeks or longer is ideal. Keep the jar in a dark place away from direct sunlight.
- To make the sugar syrup, combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Let the syrup simmer until it boils, then remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Once the lemon-infused alcohol is ready, add it to a large mixing bowl or container. Gradually stir in the sugar syrup. Start by adding 5 cups and tasting the mixture. If the limoncello is too strong, continue adding syrup until you reach the desired balance.
- Adjust the strength of the limoncello by adding more syrup for a milder flavor or less for a stronger taste. Avoid diluting the alcohol base too much.
- Once you’re satisfied with the flavor, pour the limoncello into glass bottles using a funnel.
- Chill the limoncello in the freezer for at least a few hours before serving.
NOTES
- If you want a milder limoncello (around 30% ABV or 60 proof), make extra sugar syrup and add it accordingly. You can prepare this syrup separately or along with the initial batch.
- Freshly made limoncello reaches its best flavor a few days after bottling.
- For a 1-liter bottle:
- Use 1 liter of 190 proof alcohol
- 12 lemons
- 1800 ml (about 7 ½ cups) of sugar syrup made with 730 g (3 ⅓ cups) sugar + 1440 g water (6 cups)
- This recipe yields about 2.8 liters (94 fluid ounces), or approximately 5.5 bottles (17 oz) or 12 bottles (8 oz).
- For a 1.75-liter bottle:
- Use 1.75 liters of 190 proof alcohol
- 21 lemons
- 3150 ml (about 13 ½ cups) of sugar syrup made with 1280 g sugar + 2520 g water
- This recipe yields about 4.9 liters (165 fluid ounces), or approximately 10 bottles (17 oz) or 20 bottles (8 oz).
Nutrition (per 44 ml serving)
- Calories: 79 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fat: 0.04 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Potassium: 1 mg
- Sugar: 11 g
- Calcium: 1 mg
- Iron: 0.01 mg
