These lemon sorbet cups are dairy-free lemon ice cream frozen in a lemon cup for the most perfect and aesthetic dessert!

A plate with lemon sorbet cups on it.

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as the flavor of lemon during the summer! Even more so if it’s frozen and not weighed down by refined sugar. When I first saw this concept for lemon sorbet in a lemon shell, I knew that I had to try it out myself! It looks incredibly fancy, but takes minimal ingredients and effort to make.

This version is made with honey instead of sugar and coconut cream instead of any dairy. All you need is a few simple ingredients for the perfect summer treat.

The Ingredients for Lemon Sorbet Cups

  • Lemons. This recipe uses the whole lemon!
  • Coconut Cream. You can likely use heavy cream if you tolerate dairy.
  • Honey. I love using honey to remove refined sugar from the treat!
  • Mint Leaves.

How to make Lemon Sorbet Cups

  • Step 1. Slice the lemon.
  • Step 2. Squeeze out lemon juice and separate the lemon flesh from the shell.

Lemons before and after scooping the center out.

  • Step 3. Remove lemon seeds.
  • Step 4. Blend the coconut cream, lemon juice and flesh, and honey.
  • Step 5. Pour the lemon mixture into the bottom halves of the lemons and freeze for 4-6 hours.

Blending lemon sorbet in a blender and poured into lemon rind.

 

  • Step 6. Top with mint leaves and enjoying with a spoon!

A plate of lemon sorbet cups.

Tips & Tricks for lemon sorbet cups

  • Make sure to get all of the seeds! You definitely don’t want ground-up lemon seed in your dessert.
  • Wash your lemons well. Give them a really good scrub since we’re using the whole lemon.
  • Properly shell your lemons. This is actually a lot easier than it sounds, and it helps to have a visual. Here’s a video that shows a similar process to what I did.

Why use the whole lemon and not just the lemon juice?

Since we’re not using sugar or an ice cream maker, just using lemon juice doesn’t give this recipe a lot of structure. Essentially it would just be lemony coconut cream! Adding the whole lemon gives more body to the sorbet, and it’s a real flavor punch.

Can you make this recipe coconut free?

You can likely make this with heavy cream, but I don’t know of a dairy-free way to make this without coconut cream.

How long does this last in the freezer?

I recommend storing it in glass and eating it within a few weeks.

2 lemon sorbet cups on a plate.You’ll also like…

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Lemon Sorbet Cups


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 lemons
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 34 mint leaves

Instructions

  1. Slice the bottom stem off of the lemon and set it aside. Cut off about the top quarter of the lemon, leaving the larger bottom half of the lemon.
  2. Working with one lemon half at a time, gently squeeze the lemon juice into a large measuring cup. Once the lemon is soft, very carefully insert a knife into the white part of the lemon to pull back the inside of the lemon. Once separated, use your fingers to carefully pull out all of the flesh of the lemon, leaving just the shell. Set the flesh of the lemon into the large measuring cup with the juice. Place the lemon shell on a plate and insert the lemon stem to cover the hole in the bottom. Repeat with all of the lemon.
  3. Carefully remove the seeds from the flesh of the lemons and discard them. Scoop out about 3 tbsp of the lemon juice and refrigerate it aside to use in other recipes.
  4. Using a large blender, add the coconut cream, lemon juice and flesh and honey. Blend until fully smooth.
  5. Pour the lemon mixture into the three bottom halves of the lemons. Place the top of the lemons overthe bottom, and transfer to the freezer.
  6. Allow the lemons to freeze for 4-6 hours for the sorbet to fully harden.
  7. Remove from the fridge and allow to sit for a few minutes at room temperature before topping with mint leaves and enjoying with a spoon.

Notes

All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Estimations do not include optional ingredients.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 181
  • Fat: .4g
  • Carbohydrates: 28.6g
  • Fiber: .5g
  • Protein: 1.1g