Kitchen Recipe Collection
Homemade Italian Limoncello
The classic bright, sweet, and potent lemon liqueur from Southern Italy. Served ice-cold as a digestivo after a heavy meal.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 10000 min
- Servings
- 20
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 20 servings
- organic lemons (thick-skinned, un-waxed)
- grain alcohol (95% / 190 proof) or high-proof vodka
- granulated sugar
- filtered water
Equipment
- Large glass jar with a tight lid
- Vegetable peeler
- Fine mesh strainer
- Glass bottles for storage
Instructions
- 1
Select Lemons
You MUST use organic, un-waxed lemons. The entire flavor comes from the skin, so chemical-free is essential.
- 2
Wash
Wash and scrub the lemons thoroughly in warm water and dry them completely.
- 3
Peel
Using a sharp vegetable peeler, peel the yellow skin off the lemons. Be extremely careful NOT to include any of the bitter white pith.
- 4
Macerate
Place the lemon peels in a large, clean glass jar. Pour the grain alcohol over them. Seal the jar tightly.
- 5
Steep
Store the jar in a cool, dark place for 1 to 4 weeks. The alcohol will extract the yellow oils, turning bright yellow, and the peels will turn pale and brittle.
- 6
Make Simple Syrup
In a saucepan, heat the filtered water and sugar until the sugar completely dissolves. Let it cool to room temperature.
- 7
Strain Alcohol
Strain the lemon-infused alcohol through a fine sieve into a large bowl, discarding the pale peels.
- 8
Combine
Pour the cooled sugar syrup into the lemon alcohol. The mixture will immediately turn cloudy (this is the 'ouzo effect' as the oils emulsify).
- 9
Bottle
Use a funnel to pour the finished Limoncello into clean, sterile glass bottles. Seal tightly.
- 10
Chill and Serve
Store the bottles in the freezer (the high alcohol prevents freezing). Serve in chilled shot glasses as an after-dinner digestivo.
Cooking Tips
- Any white pith left on the peels will make the final liqueur unpleasantly bitter. Scrape it off with a knife if necessary.
- Pure grain alcohol extracts the lemon oils far better than 80-proof vodka. If using vodka, you will need to steep it much longer.
Variations
- Crema di Limoncello: Replace the water in the simple syrup with milk and a little heavy cream for a richer, creamier dessert liqueur.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A staple of the Amalfi Coast and the Sorrentine Peninsula, where the enormous, thick-skinned Sfusato Amalfitano lemons grow.
Nutrition Estimate
95 calories · 0g protein · 12g carbs · 0g fat · 0g fiber per serving
