Homemade Limoncello Liqueur

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It's easy to make homemade Limoncello liqueur - all you need is four ingredients and time, with very little hands-on work. Intensely lemony and sweet, a little Limoncello goes a long way!

Homemade limoncello in a bottle and glass on a black table.

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Why this recipe works
Recipe Ingredients
How to make Limoncello
Storage instructions
Questions asked and answered
Ways to use Limoncello
More recipes with citrus to try
Recipe
Comments

Why this recipe works

Limoncello is just lemon-infused vodka, sweetened with simple syrup
There's very little hands-on work needed, just time
Easy sipping and great for giving as a gift!

The beauty of writing a blog about scotch (and other whisky reviews) and scones (and other yummy baked goods) is that the two subjects generally don’t intersect, so I can write about double the topics.

Occasionally I’ll write a “crossover” post where I’ve baked with alcohol, what I call Boozy Food, like Kahlua cake, Whiskey Marshmallows, and Bourbon Brownies.

And while I’ve made food using alcohol as a flavoring, I haven’t made a flavored liqueur. That is, until now - Homemade Limoncello from scratch!

This lovely Limoncello liqueur is light, sweet, intensely lemony, and quite refreshing. My older daughter likened it to the sweet flavor of lemonheads candy (after the sour taste fades). How's that for tasting notes!

Recipe Ingredients

You'll need the following ingredients (and water) to make this limoncello liqueur recipe:

Vodka and sugar in their packaging with 2 lemons.

Ingredient Notes

Vodka: While the “brown” spirits like scotch and bourbon don’t really lend themselves to doctoring up (why alter perfection?), vodka practically screams for flavoring. A neutral spirit, it lends it's boozy kick to the liqueur. Use a vodka you like to drink. You can also try infusing a different type of grain alcohol, like gin or bourbon, for a different flavor profile.

Lemons: The main flavoring ingredient. You can use this infusion technique to make other types of flavored vodkas. Try it with pineapple, grapefruit, or cucumbers, for example.

Simple syrup: This is just sugar dissolved in water, used to sweeten the infused vodka

See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to make Limoncello

A homemade Limoncello recipe is pretty simple - infusing vodka simply is a matter of letting that flavoring item steep in the vodka for about 2 weeks, then drain and, voilà, you have flavored vodka. The hardest part is probably zesting the lemons. Well, that, and waiting 2 weeks before it's ready!

Step 1: Infuse the vodka

Wash the lemons, then cut away the outer rind with a vegetable peeler. Try to avoid having any of the white part (the pith) on the peeled rind. Cut away any pith that ends up on the peels if you cut too deeply - it can cause your infusion to be bitter.

Transfer the zest to a quart mason jar and pour the vodka over the lemon rinds (photo 1). Seal the jar tightly and give it a good shake. Place the jar in a cool, dark place (the back of the pantry is good). Now, you wait.

Two lemons with vodka in the bottle and vodka & lemon peels in a mason jar. — Starting the vodka infusion

Let the jar sit for 1 to 2 weeks, shaking daily (photo 2). The longer it sits, the more flavor is infused into the vodka. When the peels lose their color, the infusion is ready.

You can see over the course of 2 weeks how the color of the vodka gets stronger. It's all that essence of lemon seeping in!

Collage of the limoncello infusion on day 2, day 5, and day 14. — Views of the infusion on Day 2, Day 5, and Day 14

Step 2: Drain the liquid

Strain the limoncello base through a fine mesh strainer, squeezing the zest to get as much of the liquid as possible (photo 3).

Straining the limoncello infusion into a bowl. — Drip, drip, drip...squeezing all the liquid out

Step 3: Stir in simple syrup

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally as the sugar dissolves (photo 4). Cool the syrup to room temperature (but on the warm side).

Add the slightly warm simple syrup to the limoncello base and stir until it's combined. The limoncello will be cloudy.

Using a funnel, pour the liqueur into a sealable glass bottle.

Collage of before & after dissolving sugar into water. — Making simple syrup

Storage instructions

You can store the limoncello in the freezer in a warmer area (like on the door). Alternatively, keep it chilled in the refrigerator. Longer aging means more intense flavors. It should last for up to 3 months.

Questions asked and answered

Here are some questions that you might have...

What is Limoncello?

Limoncello is just sweetened lemon-infused vodka! You make simple syrup (which is just sugar dissolved in water), and stir it into the flavored vodka. That's all there is to a recipe for Limoncello!

How do you serve Limoncello?

Generally speaking, Limoncello is drunk chilled and straight (i.e. no ice) in a small shot glass. Limoncello is potent (it's just sweetened vodka, after all), so a 2-ounce serving is plenty.

How strong is Limoncello?

The strength of the Limoncello varies based on the proof of the vodka and the sugar content. On average, assume that the alcohol content is between about 25% and 30%ABV.

Ways to use Limoncello

I've had the pleasure of catering my older daughter’s bridal shower, and with an Italian themed menu it seemed appropriate to serve homemade Limoncello liqueur. Served in small amounts, it's a refreshing way to end a meal.

Beyond sipping, you can use Limoncello liqueur as a mixer or ingredient. Cocktails with Limoncello liqueur include the Lemon Drop and the Limoncello Rye Sour, an update of a Whiskey Sour with a sweet tart flavor for an unexpected twist.

Just like I mentioned baking with booze earlier, using Limoncello in baked goods brings bright, sweet lemon flavor to the recipe. Glazed Limoncello Cake uses this flavor in both the cake and the glaze, and the result is delicious!