Homemade limoncello is surprisingly simple, and its bright, fresh lemon flavor is worth the wait. With just four ingredients and a little patience, you'll have a smooth, bright Italian liqueur that's perfect for sipping ice cold, mixing into cocktails, or adding a bright citrus twist to desserts!
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Quick Recipe Summary ✨
Homemade Limoncello Liqueur: A bright, sweet Italian lemon liqueur made by steeping lemon peels in vodka, then sweetening the infused vodka with simple syrup.
Big lemon flavor, little effort: The hands-on work is mostly peeling lemons, shaking a jar, and stirring in syrup. Time does the heavy lifting - the best kind of kitchen helper.
Flexible and giftable: Serve it ice-cold as an after-dinner sipper, mix it into cocktails, or use it to add bright lemon flavor to cakes and glazes.
Active Time: About 10 minutes • Steep Time: 1 to 2 weeks • Total Time: about 14 days
Difficulty Level: ⭐ Easy. The only tricky bit is avoiding the bitter white pith when peeling the lemons.
Yield: 1 quart • Freezer-friendly: Store chilled or in the freezer
👉 Follow the detailed instructions and troubleshooting tips below to make smooth, sweet-tart homemade limoncello with bold lemon flavor.
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Why this recipe works
- Only the lemon peel is used: The yellow zest holds the fragrant lemon oils, while avoiding the white pith keeps bitterness out of the bottle
- Vodka makes a clean base: Its neutral flavor lets the lemon shine instead of competing with it
- You control the sweetness: Add the simple syrup after steeping so the finished liqueur can be sweet, smooth, and sippable
- It gets better with patience: A longer steep gives the vodka more time to pull out that bright lemon flavor
- One bottle, lots of uses: Enjoy it ice cold, mix it into cocktails, or use it to brighten cakes, glazes, and other desserts.
The beauty of having a website 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!
What is Limoncello?
Limoncello is just sweetened lemon-infused vodka! 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.
After infusing, you make simple syrup (which is just sugar dissolved in water), and stir it into the lemon-flavored vodka. The hardest part is probably zesting the lemons. Well, that, and waiting 2 weeks before it's ready!
How long should Limoncello steep?
The longer it sits, the more flavor is infused into the vodka. 1 week works, 2 weeks gives fuller flavor, and longer can deepen the lemon flavor (but really isn't necessary). Generally speaking, when the peels lose their color, the infusion is ready.
Vodka vs Everclear for Limoncello
Some recipes for Limoncello use a product called Everclear to make the infusion. Everclear is a grain alcohol with a much higher alcohol content (95% alcohol by volume, or ABV) compared to vodka (which is around 40% ABV). While a higher-proof alcohol will extract the lemon oils faster and more intensely, vodka is easier to find and gives a smoother, gentler result.
Here's the difference at a glance:
| Vodka | Everclear |
| Easier to find | Harder to find |
| Smoother flavor | More intense extraction |
| Lower proof | Higher proof |
| Great for most home cooks | Preferred by some traditional recipes |
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients (and water) to make this limoncello liqueur recipe:
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. Choose unwaxed lemons whenever possible since you're using only the peel. If your lemons are waxed, scrub them well under warm water before peeling. Meyer lemons can also be used for a sweeter, less tangy limoncello.
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
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.
Let the jar sit for 1 to 2 weeks, shaking daily.
You can see over the course of 2 weeks how the color of the vodka gets stronger - here you see it on Day 2, Day 5, and Day 14 (photo 2). It's all that essence of lemon seeping in!
Step 2: Drain the liqueur
Strain the limoncello base through a fine mesh strainer, squeezing the zest to get as much of the liquid as possible (photo 3).
Step 3: Add the 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 keep it on the warm side).
Add the slightly warm simple syrup to the limoncello base and stir until it's combined (the limoncello will turn cloudy rather than clear). Using a funnel, pour the liqueur into a sealable glass bottle.
Why is Limoncello cloudy?
Cloudiness is normal after adding simple syrup because the lemon oils mix with the water and sugar.
Storage instructions
You can store the limoncello in the freezer in a warmer area (like in the door). Alternatively, keep it chilled in the refrigerator. The flavor continues to mellow and blend after bottling, so many people find homemade limoncello tastes even better after another week in the refrigerator or freezer.
It should last for up to 3 months.
Troubleshooting tips
Here are some issues you might encounter when making homemade limoncello:
- My limoncello tastes bitter: Too much white pith probably made it into the jar. Next time, use a vegetable peeler and trim away any white bits before steeping.
- My limoncello isn't very lemony: Let it steep longer, use fresher lemons, and make sure the peels are fully submerged in the vodka.
- My limoncello is too strong: Serve it very cold, or dilute slightly with water or more cooled simple syrup.
- My limoncello is too sweet: Add a little more infused vodka if you have it, or use it in cocktails where lemon juice can balance the sweetness.
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 as a refreshing way to end a meal.
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.
Besides sipping it after dinner, homemade limoncello is a wonderful ingredient to keep in the freezer. Its bright citrus flavor adds sweetness and fresh lemon notes to both cocktails and desserts.
Here are some suggestions for using Limoncello:
- Sip well chilled after dinner
- Mix into a Limoncello Rye Whiskey Sour
- Use in Lemon spritzes
- Use in Lemon drop martinis
- Make a Glazed Limoncello Cake
- Use in other fruit desserts
- Drizzle over berries
- Stir into whipped cream
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions that you might have...
The fragrant oils in the peel give limoncello its signature flavor. The juice adds acidity but very little of the classic limoncello aroma.
The strength of the Limoncello varies based on the proof of the infusing spirit used and the sugar content. If you're using vodka, assume that the alcohol content is between about 25% to 40% ABV.
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I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L'chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
More recipes with citrus to try
Recipe
Homemade Limoncello Liqueur with Vodka
Equipment
- funnel
- sealable glass bottle
Ingredients
For the base
- 6 lemons, see Recipe Notes
- 1 bottle vodka, or another grain alcohol, see Recipe Notes
For the simple syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make the base: Wash 6 lemons, then cut away the outer rind with a peeler. Try to avoid getting any of the white part (pith). Cut away any pith that ends up on the peels if you cut too deeply.
- Transfer the peels to a quart mason jar and pour 1 bottle vodka over them. 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).
- Let the jar sit for 1 to 2 weeks, shaking daily. The longer it sits, the more flavor is infused into the vodka. 1 week works, 2 weeks gives fuller flavor, and longer can deepen the lemon flavor (but really isn't necessary). Generally speaking, when the peels lose their color, the infusion is ready.
- Strain the limoncello base through a fine mesh strainer, squeezing the zest to get as much of the liquid as possible.
- Add the simple syrup: Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally as the sugar dissolves. 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.
- Serve chilled and enjoy. Limoncello is intensely lemony and sweet, and a little goes a long way!
- This recipe makes about 1 quart of limoncello.
- Storage instructions: You can store the limoncello in the freezer in a warmer area (like in the door). Alternatively, keep it chilled in the refrigerator. The flavor continues to mellow and blend after bottling, so many people find homemade limoncello tastes even better after another week in the refrigerator or freezer.It should last for up to 3 months.
Kathy Hurd says
Hi Tammy,
My favorite drink, especially in the summer is Lemon Drop Martini. I typically make it with one shot of Limoncello, two shots of Vodka, a fresh lemon juice rim coated with sugar. I hadn't realized limoncello contained vodka. ok... have you had a good laugh... I learned something tonight. See you Friday!
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Kathy, I love a good Lemon Drop Martini as well, and making it with Limoncello instead of Cointreau or Triple Sec sounds sounds like a real upgrade. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Augie says
For a weird and complicated recipe: http://blog.auddex.com/blog/32-limoncello
(I'm still planning to revive my blog someday.)