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    Home » Frozen Treats & Toppings

    Published Jun 14, 2022 · Updated Jun 14, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Silky Smooth Strawberry Mint Sorbet (Dairy-Free)

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Two bowls of strawberry mint sorbet garnished with strawberries & mint on a red & white striped towel Pinterest banner.
    Two bowls of strawberry mint sorbet garnished with strawberries & mint on a red & white striped towel Pinterest banner.

    Enjoy the bright taste of strawberries underscored with a subtle hint of mint in this easy strawberry sorbet. Intensely red and naturally dairy-free, it's a beautiful and delicious dessert!

    Two bowls of strawberry mint sorbet garnished with strawberries & mint on a red & white striped towel. this …

    Why this recipe works

    • Strawberry sorbet is brightly flavored and naturally dairy-free
    • Using an ice cream maker produces a silky smooth texture
    • Since sorbet doesn't contain dairy, it's lower in fat and calories than sherbet or ice cream

    Fresh strawberries are one of those seasonal treats that you want to take advantage of any way you can. Eating them right away is always an option (sprinkled with brown sugar is my two daughters' favorite way to devour strawberries).

    Strawberry Pie, Strawberry Jam, and even Strawberry Popsicles are great ways to cook with them. By comparison, making Strawberry Sorbet seems exotic and fun at the same time. But since homemade sorbet is so easy to make, why not give it a go?

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • What you need
    • How to make a sorbet
    • Questions asked and answered
    • Pro Tip: Flavoring simple syrup
    • A beautiful and delicious dessert
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe

    What you need

    Sorbet is essentially a frozen sweetened fruit purée. The ingredients for sorbet are few: fruit, sugar, and a little citrus (in this case, lemon juice). Some sorbet recipes just mix sugar into the fruit purée, but I like to use a simple syrup (that is, sugar dissolved in water) so that you don't run the risk of having a grainy texture from any undissolved sugar.

    For this strawberry sorbet recipe, I'm adding a subtle taste of mint to add interest and complexity to the flavor profile. As a guide, one 1-ounce package of mint will yield about ½ cup (15 grams) of mint leaves. Feel free to increase it or leave it out, as you prefer. For a more pronounced mint flavor, use up to 1 cup (30 grams) of fresh mint leaves or ¼ teaspoon of mint extract.

    Adding a small amount of vodka to the sorbet after churning keeps it from freezing into an ice-cube hard rock in the freezer. The alcohol lowers the freezing temperature of water, giving the sorbet a silky smooth texture that's easier to scoop. It's just a bit, and you won't taste any alcohol, but again you can leave it out if you'd rather not use it.

    Ingredients for Strawberry Mint Sorbet portioned into glass bowls from overhead.

    How to make a sorbet

    Step 1: Make the base

    Combine the water, sugar, and mint leaves to make a mint syrup. Bring the mixture to boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes (photo 1).

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    Mint & sugar in a saucepan on a hot plate.
    Getting ready to make mint simple syrup

    Transfer the mint syrup to a small bowl and chill for 30 minutes (photo 2).

    Mint Syrup in a saucepan on a hot plate.
    The mint syrup is ready to be chilled

    While the mint syrup is chilling, place the strawberries and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and purée until the mixture is smooth (photo 3).

    Collage of strawberries & lemon juice in a food processor before & after puréeing.
    Before and after puréeing the strawberries with the lemon juice

    Use a fine mesh strainer to strain out the seeds and chunks, transferring the purée to a large bowl (photo 4).

    strawberry purée in a glass bowl.
    Straining out the strawberry seeds contributes to the sorbet's smooth texture

    When the mint syrup has cooled, stir it into the bowl with the seedless strawberry purée, straining out the mint leaves (photo 5). Taste the base for sweetness, adding sugar by 1 tablespoon increments as needed. Remember, cold dulls sweetness, so make it a little sweeter than you think it should be.

    Chill the base in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours or overnight. It should be about 55˚F before churning.

    Collage of straining mint syrup into purée & finished base.
    Adding the mint syrup to finish the base

    Step 2: Churn the sorbet

    Pour the base into an ice cream maker and freeze per the manufacturer’s instructions. It will take about 25 to 30 minutes, and the volume of the base will increase as it freezes (photo 6).

    Making sorbet without an ice cream maker requires you to stir the base every so often in the freezer for several hours, and the results can be a bit grainy. Using an ice cream maker produces a silky smooth texture more similar to sherbet or ice cream. The ice cream maker I'm using is a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Another good option is a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.

    Collage of before and after churning sorbet in an ice cream maker.
    The volume of the base doesn't look like a lot in the beginning, but it increases as it freezes

    When finished, the sorbet will have a soft texture (photo 7).

    Finished sorbet on a spoon in front of an ice cream maker.
    The sorbet has a soft texture

    Step 3: Ripen the sorbet

    Transfer the sorbet to a freezer-safe container. Stir in the vodka, if using, then smooth the top using a small offset spatula (photo 8).

    Freeze for 2 to 4 hours to allow sorbet to firm up, a process called ripening. Serve and enjoy!

    Collage of finished sorbet in a tub before and after smoothing the top.
    Getting ready to ripen the sorbet

    Questions asked and answered

    Here are some questions you might have...

    What's the difference between sherbet and sorbet?

    While sorbet is simply a frozen fruit purée, sherbet has the addition of dairy in the base, giving it a creamier consistency more like ice cream. For example. this Whole Lemon Sherbet uses milk and heavy cream in its preparation. Since sorbet doesn't contain dairy, it's lower in fat and calories than sherbet or ice cream.

    Why do you add lemon juice to sorbet?

    Besides adding a tart counterpoint to the fruit's sweetness, lemon juice helps to thicken the sorbet base, much like pectin does when making jam.

    Can you make sorbet with frozen fruit?

    Yes! Since you're creating a cold purée, your fruit can be fresh or frozen, so you're not limited to seasonality when you want to make sorbet. Just know that fresh fruit that's in season generally has better flavor than frozen.

    Tub of strawberry mint sorbet with a ice cream scoop on a red & white striped towel from overhead.

    Pro Tip: Flavoring simple syrup

    Infusing simple syrup can be a fun way to play with introducing flavors to your recipes. Mint is easy to work with because its fresh flavor complements many others, like chocolate and lemon. I use mint simple syrup in Double Chocolate Mint Chip Gelato and Chocolate Mint Marshmallow Ice Cream.

    You don't have to stop at infusing simple syrups, either. My Double Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies have mint infused into melted butter to bring the flavor. And Limoncello liqueur starts with vodka infused with lemons. And the epitome of infusing is letting vanilla beans soak in cream to make all sorts of custards.

    Two bowls of strawberry mint sorbet garnished with strawberries & mint on a red & white striped towel from overhead.

    A beautiful and delicious dessert

    Not only is the flavor of this Strawberry Mint Sorbet bright with an intense strawberry flavor, the color is a beautiful, vibrant red. I can see serving this as a finish to a Valentine's Day dinner!

    Since sorbet is naturally dairy-free, it's perfect for those avoiding lactose or following a vegan diet. And Strawberry Mint Sorbet will keep in the freezer in an airtight container for a month or more.

    Two bowls of strawberry mint sorbet garnished with strawberries & mint on a red & white striped towel.

    There are many recipes for using strawberries. Strawberry Mint Sorbet is so easy and delicious, it definitely belongs in your repertoire as one of them!

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Recipes

    I scream, you scream, we all scream to make ice cream, gelato, sherbet, and sorbet! Whether you're craving something basic like Vanilla Ice Cream (where the best comes from your kitchen), or something fancier like Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato (with less fat than ice cream), you've got lots of choices for homemade frozen treats

    How will you top your ice cream? I've got recipes for all sorts of toppings, from Hot Fudge Sauce to Butterscotch and Caramel. So many yummy choices, the examples below will just get you started.

    And if you want to share your frozen desserts with family and friends, why not hold an ice cream social? You'll find some clever suggestions here to get you started planning the perfect party! 

    • Creative Ice Cream Party Ideas
    • Refreshing Mango Sorbet (Dairy-Free)
    • Quick and Easy English Toffee Sauce (Gluten-free)
    • Quick and Easy Butterscotch Sauce

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    Recipe

    Two bowls of strawberry mint sorbet garnished with strawberries & mint on a red & white striped towel.

    Strawberry Mint Sorbet (Dairy-Free)

    Tammy Spencer
    Enjoy the bright taste of strawberries underscored with a subtle hint of mint in this easy strawberry sorbet. Intensely red and naturally dairy-free, it's a beautiful and delicious dessert!
    Adapted from King Arthur Baking
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Chilling Time 7 hrs
    Total Time 7 hrs 15 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 98 kcal

    Equipment

    • food processor
    • fine mesh strainer
    • ice cream maker
    • small offset spatula
    Prevent your screen from going dark while cooking

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup water
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • ⅓ cup mint leaves, fresh, see Recipe Notes
    • 1 pound strawberries, fresh or frozen, quartered, about 2¾ cups, see Recipe Notes
    • ¼ cup lemon juice, from 1 lemon
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons vodka, optional, see Recipe Notes

    Instructions
     

    • Make the base: In a 3-quart medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and mint leaves. Bring the mixture to boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the mint syrup to a small bowl and chill for 30 minutes.
    • While the mint syrup is chilling, place the strawberries and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and purée until the mixture is smooth. Use a fine mesh strainer to strain out the seeds and chunks, transferring the purée to a large bowl.
    • When the mint syrup has cooled, stir it into the bowl with the seedless strawberry purée, straining out the mint leaves. Taste the base for sweetness, adding sugar by 1 tablespoon increments as needed. Remember, cold dulls sweetness, so make it a little sweeter than you think it should be.
    • Chill the base in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours or overnight. It should be about 40 °F before churning.
    • Churn the sorbet: Pour the base into an ice cream maker and freeze per the manufacturer’s instructions. It will take about 25 to 30 minutes, and the volume of the base will increase as it freezes. When finished, the sorbet will have a soft texture.
    • Ripen the sorbet: Transfer the sorbet to a freezer-safe container. Stir in the vodka, if using, then smooth the top using a small offset spatula. Freeze for 2 to 4 hours to allow sorbet to firm up, a process called ripening. Serve and enjoy!
    • Strawberry Mint Sorbet will keep in the freezer in an airtight container for a month or more.

    Video

    Notes

    As a guide, one 1-ounce package of mint will yield about ½ cup (15 grams) of mint leaves. For a more pronounced mint flavor, use up to 1 cup (30 grams) of fresh mint leaves or ¼ teaspoon of mint extract.
    Since you're creating a cold purée as it is, your fruit can be fresh or frozen, so you're not limited to seasonality when you want to make sorbet. Just know that fresh fruit that's in season generally has better flavor than frozen.
    The vodka is included so that the sorbet doesn't freeze into an ice-cube hard rock after being churned. The alcohol lowers the freezing temperature of water, giving this sorbet a silky smooth texture that's easier to scoop. It's a small amount, and you won't taste any alcohol, but you can leave it out if you'd rather not use it.
    The ice cream maker I'm using is a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Another good option is a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.

    Your Notes

    Click here to add your own private notes

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 servingCalories: 98 kcalCarbohydrates: 24 gProtein: 0.5 gFat: 0.3 gSaturated Fat: 0.02 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.03 gSodium: 3 mgPotassium: 106 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 22 gVitamin A: 87 IUVitamin C: 37 mgCalcium: 15 mgIron: 0.3 mg
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    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

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