Lemon Ice Cream

Refreshing, creamy and luxurious, this Lemon Ice Cream is a dream come true for lemon lovers. Made with Limoncello and a custard base that is infused with the bright flavors of lemon zest. This frozen lemon dessert has the perfect balance of sweetness to tanginess all while being extravagantly creamy.

3 scoops of Lemon Custard Ice Cream served in a glass ice cream dish.

This post may contain affiliate links which I earn a small portion in sales if a purchase is made. Rest assured though, it is never at any additional cost to you.

2 servings of Lemon Chiffon Ice Cream sitting on a white marble countertop.

Difference Between Homemade and Store Bought Ice Cream

So here is the sad truth about almost all store-bought ice cream, they include ingredients that no-one would ever buy or keep on hand in their cupboard. Often, you will find all kinds of artificial ingredients.

On the other hand, homemade ice cream has simple ingredients we all recognize. Additionally, you can use the finest quality milk, cream, eggs, etc. This really can make a huge difference is the taste and overall satisfaction of ice cream.

Important Tip: If you have never had homemade ice cream you will notice a textural difference. This is because homemade ice cream does not have ingredients such as guar gum, locust bean gum and tara gum.

Secret to the Right Balance of Sweet to Sour with Lemon Ice Cream

The secret to making ice cream that has a bright and citrusy flavor without being too tangy is to use the lemon peels. The zest of the lemon has immensely flavorful oils. By peeling the lemons and letting them sit in the sugar overnight, the oils are pulled from the peels. The mixture is then added to the milk and eggs to make a super flavorful ice cream base.

Pro Tip: When peeling the lemons make sure to only peel the zest and leave the bitter white pith behind. See video for more details.

Scoopable Homemade Ice Cream

Homemade ice cream that has been sitting in the freezer for longer than a day has a tendency of becoming challenging to scoop. This often happens, even if it was made in an ice cream machine. There are a few secrets to making ice cream easy to scoop after being frozen. This Lemon Ice Cream uses one of the most popular approaches, the addittion of a small amount of alcohol.

Adding 1/4 cup of Limoncello to the ice cream base gives this ice cream amazing flavor. It also makes it very easy to scoop and serve. This is because alcohol does not freeze.

Why Make a Custard Base

An ice cream custard base includes milk, sugar and eggs yolks. These ingredients, in addittion to the heavy cream, creates a thick and smooth texture that makes the ice cream feel incredibly luxurious.

Ingredients

  • Large Lemons– I highly recommend to remove the wax coating on store bought lemons before making this ice cream. See the “Dewaxing Store Bought Lemons” section below.
  • Granulated Sugar– Organic granulated sugar as a tan like color to it. This can help in giving a natural yellow color to the ice cream.
  • Whole Milk and Heavy Whipping Cream– I have recently fallen head over heels in love with Raw Farm products. Not only is their quality amazing, my sensitivity to milk is practically nonexistent with their products. Because of them, I can happily still enjoy ice cream.
  • Egg Yolks– Similarly to organic granulated sugar, pasture raised eggs helps to give this Lemon Ice Cream a beautiful yellow shade. This is because pasture raised egg yolks have a deeper yellowish orange color than regular eggs.
  • Limoncello– The addittion of Limoncello adds in another delicious layer of lemon and aids in making the ice cream easy to scoop. Either store-bought or Homemade Limoncello may be used.

Dewaxing Store Bought Lemons

Store bought lemons have a thin layer of wax sprayed onto the peel to make them more visually appealing. I highly recommend to remove the wax layer before making the ice cream by using one of the two methods below.

  • Place lemons in a large heat safe bowl. Heat about 6 cups of water almost to simmering. Pour hot water over lemons and let sit for 5 minutes. Scrub each lemon under cold water using a clean sponge or vegetable brush
  • Place lemons in a colander. Bring approximately 6 cups of water to a boil. Slowly pour boiling water over lemons. Using a clean sponge or vegetable brush, scrub each lemon under cold water.

How to Make

  1. Start by dewaxing lemons if using store-bought lemons. (See “Dewaxing Store Bought Lemons” section above.)
  2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the lemon peel leaving as much of the pith (white spongy part) behind. (XOXO vegetable peeler does a phenomenal job.)
  3. Place the lemon peel strips into a bowl and pour sugar over the top of peels. Stir well and cover. Let sit on the countertop overnight, about 12 hours. 
  4. Once the lemon peels have sat with the sugar, transfer to a medium sized saucepan along with the milk, egg yolks and salt. Place over medium heat stirring constantly until hot and steamy, about 10 minutes. DO NOT BOIL. The mixture should thicken slightly.
  5. Transfer the ice cream mixture to a heat safe bowl by straining through a fine mesh colander.
  6. To the ice cream mixture add heavy whipping cream, limoncello and lemon juice. Stir well and cover. Refrigerate until chilled, about 8-12 hours.
  7. Once chilled, add ice cream mixture to the inner lining of the ice cream maker making sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  8. Churn ice cream for about 25 -30 minutes or until desired thickness is achieved. Serve immediately or transfer to freezer to firm, about 2-3 hours.

Best Tips When Making Lemon Ice Cream

  • If using an ice cream machine similar to what is shown in the video, make sure to freeze the inner lining at least a day before churning the ice cream.
  • These Ice Cream Containers are a wonderful way to store homemade ice cream to prevent freezer burn.
  • Chill ice cream bowls before serving to help prevent ice cream from melting too soon on hot days.
Two glass ice cream dishes with Limoncello Ice Cream sitting on a marble countertop.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the ice cream mixture need to chill before adding to the ice cream machine?

Chilling for at least 8-12 hours will ensure that the ice cream mixture freezes well while being churned.

Can I use bottled lemon juice for this recipe?

I highly recommend to use fresh lemons for this ice cream. This is because the lemon zest is the star of this recipe adding in a bright and citrusy flavor without adding too much tanginess.

How do I prevent curdling when making the ice cream base?

Simply follow the recipe as written. You will see a slight separation of the ice cream mixture after chilling. All that needs to be done is to stir the mixture before adding to the ice cream machine.

Is this ice cream safe for children?

If serving children, I recommend to replace the Limoncello with 1 teaspoon of lemon extract.

More Luscious Lemon Recipes

Best Lemonade

Lemon Sorbet

Italian Lemon Pound Cake

Sticky Lemon Chicken

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Creamy Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing

Sgroppino (Frozen Italian Lemon Cocktail)

Lemon Ice Cream garnished with lemon slices and lemon zest.

Lemon Ice Cream

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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Lemon Custard Ice Cream, Lemon Ice Cream, Limoncello Ice Cream
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 270kcal
Author: Heather

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 large lemons zested *see Note #3 below
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup limoncello *either store bought or homemade
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

Instructions

Lemon Peels

  • Using a vegetable peeler, remove the lemon peel leaving as much of the pith (white spongy part) behind.
  • Place the lemon peel strips into a bowl and pour sugar over the top of peels. Stir well and cover. Let sit on the countertop overnight, about 12 hours. See Note #4 below.

Ice Cream Mixture

  • Once the lemon peels have sat with the sugar, transfer to a medium sized saucepan along with the milk, egg yolks and salt. Place over medium heat stirring constantly until hot and steamy, about 10 minutes. DO NOT BOIL. The mixture should thicken slightly. See Note #5 below.
  • Transfer the ice cream mixture to a heat safe bowl by straining through a fine mesh colander.
  • To the ice cream mixture add heavy whipping cream, limoncello and lemon juice. Stir well and cover. Refrigerate until chilled, about 8-12 hours.
  • Once chilled, add ice cream mixture to the inner lining of the ice cream maker making sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. See Note #6 below.
  • Churn ice cream for about 25 -30 minutes or until desired thickness is achieved.
  • At this point either immediately serve the softly frozen ice cream or cover and transfer to the freezer to firm, about 2-3 hours. See Note #7 below.

Notes

Recipe Notes
Note #1– From the video you can see I have the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker that is about 25 years old and still going strong. 
Note #2– The XOXO Vegetable Peeler does an excellent job peeling the zest while leaving the bitter pith (spongy white part) behind. 
Note #3– I used fresh Costco lemons for this recipe. If using smaller sized lemons, aim for about 5 lemons.
Note #4– The sugar will pull the oils out of the lemon zest, giving this ice cream an amazing bright and citrusy flavor without becoming too tangy. 
Note #5– The mixture should go from a milk like consistency to a heavy cream like consistency. It is only a slight thickening of the ice cream mixture. 
Note #6– If using the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, make sure to freeze the liner at least a day before needed.
Note #7– The softly frozen ice cream can either remain in the liner or be transferred to an ice cream container

Nutrition

Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 31mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 773IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @thefedupfoodie or tag #thefedupfoodie!

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4 Comments

  1. This lemon ice cream looks incredible! I never knew there was such a thing. So excited to try this recipe!

    1. It is like finding a hidden treasure for lemon lovers. I hope you enjoy and please let me know how it turns out.

  2. I’m in my 60s and I grew up eating lemon ice cream from the confectionary on the corner. This is something you just can’t buy in stores. Thank you for sharing! ❤️

    1. Hi Pamella. That makes me so happy to hear and I agree, lemon ice cream is so hard to find in the store. I hope you get a chance to enjoy some this summer!

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