Drinks
Time-Tested
Homemade Limoncello
Fresh lemon peels, vodka, simple syrup and a little time. Easy to make at home and perfect to keep in the freezer for cocktails, spritzes and after dinner.
JUMP TO RECIPE
Prep
30 min
Cook
5 days steeping
Serves
About 25 (1½-oz pours)
Level
Easy
Ingredients
10 lemons
1 (750 ml) bottle vodka (I use Tito’s because it’s smooth, not too expensive and easy to find)
1¼ cups sugar
1¼ cups water
There’s something nice about having a bottle of limoncello in the freezer, and it’s surprisingly easy to make yourself.
Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur made by steeping lemon peels in alcohol and then sweetening it slightly. Traditionally it’s served in small glasses after dinner. I like to keep a bottle in the freezer for spritzes before dinner or a basil limoncello cocktail like the Amalfi Basil Smash. Kept in the freezer, it turns thick, ice cold and very smooth.
It starts with a bag of lemons and a vegetable peeler. Too much pith makes limoncello bitter, so it’s worth taking your time. The peels go into a big jar, the vodka goes over the peels, and the jar sits on the counter for a few days before you add the simple syrup. Homemade limoncello sounds impressive and is actually very simple: lemon peels, vodka, sugar and time. Mostly time.
Method
Peel the lemons into long strips with a vegetable peeler, leaving as much of the white pith behind as possible. If any white pith is left on the peels, trim it off with a knife.
Place the lemon peels in a large glass jar and pour the vodka over them.
Cover and let the jar sit on the counter for 5 days.
In a small saucepan, gently heat the sugar and water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Do not let it boil. Let it cool completely.
Pour the cooled simple syrup into the lemon vodka and stir to combine.
Strain out the peels and pour the limoncello into a bottle.
Store in the freezer.
A note
Limoncello is perfect for a simple Limoncello Spritz in the summer, or a basil limoncello cocktail like the Amalfi Basil Smash. It’s an easy thing to pull out when friends stop by, or when dinner runs late and you want something small to pour while you finish cooking. Cheers!
Good to know
More About This Recipe
Nutrition
Calories
105
Protein
0g
Carbs
10g
Fat
0g
Tips & tricks
Take your time peeling. Too much pith makes the limoncello bitter.
Nutrition is an estimate per 1½-oz pour, calculated from the ingredients.
Substitutions
Storage & leftovers
Keep the bottle in the freezer, where it turns thick, ice cold and very smooth.
Questions people ask
Postcards from my kitchen
Made this one?
Tell me how it went, or what you did differently. The best changes to these recipes have come from readers.