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This pineapple sorbet is full of fresh tropical flavor and takes just 3 ingredients. It’s a fun frozen dessert recipe that’s frosty, creamy, and easy to whip up at home.
Got a fresh pineapple on hand? Here’s a fantastic way to use it: pineapple sorbet! This frozen treat is bursting with pure, tropical fruit flavor and a frosty, creamy texture.
All you need are a handful of ingredients and an ice cream maker to whip up this frozen dessert. I promise, neighbors and friends will come flocking! This is always a big hit in our house, and I hope it will be in yours.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Pineapple sorbet is quick and simple with just a few ingredients! You’ll need:
- Fresh pineapple: While I’ve experimented with frozen pineapple in a sorbet, the best flavor I’ve found it using fresh pineapple. You’ll also need a blender and an ice cream maker. (To use up leftovers, browse my 20 Pineapple Recipes.)
- Lime juice: Fresh lime juice is key here to bring out the tangy flavor of the fruit.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar lowers the freezing point and keeps the sorbet soft instead of turning it into a block of ice.
- Kosher salt: Just a pinch makes fruit taste more like itself!
How To Cut A Pineapple
The most challenging thing about working with a fresh pineapple is cutting it. It’s notoriously difficult to wrangle this large fruit! Here’s a quick primer on how to cut it into chunks quickly:
- Cut off the top and bottom: Use a large chef’s knife to cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple.
- Remove the skin: Remove the skin of the pineapple by slicing it off, following the shape of the pineapple.
- Slice into quarters and core: Slice the pineapple in half lengthwise. Lay down each pineapple half on the flat cut side, and cut it in half lengthwise again. Remove the core by cutting it out at an angle.
- Dice: Slice each quarter in half lengthwise, then turn it and slice in the other direction to create pineapple chunks.
Want to see it in action? Here’s a video showing How to Cut a Pineapple: it breaks down the method and is the easiest way to learn knife skills.
How to Make Fresh Pineapple Sorbet (Ice Cream Maker)
Once the pineapple is chopped, the rest is easy. Here’s the overview (or jump to the recipe):
Step 1: Blend. Puree the pineapple chunks in blender until smooth, then add the sugar, lime juice, ice and salt and blend again. The ice makes it so you can go right to Step 2.
Step 2: Churn. Pour the puree into your ice cream maker and churn for 20 to 25 minutes, until thick and frosty.
Step 3: Serve or firm up. Enjoy immediately for soft-serve texture, or transfer to a container and freeze for 1 to 2 hours so it has a scoopable texture.
A note on ice cream makers: The main tool you need for sorbet is an ice cream maker (it makes my homemade ice cream recipes and frozen yogurt, too). Here’s the 2 quart ice cream maker I use: I’ve had mine for years and it holds up well. Remember you’ll have to freeze the base overnight before making the recipe.
No Ice Cream Maker? Try the Blender Method
To make this with a blender, pour the puree into silicone ice cube trays and freeze for about 3 hours, until firm. Then add the cubes to a blender, scraping down the sides, until creamy. Serve right away.
Ninja Creami owners: Freeze the puree in the pint container for 24 hours, then run the Sorbet program.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Pineapple sorbet is best the day it’s made: so if you can, churn it right before serving! You can also freeze it a few hours for a more solid texture, but freezing overnight makes it very solid. Here are a few tricks to working with leftovers:
- Make the puree up to 2 days in advance. You can refrigerate until you’re ready to churn.
- Line a storage container with parchment paper. This helps so the sorbet doesn’t freeze to the edges of the container and makes it easier to defrost.
- Churn the sorbet up to 2 hours in advance of serving. The texture will be nicely solid at this point and easy to scoop into balls.
- Leftovers save 1 week, but defrost at room temp for 20 to 30 minutes. Make time to leave it out the container on the counter until it defrosts. Don’t expect it to be like store-bought sorbet, which stays softer in the freezer.
Dietary Notes
This pineapple sorbet recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not quite. Dole Whip is a soft-serve style treat, usually with frozen pineapple and coconut milk: see my favorite Dole Whip recipe! Pineapple sorbet is churned from fresh fruit puree, so the flavor is brighter.
Sherbet contains a small amount of milk, which gives it a pastel color and creamier texture. Sorbet is dairy-free. See my Homemade Lime Sherbet or Orange Sherbet.
Homemade sorbet has no stabilizers so it freezes firm after a few hours. Let it sit out 20 to 30 minutes before scooping, or you can serve it right after churning.
Pineapple Sorbet
This pineapple sorbet is full of fresh tropical flavor and takes just 3 ingredients. It’s a fun frozen dessert recipe that’s frosty, creamy, and easy to whip up at home.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart (4 cups or 8 servings) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 6 cups (2 pounds) fresh pineapple, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 cup ice
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
Note: Make sure the base of the ice cream maker is frozen overnight before making this recipe.
- Peel and chop the pineapple.
- Place the pineapple in a food processor or high-powered blender and puree. Add the sugar, lime juice, ice and salt and puree until smooth. (To make ahead, you can refrigerate at this point until you want to churn, up to 2 days.)
- Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze for 20 to 25 minutes. The texture will be frosty and creamy at this point. Serve immediately. Or, line a container with parchment paper and freeze up to 2 hours day of. Store in a parchment lined sealed container for up to 1 week; allow to come to room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before scooping.
great, love these flavors and good tip too about making the puree ahead, churning too, thank you
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