This post may include affiliate links.
Homemade raspberry sherbet is bright pink, creamy, and perfectly sweet-tart. All it takes is five ingredients and a little time to make this easy healthy dessert.
If you’re looking for a great healthy frozen dessert, try my homemade raspberry sherbet! It’s got a pure flavor that tastes like an entire mouthful of raspberries, and it’s a bright shade of pink from using real fruit.
Unlike store-bought sherbet, it’s just sweet enough, a perfect refreshing treat for summer evenings. I love the nostalgia of sherbet (I grew up eating it), but I never knew how easy and delicious it is to mix up at home. Here’s my favorite recipe!
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Great recipe. I’ve used it with several other berries and fruits. I find it is a great, easy sherbet recipe. I double the recipe and substitute ½ the milk with thick fresh cream which keeps it from freezing solid!” -Jimm
Ingredients In Raspberry Sherbet
Raspberry sherbet is a frozen dessert made with berries, sugar, and milk that’s churned like ice cream. The dairy gives it a creamier mouthfeel than raspberry sorbet, which has no milk or cream. Sherbet is like a lighter spin on ice cream: sherbet has 1 to 2% milkfat, whereas ice cream has at least 10% milkfat. Here are the key ingredients for raspberry sherbet:
- Raspberries: I like using fresh raspberries here, but you can also use frozen which are less expensive.
- Granulated sugar: It’s important to use sugar here for the right texture; I don’t use liquid sweetener in this recipe.
- Lemon juice: A hint of fresh lemon juice really brings out the berry flavor: don’t skip it!
- Whole milk: This is what makes it sherbet. I like using whole milk to give it the best creamy texture.
Sherbet Vs. Sorbet Vs. Ice Cream
The difference between sherbet, sorbet, and ice cream is all about the milkfat. Sherbet has 1-2% milkfat: just a hint of dairy to make a smooth, creamy texture. Raspberry sorbet has no dairy: it’s vegan and freezer harder. It also tastes sharper.
In contrast, ice cream is at least 10% milkfat, which is why it is so creamy and scoopable straight from the freezer. I love sherbet because it tastes brighter and fruitier than ice cream with less dairy (which can sometimes give me a stomach ache).
How To Make Raspberry Sherbet
- Step 1: Blend. Purée the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and ice until completely smooth.
- Step 2: Strain (don’t skip this step!). Pour the purée into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Use a spatula to work the raspberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve, forcing the liquid through. It takes a few minutes, but it’s worth the extra effort! Then discard the leftover seeds and pulp before finishing the recipe.
- Step 3: Stir in the milk. Whisk the whole milk into the strained purée.
- Step 4: Churn and freeze. Churn 20 to 25 minutes, until thickened, then transfer to a parchment-lined container and freeze for 1 hour to firm up the texture.
Ice Cream Maker Tips
An ice cream maker is required equipment to make raspberry sherbet: it freezes the mixture into a creamy, even sherbet. If you don’t have one, it’s a great investment that you can use to make sorbet, sherbet, and ice cream all year round. Here are a few tips for working with this tool:
- Find a quality ice cream maker. Here’s the 2 quart ice cream maker I use. It’s durable and has held up well over the years. I had one that bit the dust early, so it’s important to invest in quality.
- Freeze the base in advance. Make sure to freeze the base of the ice cream maker overnight before making this recipe (unless you have a fancy ice cream maker that doesn’t require this). If you forget, try freezing the base for at least 4 hours. Give it a shake and if you still hear liquid inside, it’s not fully frozen: freeze it for another hour or two until solid.
Ways To Serve Raspberry Sherbet
- With more berries: Go raspberry crazy by topping with fresh berries.
- With something chocolate: Try it next to a warm fudgy olive oil brownie or on a flourless chocolate cake.
- As a sundae with whipped cream. A dollop of homemade sweetened whipped cream adds another creamy layer.
- In a sherbet flight. Add small scoops with orange sherbet and lime sherbet, or make my homemade rainbow sherbet.
- Over pound cake, or layered with raspberry compote.
Storage And Make-Ahead Tips
Homemade raspberry sherbet holds up well in the freezer, but it generally tastes best the day it is made. You’ll need about 30 minutes to make and churn it, then another 1 hour to freeze it and harden the texture even more. Here are some tips for making and storing this sherbet:
- Churn 1 hour in advance of serving (or you can eat right away with a soft texture). Place the sherbet in the freezer for 1 hour to get it to a firmer, scoop-able texture. But if you want to eat it right away after churning, that works: it just has a very soft texture that melts quickly.
- Line a storage container with parchment paper. This helps so the sherbet doesn’t freeze to the edges of the container and makes it easier to defrost.
- Leftovers save 1 week, but defrost at room temp for about 10 minutes. Make time to leave out the container on the counter for about 10 minutes until it defrosts enough to scoop.
Dietary Notes
This raspberry sherbet recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Puréed raspberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and whole milk, churned in an ice cream maker. That small amount of dairy is what gives it a creamy texture.
Use whole milk rather than skim, and don’t let extra ice melt in before churning. Substituting part of the milk with cream can also give a creamier result.
Yes, and I often do. No need to thaw before using.
Raspberry Sherbet
Homemade raspberry sherbet is bright pink, creamy, and perfectly sweet-tart. All it takes is five ingredients and a little time to make this easy healthy dessert.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Freeze Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: About 2 ½ cups (4 servings) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 pound (4 cups) fresh raspberries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- ½ cup ice
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
Note: Make sure the base of the ice cream maker is frozen overnight before making this recipe.
- Add the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, salt and ice to a food processor or high-powered blender and puree until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and press it with a spatula into a bowl, discarding the raspberry seeds and pulp. Stir in the whole milk.
- Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn for 20 to 25 minutes, until the texture becomes frosty and creamy. Line a container with parchment paper and add the sherbet; place it in the freezer and freeze for at least 1 hour to allow it to come to a scoopable texture. Store in a parchment lined sealed container for up to 1 week; allow to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping to soften it.
This came out much closer to a sorbet than a sherbet.
Great recipe. I’ve used it with several other berries and fruits. I find it is a great, easy sherbet recipe. I double the recipe and substitute 1/2 the milk with thick fresh cream which keeps it from freezing solid. For me, the brand of cream makes a difference. I used some that give it a strange taste so it was important to try different ones until you find something that works.
I have two questions:
1. You list “1/2 cup of ice” in the ingredients, but that is not mentioned in the recipe instructions. With the mixture going into an ice cream maker, I am confused as to the purpose of the ice if it is supposed to be there.
2. In the instructions, it mentions “orange sherbet”, but that is not listed in the ingrdients. Was this a misprint from the “rainbow sherbet” recipe?
Yes, the ice is required! Orange was a typo. Both are fixed: thank you!
Let us know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to making this. My question is, what is the kosher salt and ice for? It’s in the ingredients but not the instructions. :)
They should both be included — typo fixed! Thank you!