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Easy & delicious homemade Limoncello

by Micaela Harrasser

I am not a super fan of spirits, but when it comes to an after dinner amaro, a limoncello or a home-made liqueur, I never say no! So here’s my home-made, super easy & delicious recipe for a gorgeous limoncello! The hard work of peeling those lemons will be compensated – this recipe yields around 1.5L from just 1kg of lemons!

The lemons: being the key ingredient, it’s fundamental that you get seasonal, super tasty lemons. Try to go for lemons imported from Sorrento (where Limoncello was born), or to go local. If you plan to make it outside of summer season or with poor quality lemons, forget that sweet, zesty taste!

The spirit: traditionally you should use 100% alcohol. Unfortunately, outside of Italy it’s not something easy to find, so I tried to optimize it with vodka instead! Smirnoff or Absolut are my go-to, easy to find in supermarkets or Gall&Gall. The result is super nice, not too strong and quite sweet. It works even, like me, you’re not a fan of vodka! Just try it to believe it! 😉

[rating]

Super quick & delicious homemade Limoncello

Prep Time: Cooking Time: Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

Makes about 1.5L limoncello:

  • 1kg bio lemons (ideally from Sorrento)
  • 500ml Vodka 
  • 750ml water
  • 300g white sugar

Instructions

  1. Quickly rinse and dry the lemons.
  2. In a big bowl, grate the zest out of the lemons being careful to not get the white part just underneath the skin (it's bitter).
  3. Once done, transfer to a jar/bottle with a good seal.
  4. Add the vodka, give it a stir/shake, and seal properly. 
  5. Let it sit for 1-2 weeks in a dark, cool place. Ideally, every 24h give it a gentle shake without opening it.
  6. After 1-2 weeks, grab a sieve with a fine mesh and filter the vodka+peels: collect the liquid and get rid of the peels.
  7. Note: if the liquid doesn't look very clear, sieve it again or if you have them use paper coffee filters. You are aiming for a clean, clear solution.
  8. Now let's prepare the syrup: in a big pot, heat up the sugar and the water until it gets perfectly transparent.
  9. Note: if you want a clear-colored vodka like mine, let the syrup cool down to room temperature. Otherwise use it hot.
  10. combine the vodka with the syrup, mix, and split across 2 bottles.
  11. Store at room temperature for an extra week, then it's ready to be enjoyed!

Notes

Note: sometimes people keep the lemon peels with the alcohol for up to 1 month, but some recipes state that after a week the peels have already lost all their flavor. I found that 2 weeks is a nice compromise!

Storage: once open, you can keep your limoncello in the fridge for a few months. If a dark matter starts appearing at the top, just give it a quick shake before pouring!  

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