Making Limoncello from scratch is very easy, but you need to let it rest and infuse for several days before you can complete the recipe. So if you ever think I can just weight all the ingredients, ex. weight sugar, weight, water and weight lemons – please don’t.

In Italy, Limoncello is one of the favorite digestive drinks. It’s a perfect ending to any dinner, meat or seafood based. There are also many Italian Limoncello based desserts that are just out of this world delicious. Jump to: Otherwise, a good-quality limoncello made from grain spirit that has been properly distilled multiple times should be fine for people with a sensitivity to gluten. After all, the ingredients are similar to vodka but with just lemon peels and sugar as well. For those of you who like the thrill of the forbidden fruit, try to make Concord Grape Wine Fragolino.All sweeteners like corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, blue agave syrup and even brown sugar will impact the taste of the final product, sometimes not in a pleasant way. So substitute with caution and only if you’re familiar with the alternative sweetener itself. You’ve gotta love a recipe with a short ingredient list! Limoncello consists of lemon peels or zest, high proof grain alcohol like vodka or everclear, sugar and water. What’s the Best Liquor for Making Homemade Limoncello? Italy has many traditions that span centuries, but Limoncello as a commercial product is actually a modern invention. This is how you recognize a good quality Limoncello. Because it contains a high percentage of alcohol, Limoncello does not solidify like ice, but it remains creamy.

Traditionally, limoncello is made with cask-strength grappa distilled from grape skins. However, in the states grappa is only sold in 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).Combine the lemon zest or peels and alcohol in a sealed glass jar. Store it out of direct sunlight (I keep mine next to my coffee) and give the contents a gentle shake every few days. Taste every couple of days until you have a bright, tangy lemon flavor that shines through and prevails over the taste of the alcohol. This can take up to 3 weeks. Furthermore, limoncello is usually heavily sweetened and a single bottle may contain as much as 300 grams (10.5 Oz) of sugar. Another nuance that nobody talks about is that 1 cup sugar + 1 cup water is NOT equal to 2 cups of sugar syrup! Sugar dissolved in water reduces almost by half in volume. So 1 cup sugar + 1 cups water will give about 1 ½ of syrup. That’s why it’s super important to follow the recipes and its measurements. A true limoncello, as it has been given the Protected Geographical Indication (Indicazione Geografica Protetta/IGP), must be made from untreated (no pesticides) Sorrento lemons. But if a trip to the Amalfi coast is not in your near future, you can make your own limoncello at home with grocery store lemons! Photo Credit: Elana Lepkowski What’s in this Limoncello?