The short answer: this limoncello recipe takes the zest of 6 unwaxed lemons and 500 ml of 95% food-grade alcohol. Steep the zest for 1 to 3 weeks, then stir in a cooled syrup of 360 g sugar and 720 ml water. Rest it for 1 week. You get about 1.4 litres at roughly 34% alcohol, served ice cold.
Limoncello is lemon zest, alcohol, sugar and water. Nothing else. The yellow skin holds the lemon oil, the alcohol pulls it out, and the syrup softens it into a liqueur. How to make limoncello well comes down to three things: no white pith, strong alcohol, and patience.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Work | 30 minutes over two days |
| Wait | 1 to 3 weeks steeping, then 1 week resting |
| Makes | About 1.4 litres |
| Alcohol | Roughly 34% |
| Keeps | About a year in the freezer |
Ingredients
- 6 large unwaxed lemons
- 500 ml food-grade alcohol, 95% or 96% (190 proof)
- 360 g white sugar
- 720 ml water
- A 1 litre glass jar with a tight lid, and bottles for the finished liqueur
The alcohol: Italians use pure grain alcohol at 95%. In the US that is Everclear; in Europe look for 96% food-grade alcohol. It pulls the lemon oil out faster and more completely than vodka. Never use denatured or rubbing alcohol.
The lemons: the zest is the whole flavour, so buy unwaxed lemons with thick, bright skins. Scrub them in warm water and dry them well.
How to make limoncello
- Peel. Take off only the yellow zest in strips with a vegetable peeler. Press lightly.
- Trim. Scrape off any white pith left on the strips with a small knife. Pith makes limoncello bitter.
- Steep. Put the zest in the jar, pour in the alcohol and close the lid. Keep it in a dark cupboard and swirl it every few days. After 1 week it is usable; after 3 weeks the alcohol is a deep yellow and the zest is pale and brittle.
- Make the syrup. Heat the water and sugar until every grain dissolves. Let the syrup cool completely.
- Strain. Pour the alcohol through a fine sieve lined with a coffee filter. Squeeze nothing out of the zest.
- Mix. Stir the cool syrup into the lemon alcohol. It turns cloudy. That is the lemon oil coming out of solution, and it is what you want.
- Rest. Bottle it, close it and leave it for 1 week so the flavour rounds out.
- Chill. Put the bottles in the freezer for at least a few hours before serving.
The ratio, and how to change it
The base is 1 part 95% alcohol to about 1.4 parts syrup. That lands near 34% alcohol, a little above most bottles in shops, which sit around 25 to 30%.
| Version | Alcohol | Lemons | Sugar | Water | Steep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic, 95% alcohol | 500 ml | 6 | 360 g | 720 ml | 1 to 3 weeks |
| Vodka at 50% (100 proof) | 1 litre | 8 | 400 g | 350 ml | 3 to 4 weeks |
- Sweeter and softer: add more syrup, a little at a time, and taste.
- Drier and sharper: use less syrup. The liqueur gets stronger in alcohol as well as in lemon.
- With vodka: the 50% version above makes about 1.6 litres at about 30%. Ordinary 40% vodka extracts less oil, so give it the full 4 weeks.
How to tell the zest is done
- The alcohol is the colour of a lemon's skin.
- The zest strips look pale and snap when you bend them.
- A drop on your tongue tastes of lemon first and alcohol second.
How long limoncello keeps
- In the freezer: about a year. At around 34% alcohol with sugar, it stays liquid in a home freezer.
- Best flavour: in the first few months. The fresh lemon scent fades slowly after that.
- In the cupboard: it keeps too, but serve it cold. Warm limoncello tastes mostly of alcohol.
Label each bottle with the date you mixed it.
Common mistakes
- Pith in the jar: the white layer is bitter, and you cannot take the bitterness out later.
- Hot syrup: syrup poured in warm dulls the lemon. Let it cool completely.
- Waxed lemons: wax holds the zest back from the alcohol. Buy unwaxed, or scrub hard.
- Straining with pressure: pressing the zest pushes bitter compounds into the jar.
Using the rest of the lemons
Six peeled lemons are still full of juice. Squeeze them for lemon syrup or lemonade within a day or two, before the bare fruit dries out.
If you want a lemon flavour for baking rather than drinking, lemon extract is the same zest in 40% vodka with no sugar. For a savoury lemon, zest two more lemons into olive oil: our guide to lemon infused olive oil has the ratio, and the NOIDS Herb Lab holds the oil at 100 °C for 120 to 180 minutes on its Oil setting, so it never scorches.
Questions
How long should limoncello steep?
At least 1 week, and up to 3 or 4 weeks. With 95% alcohol, 1 to 3 weeks is enough. With vodka, give it 3 to 4 weeks.
How long does homemade limoncello last?
About a year in a closed bottle in the freezer. The lemon flavour is brightest in the first few months.
Can I make limoncello with vodka?
Yes. Use the strongest vodka you can find, ideally 50% (100 proof): 1 litre with the zest of 8 lemons for 3 to 4 weeks, then a syrup of 400 g sugar and 350 ml water.
Why is my limoncello cloudy?
Because it worked. Lemon oil dissolves in strong alcohol and comes out as fine droplets when you add the syrup. Clear limoncello usually means too little zest or weak alcohol.
Does limoncello need to be kept in the freezer?
No, but it is served ice cold, so most people keep it there. It does not freeze solid at around 30 to 34% alcohol.
What is the alcohol content of limoncello?
This recipe comes out at roughly 34%. The vodka version is about 30%. Most shop bottles are 25 to 30%.
