Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Watermelon Sorbet 4.0 (15) It's made with just two ingredients, and you'll want to enjoy this refreshing sorbet all summer long. Close Credit: Brie Goldman Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 5 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 12 Yield: 1 quart Jump to recipe Our watermelon sorbet recipe requires only two ingredients and couldn't be easier to pull together. It makes an easy scoopable treat that's so refreshing on a hot summer day. To make it, you'll simmer a quick simple syrup on the stovetop, which you can flavor with Campari or white creme de menthe, if desired. Once chilled, you'll combine it with pureed fresh watermelon and transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. After a quick churn, the sweet sorbet will be ready to eat or pop in the freezer to scoop and enjoy later. No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream Choosing a Ripe Watermelon For the best tasting sorbet, it's key to start with a perfectly ripe watermelon. Look for these indicators whether you're shopping at the grocery store or farmers' market: Appearance: The exterior of a ripe watermelon should be dull, not overly shiny. Check the color of the ground spot, which is the round, yellowish spot where the watermelon made contact with the ground while growing. It should be cream to yellow in color. If it's dark yellow, you could be dealing with an overripe melon while a white spot means the fruit isn't quite ripe enough. Weight: A ripe watermelon should feel heavy for its size—an indicator of the amount of moisture the flesh is holding. Pick up a few similarly sized melons and choose the heaviest of the bunch. Sound: If you've seen shoppers thumping on watermelons, they're doing so for a reason: A ripe watermelon should sound deep and hollow when drummed on. Making Watermelon Sorbet Without an Ice Cream Maker For the smoothest texture, we highly recommend using an ice cream maker to whip up this sorbet. However, if you don't have one, you can still make this recipe. After combining the watermelon puree and syrup, transfer it to a shallow dish and freeze it, breaking it into chunks and stirring well every 30 minutes until frozen to desired consistency. For a smoother, creamier sorbet without an ice cream maker, you can freeze the mixture for an hour, then puree in the food processor. Continue the process two more times until the sorbet reaches your desired consistency. Don't toss the watermelon rind! Use it to make these delicious watermelon rind pickles. Directions Credit: Brie Goldman Make simple syrup: Place sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Credit: Brie Goldman Stir in alcohol, if using; chill: When sugar has dissolved, remove pan from heat, and stir in creme de menthe, if using. Chill the syrup. Credit: Brie Goldman Remove seeds: Remove seeds from watermelon flesh. Credit: Brie Goldman Process watermelon flesh: Place flesh in the bowl of a food processor; process until liquefied, about 2 minutes. Credit: Brie Goldman Credit: Brie Goldman Combine with syrup: Add puree to chilled syrup; stir to combine. Credit: Brie Goldman Freeze in ice-cream maker: Freeze sorbet in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Store, frozen, in an airtight container. Credit: Brie Goldman Storage Sorbet can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month. After that, the texture may start to become icy, but it will still be fine to consume. Variations For a colorful twist, try making this recipe with yellow watermelon instead. You can add a bit of lime zest or fresh mint to the fruit when pureeing to change up the flavor. Depending on your taste preferences and how sweet your watermelon is, you may want to dial back the amount of simple syrup you add. You can start by stirring in half of the amount and continue adding bit by bit, tasting as you go. How to Serve Watermelon Sorbet Enjoy this refreshing treat simply scooped into ice cream dishes or use it to make our watermelon bombe recipe. (Topping the scoops with a bit of lime zest and a pinch of flaky salt is a fun way to bring out the flavor even more.) You can also serve each scoop in a coupe glass, topped with a bit of sparkling wine for a delicious brunch or evening cocktail. More Watermelon Recipes to Try: Watermelon-Cucumber Cooler Watermelon, Orange, and Feta Salad Tequila-Soaked Watermelon Wedges Grilled Pork Cutlets With Watermelon-Cucumber Salad Watermelon Punch and Bowl Melon Milk Pops Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.