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Bottle of homemade limoncello with lemon slices and herbs

Limoncello

Limoncello is a traditional Italian lemon liqueur known for its vibrant citrus flavor. It's perfect as an after-dinner digestif, often served chilled.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 30 servings
Calories: 110
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Limoncello Ingredients
  • 10-12 medium Lemons organic, unwaxed
  • 750 ml Grain alcohol or high-proof vodka (at least 190 proof/95% ABV)
  • 3 cups Granulated sugar
  • 4 cups Water

Equipment

  • Vegetable peeler
  • Large glass jar (2-liter capacity)
  • Fine-mesh sieve
  • Saucepan
  • Bottles (for storage)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Carefully peel the zest from the lemons, ensuring no white pith is included.
  2. Place the lemon peels in a large, airtight glass jar and cover them with grain alcohol.
  3. Seal the jar and let the mixture steep in a cool, dark place for at least one week, preferably four weeks, shaking daily.
Simple Syrup & Combining
  1. After steeping, prepare the simple syrup by combining sugar and water in a saucepan; heat until the sugar dissolves completely.
  2. Let the simple syrup cool completely to room temperature before proceeding.
  3. Strain the lemon peels from the alcohol, then combine the infused alcohol with the cooled simple syrup.
  4. Filter the limoncello through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth for clarity, then pour into clean bottles.
  5. Store the limoncello in the freezer and serve well-chilled.

Notes

For best results, use organic, unwaxed lemons. The longer the lemon peels steep, the more intense the flavor. Serve limoncello very cold, straight from the freezer.