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This Italian limoncello recipe is one of those little luxuries that’s surprisingly easy to make and always feels special. With its bold lemon flavor and smooth, sweet finish, it’s my go-to for ending a good meal—or for gifting when I want to impress without too much fuss. There’s just something about that golden, zesty liqueur that makes any moment feel a bit more celebratory. Serve it ice-cold, mix it into cocktails, or drizzle it over sorbet—you really can’t go wrong.
You only need 4 ingredients to make limoncello, all of which are easy to find. It takes a few weeks to make but your patience will be rewarded when you taste it.
Also try passion fruit martini or vibrant cranberry orange prosecco punch. For a fun pairing, serve limoncello with a slice of creamy lemon ricotta cookies.
Why You’ll Love It
Fresh flavor: Homemade limoncello boasts a wonderfully fresh taste. If you’re a fan of lemon flavor drinks, wait until you can taste the limoncello you made yourself. You’ll feel like you’re soaking up the sun on the Amalfi coast.
Simple to make: You don’t need lots of different ingredients because homemade limoncello only calls for 4 basic ingredients (namely vodka, water, lemon peels, and sugar), and preparing homemade limoncello is a straightforward process.
Great gift: Homemade limoncello makes a wonderful gift, especially when presented in a cute bottle with a ribbon or other decoration on the bottle. It works out economical to make, and everyone will love that you know how to make limoncello and decided to share it with them!
Homemade Limoncello Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Lemons: Fresh lemons are the main ingredient in this delicious recipe.
Vodka: A neutral flavor to make it alcoholic.
Sugar: For sweetness.
How to Make Limoncello
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Remove the lemon zest: Take the lemon peels out of the vodka and discard them. It’s best to strain the limoncello recipe mixture to remove all traces of the lemon zest.
Add the simple syrup to the limoncello recipe: Stir the cooled simple syrup into the lemon-infused alcohol, then divide the homemade limoncello recipe between several jars or cute bottles (here).
Prepare the lemons: Wash the lemons and remove the lemon peels, then put them in a jar.
Add the vodka and infuse: Pour the vodka over the lemon zest in the jar and let it infuse for 1 to 3 weeks.
Prepare the simple syrup: Bring the granulated sugar and water to a boil in a pan, and let the simple syrup boil for a couple of minutes until completely dissolved before taking it off the heat.
Substitutions and Variations
Vodka: You can use any brand you like.
Extra zesty: For a stronger lemon flavor, let the lemon peels infuse in the vodka for three or even four weeks, or for a milder one, give it one week.
Adjust the sweetness: You might like to tweak the sweetness. Liquor store limoncello tends to be very sweet but you can adjust the amount of sugar or simple syrup when you make limoncello yourself, adding less or adding more, as you prefer.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Unless you’re planning to polish off the whole limoncello recipe yourself, it’s great to share with friends, perhaps also offering some snacks like jalapeno popcorn or antipasto skewers.
Cocktails: You can also use it in other recipes like this lemon lavender vodka, limoncello panna cotta or these limoncello Italian wedding cookies.
How to Store Your Homemade Limoncello
Store: Keep homemade limoncello at room temperature or in the refrigerator, depending on whether you prefer to drink limoncello chilled or not.
Freeze: Although some people keep high-proof alcohol in the freezer so it stays very cold, deep freezing alcohol with a high sugar syrup content isn’t recommended, as that component can freeze while the alcohol content doesn’t, meaning it will separate and degrade. So, don’t keep limoncello in the freezer.
Top Tips
Plan your limoncello ahead: Remember you need 1 to 3 weeks to make limoncello from scratch.
Adjust the flavors to taste: Use less or more sugar, any brand of vodka and any lemons you like to finetune the flavor.
Discard the lemon pith: You only want the zest of the lemon, not the white pith which doesn’t taste good.
Traditional Limoncello FAQs
There are lots of types of lemons to choose from, so which type is best for making homemade limoncello? If you’re wondering whether to choose organic lemons, organic Meyer lemons, Sorrento lemons, or another kind, the good news is you can use whichever you want. It’s best to choose organic lemons because you’ll be using lemon zest or lemon peels, and you don’t want lemon peel with chemicals on it.
This depends on the type of vodka you use, as well as the peeled lemons and their lemon juice-to-oil ratio. Homemade limoncello ranges from pale to dark yellow, so if it’s pale in color that doesn’t mean you’ve gone wrong making limoncello or that it’s not ready to drink.
Authentic Limoncello Recipe
Italian Limoncello
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 lemons, large, organic
- 1300 milliliters vodka, 80 to 100 proof, 5½ Cups
- 800 grams granulated white sugar, 28¼ Ounces
- 1200 milliliters water, 5 Cups plus 3½ Teaspoons
Instructions
- Wash and peel the lemons, being careful to avoid as much of the white pith as possible. Place the peels into a large, airtight, sealable jar.
- Add the vodka to the jar, close the jar and gently shake. Place the jar in a cool dark place for at least 7 days up to 21 days to let the peels infuse. Gently shake the jar occasionally during that time.
- After the 7 to 21 days that you have let the peels infuse, make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water into a pot. Bring the sugar water to a boil, stirring frequently.
- Let the mixture boil for 1 to 2 minutes then remove from heat and cool completely.
- While the syrup is cooling, strain the lemon peels out of the vodka and discard the peels. Pour the vodka into the jar.
- When the syrup has cooled, combine the syrup with the vodka, and stir well. Pour the limoncello into airtight, sealable bottles.
- Store the limoncello in the refrigerator or your refrigerator's freezer (not a deep freezer). Serve chilled.
Notes
Adjust the flavors to taste: Use less or more sugar, any brand of vodka and any lemons you like to finetune the flavor.
Use a clean jar: Make your limoncello in a clean, better yet sterilized, jar.
Nutrition
This authentic Italian limoncello recipe proves that homemade limoncello is best. Rather than store-bought limoncello, you can easily prepare your own tasty limoncello with just four ingredients. It is great on its own or as an ingredient in other recipes like this lemon lavender cocktail.
Other Recipes to Try
- Authentic Italian Pesto delivers a burst of fresh, herbaceous flavor that’s perfect for pasta, sandwiches and more.
- An Old Fashioned Cocktail is a timeless classic with a balance of sweet, bitter and warm bourbon notes.
- This Italian Giardiniera is a tangy, crunchy mix of pickled vegetables.
- If you’re looking for the Best Pie Recipes we have plenty of appealing options.
- Black Cherry Vanilla Vodka Sour is a sophisticated twist with sweet cherry and a hint of vanilla.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
That is so refreshing! I could drink this every day!
This came out so good, too good!!! I had friends over (to watch The Bachelorette, don’t judge us lol) and we managed to drink the whole lot. It’s so fresh and tangy.