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Limoncello Recipe

Emily Parker
Limoncello in a small glass beside a bottle and lemon peel curl
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A peel-focused lemon liqueur made with 100-proof vodka and cooled sugar syrup. Plan for a two-week infusion, then chill before serving small adult portions.
Estimated Recipe CostEstimated US$26 for the whole batch, about US$0.62 per 30 ml pour; ingredients only.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Infusing, cooling and chilling 14 days 4 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 14 days 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 42 small 30 ml pours (about 1.25 liters total)
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 80
Ingredients Equipment Instructions Nutrition Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 medium lemons yellow peel only; sound fruit, washed and dried
  • 750 ml 100-proof vodka 50% ABV, sealed beverage alcohol intended for drinking
  • 300 g granulated sugar about 1½ US cups
  • 350 ml water

Equipment

  • 1 vegetable peeler
  • 1 Small paring knife
  • 1 1-quart glass jar with lid
  • 1 Fine-mesh strainer
  • 1 Coffee filter optional finer filtration
  • 1 Large measuring jug at least 1.5-liter capacity
  • 1 Small saucepan
  • 1 Stirring spoon
  • 1 Small funnel
  • Clean bottles with tight lids at least 1.3 liters total capacity

Instructions
 

  1. Wash the lemons thoroughly under running water, then dry them with a clean towel. Do not use soap or produce wash.
  2. With a vegetable peeler, remove thin strips of yellow peel, leaving the white pith behind. Trim thick white patches from the strips with a small knife. Reserve the peeled fruit for another use; do not add its juice to the infusion.
  3. Put the peel into a clean, sterilized and cooled 1-quart glass jar. Add the vodka, keeping the peel covered, and close the lid. Keep in a cool place away from direct sunlight, heat and ignition sources for 14 days. Gently turn the closed jar every few days.
  4. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large measuring jug and strain out the peel. For a finer finish, pass the infusion through a coffee filter. Let it drain without squeezing.
  5. In a small saucepan, warm the water and sugar over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely, about 20 minutes. Never heat the vodka or add it to a hot pan.
  6. Away from heat or flames, stir the cooled syrup into the strained infusion. Funnel into clean bottles with tight lids. The yield is approximately 1.25 liters; the amount will vary slightly with peel and filtration losses.
  7. Label with the ingredients and bottling date. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving in small measured pours. Keep tightly closed and refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Calories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 7.1gSugar: 7.1g

Video

Notes

For adults of legal drinking age who choose to drink alcohol. Use only beverage alcohol intended for drinking. Avoid alcohol during pregnancy, before driving, with interacting medicines or when medically advised not to drink. The finished alcohol strength is not measured; a small pour is not a standard-drink calculation. Do not store this homemade mixture at room temperature as a shelf-stable preserve. No dairy is included.
Nutrition is an ingredient-based estimate per small pour; actual yield and filtration losses affect each serving.
Gennaro Contaldo’s limoncello demonstration on Jamie Oliver – Drinks uses pure grain alcohol. Follow this card’s 100-proof vodka and syrup quantities for this formulation.

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