Orange Sherbet – Freshly squeezed orange juice is added to a cream base along with some vanilla extract and then frozen to make a creamy, dreamy orange sherbet.

There’s just something about orange sherbet that it super refreshing. Not only can it cool you down on these hot days, but the flavor itself is so balanced that it sends a calmness throughout your body. It’s juicy, yet creamy; refreshing, yet warm (from the vanilla extract). It’s a treat you won’t want to skip!

Before arriving at this recipe, I actually tried making an orange sorbet first. I have made many sorbets before so I thought why not try out orange? I knew it was risky because, unlike other sorbets I had made before, there is A LOT of water in orange juice. Because of that, it will almost certainly freeze solid after making the sorbet. And sure enough, it did. I tried leaving the sorbet out at room temperature for a little bit to soften it up but it never again got that creamy texture it once had.

So I decided to go the sherbet route. The fat in the milk will help the mixture from freezing solid. And that’s exactly what did the trick. Even after freezing, the sherbet remains “scoopable”, which is the true test. Also, the milk and vanilla help balance out the tang of the orange juice to make the perfect flavor that isn’t too sweet or too sour.

But before we get too into the recipe, let’s look at some more photos of this yummy Orange Sherbet, huh?

Making this sherbet

Sherbet is just as easy to make as sorbet. You simply blend the ingredients together, chill, and then freeze in an ice cream machine. That’s all there is to it! Bur there are some things to keep in mind throughout the process so that the sherbet comes out perfect.

Tips & Tricks

1. Freshly squeezed juice. Because we’re adding sugar to this recipe, you want to make sure you are using freshly squeezed juice and not bottled juice. Also, the flavor from fresh juice is much deeper and honestly, more delicious.
2. Chill the base. To ensure the sherbet has a creamy texture, you must chill the base for 8 hours to get it super cold before placing in the ice cream machine.
3. Freeze until thick. The sherbet will take a good 20 minutes to freeze and get thick. Upon first sign of freezing, you’ll want to shut off the machine but don’t – let it keep going until the mixture is super thick and creamy to ensure the best consistency.

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