Quick Sous Vide Limoncello Recipe
This easy sous vide limoncello is pure sunshine in a bottle. Silky, bold lemon flavor without the 45-day wait. The sous vide method infuses the lemon peels in just 2 hours, giving you all the depth of the classic Italian liqueur the same day you make it. Serve this homemade limoncello ice-cold after dinner, swirl it into cocktails, or bottle it up as a gift everybody thinks took you weeks.
Servings: 33 servings
Calories: 112kcal
Ingredients
- 25 g lemon zest about 10 lemons, well washed and dried
- 750 ml Everclear 190-proof a 95% neutral grain alcohol, or high-proof vodka/Everclear (100 proof minimum)
- 17 ounces filtered or distilled water just over 2 cups
- 2½ cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Use a peeler or microplane to zest your lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. You're aiming for thin strips of the yellow peel only.25 g lemon zest
- Place the lemon zest into a large jar or multiple medium-sized mason jars that can be submerged in your water bath. Pour in the high-proof alcohol. Screw the jar lids on finger-tight, just enough to keep water out.750 ml Everclear 190-proof
- Preheat your sous vide bath to 130°F (54.5°C). Submerge your sealed jars and infuse for 2 hours. The alcohol must be completely below water level, even if the jar itself is too tall for the water bath.
- While the infusion is going, combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves completely, then cool to room temperature.17 ounces filtered or distilled water, 2½ cups granulated sugar
- Remove the jar from the bath and let it cool slightly. Strain the lemon zest from the alcohol using a fine mesh sieve. If you used the microplane and have tiny bits of zest, use a cheesecloth in the sieve to strain them out.
- Slowly stir in the cooled simple syrup, tasting as you go. Add less or more syrup depending on how sweet and strong you like it. For a more traditional limoncello, use the full amount.
- Pour into bottles using a funnel. Store in the fridge or freezer and let it rest at least 3 day to mellow and blend. The longer it rests, the smoother it gets.
- Serve ice-cold in small glasses after dinner, swirl into a cocktail, or gift in pretty bottles with a bow.
Notes
Makes 2 liters.
To Store: Store your limoncello in the freezer, it stays ice cold and won't solidify thanks to the alcohol content. It'll last for years but that vibrant flavor will begin to fade after about 6 months.
Simple Syrup Ratios
If you're going for:- Traditional-style, syrupy limoncello → use a 1:1 syrup (equal parts sugar and water)
- Bright, light, modern limoncello → the 3:2 ratio is perfect (3 parts water, 3 parts sugar)
- Rich and long-lasting liqueur → go for a 2:1 syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water), but use less of it
Nutrition
Serving: 2ounces | Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 0.01g | Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 0.4IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.02mg