Food and Recipes Desserts Ice Cream Watermelon Sherbet 5.0 (2) 1 Review Creamy watermelon sherbet calls on vanilla and lemon to bring out and balance the sweetness of the melon. By Marianne Williams Marianne Williams Marianne Williams is a recipe tester and developer who has been working in the Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2016. Her recipes are featured in Food & Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, Rachael Ray, Health, Cooking Light, and in various other publications and digital platforms. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 1, 2024 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 8 hrs 15 mins Servings: 6 Jump to recipe Watermelon sherbet is a delightfully refreshing dessert on a hot summer day, and an impressive homemade treat you can whip up in just 15 minutes of active prep time. Sweet, light, and pretty in pink, this frozen treat is guaranteed to be a hit at any summertime gathering. In this recipe, vanilla, lemon, and salt all act as flavor enhancers, bringing out the sweetness of ripe watermelon. Once slightly softened after freezing, this sherbet has a delightfully creamy texture that simply melts in your mouth. Learn how to make watermelon sherbet. This is a wonderfully tasty way to use up ripe, summer-perfect watermelon. 20 Watermelon Recipes To Serve This Summer Watermelon Sherbet Ingredients To make watermelon sherbet, you'll need these ingredients: Watermelon: Ripe and fresh seedless watermelon is the best thing for this sherbet recipe. Note that, while many major supermarkets carry frozen watermelon, the fruit in these packages may be pale and hardly pink. So starting with fresh fruit instead is likely to produce a superior result in both taste and color.Sweetened condensed milk: For texture and sweetness.Lemon juice: The hint of citrus brightens the entire dish's flavor.Arrowroot powder (also known as arrowroot starch): Arrowroot powder helps to inhibit iciness from forming in this juicy sherbet recipe. It's a great trick for keeping your homemade ice creams stay more creamy and less icy. Bob’s Red Mill arrowroot powder is found at typical markets around the country including Fresh Market, Publix, and Whole Foods.Vanilla extract: This brings everything together and makes it harmonious.Kosher salt: A hint of salt makes the watermelon taste sweeter. Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley How To Make Homemade Watermelon Sherbet You will need an electric ice cream maker for this sherbet, and you'll need a blender. Once those are ready, this sherbet comes together quickly and needs a stay in the freezer to set up. Full instructions for this watermelon sherbet recipe are below, but here's a brief recap: Step 1. Freeze the watermelon: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the watermelon in a single layer on top. Put the baking sheet in the freezer until the fruit is completely frozen (at least two hours).Step 2. Blend ingredients: Process the frozen watermelon, condensed milk, lemon juice, arrowroot powder, vanilla, and salt in a food processor until it’s completely smooth.Step 3. Freeze: Pour the watermelon mixture into the bowl of an electric ice cream maker and freeze according to the machine’s instructions. Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or airtight container and freeze for at least six hours. Sherbet Vs. Sorbet: What's The Difference? What Does Arrowroot Starch Do in Watermelon Sherbet? Arrowroot starch is a flour that can be used as a thickening agent and also as a tool to help decrease iciness in ice creams, making for a creamier texture; this is ideal when working with a very watery, fruit-based sherbet. This watermelon sherbet is a bit crumbly when it first comes out of the freezer, but it becomes creamy after softening briefly at room temperature. 22 Homemade Ice Cream Recipes Made For Hot Summer Days How To Store Watermelon Sherbet Leftovers can stay in the loaf pan, but you'll need to wrap the pan with plastic wrap, or transfer to a ziplock freezer bag. The flavor of the sherbet is best up to one month after making. More Ice Cream and Sherbet Recipes If you're in a freezing mood, make more homemade frozen treats, like these: Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Fresh Peach Ice Cream Strawberry Ice Cream in a Bag Homemade Cookies-And-Cream Ice Cream Sea Salt Ice Cream Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 4 cups cubed ripe watermelon (from 1 small [5 lb.] seedless watermelon) 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (from 1 [14-oz.] can) 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon) 1 1/2 tsp. arrowroot powder (also known as arrowroot starch) 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. kosher salt Directions Prepare watermelon: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place watermelon on parchment in a single layer. Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Freeze watermelon: Place baking sheet in freezer until watermelon is completely firm and frozen, at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours. Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Blend ingredients: Process frozen watermelon, condensed milk, lemon juice, arrowroot powder, vanilla, and salt in a food processor until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Freeze sherbet: Pour watermelon mixture into frozen freezer bowl of a 1 1/2-quart electric ice cream maker; freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Instructions and times may vary.) Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Freeze until firm: Transfer mixture to a loaf pan or airtight container, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours. Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Rate It Print Additional reporting by Alesandra Dubin