This one’s for those of you who like to make your own liqueurs, especially Lemoncello/Limoncello.
For those of you who don’t know, Limoncello is something between a liqueur and a potable with a powerful punch. It’s basically a way to flavor a strong alcohol (like vodka or Aquavit). Plus its high sugar content indicates you’d better be sippin’ this stuff, not sluggin’ it.
It does take 5 weeks to do, so the best time to make a batch is in spring so it’s ready for summer drinks. But it also makes a very nice winter toddy.
I learned how to make this from my Danish Aunt Ella, a former Miss Denmark – so I think she’s a good source! I’ve made it once so far, with great success – it is very easy. This time around I’m trying it with Lime, and an orange version using Clementine oranges.
Basic Limoncello Recipe
- One 1-quart Mason jar
- One bottle (750 ml) of 190 proof grain alcohol (see notes below)
- 10 lemons
- 2-3/4 cups water
- 3 cups sugar
Step 1:
Wash and dry your lemons (removes any mold spores or other contaminants.) Slice off the ends of the lemons (to make them much easier and safer to peel) and then peel them with a small, very sharp (be careful!) paring knife. You want only the outside rind, avoiding the pale pith just below it (which is bitter). Save the lemons, see notes below. Put the parings in your Mason jar and fill it up with the grain alcohol.
Step 2:
Put the Mason jar in the fridge for 14 days, shaking it once a day to stir things up.
Step 3:
On the 14th day, mix the water and sugar in a saucepan big enough to allow for adding the alcohol. Boil the water and sugar until all sugar is dissolved, ,about 2-3 minutes at the boiling point. Cover and set it aside to cool. (Covering it prevents the entrance of any mold spores and basically helps keep your mix sterile.)
Step 4:
Strain the alcohol from the mason jar, leaving all the parings behind – but don’t throw them away! See notes below. Add the alcohol to the sugar/water mix, stir it a bit. Then pour it all back into your Mason Jar.
Step 5:
Put the Mason Jar in the fridge for 3 weeks, and shake it twice a day.
Step 6:
At the end of the 3 weeks (actually, by now, 5 weeks) you can put your jar in the freezer. Don’t fill it too far or seal it too tight. Despite the high alcohol content, which means it generally ain’t gonna freeze until you-know-where does, you should leave a little room for liquid expansion. Don’t blame me if you end up with a sticky, messy explosion (hmmm, maybe I should rephrase that!)
Once it’s ice cold, it’s ready to drink – in small quantities. Or you can dash it into any number of favorite drinks and cocktails.
Variations:
I don’t have the “proof” yet, but this time I am trying a batch with lime, and another with the peel of Clementine oranges. Stay tuned for the follow-up when I can report the results, somewhere around October 1.
NOTES:
For us frugal cooks and mixmasters, after peeling your lemons (or limes or oranges) squeeze out the juice. For long-term storage, pour juice into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer the block of juice into freezer storage bags.
Don’t throw away the parings after you’re done soaking them in the alcohol! Toss them into a plastic bag and save them in the freezer. They’re great for adding to tea, iced tea, iced water, and cocktails. Probably lots of food recipes too.
By the way, the pared down lemons seem to keep very well in the fridge – so after you’re done peeling them, save one or two in the fridge for cooking or whatever.
It also helps if you live in a state like NC, where you can buy the really hi-test 190 proof stuff in the liquor store (they’re called ABC stores here, for Alcohol Beverage Control, or something like that. ) And, of course, large wide-mouthed Mason jars in the local grocery or hardware store 
If you cannot legally get your hands on hi-proof grain alcohol, I have been told you can try the recipe using standard 80-100 proof vodka, but that some adjustments to the recipe are needed. I haven’t tried it yet, but I think a higher ratio of lemon peel to vodka, and a lower ratio of sugar/water to alcohol, would be called for. That’s because a regular vodka is not strong enough to extract “all” the natural aromatic, volatile oils from the citrus peel. And too much sugar-water will over-sweeten the finished goods.
I’ll add to this post when my lime and orange test batches are done. Meanwhile, I’ve already done the lemon version and I can’t tell you how delicious this stuff is!
on Nov 28th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Did you ever make the clementine version? How did it turn out?
on Nov 29th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Hello Franco,
The lime was a definite third – too bitter, not “limey” enough. If I ever try lime again I will try using some lime juice as part of the sugar/water mix and see if that helps. Meanwhile, time for a fresh batch of Lemoncello for the holidays!
Yes I did! And thanks for jogging me to write about it. I made batches of lemon, orange, and lime all at the same time, then had a taste test with a few folks. We all agreed the lemon is definitely the best. The orange (made with clementines) came in second. We thought it tasted pretty good, but the bitterness of the peel came through a little more than the lemon. Still, it was good enough to drink… it’s almost gone
on Jan 27th, 2010 at 3:32 am
What happens if you put the sugar/water mixture in with the rest of the ingredients all at the same time? Will this encourage another fermentation or make it go bad? Why wait 14 days?
on Jan 27th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Hi Chris,
Good question!
The reason you need to separately soak the lemon peel in alcohol is because with this step, you are creating a lemon ‘extract’ that provides the bright lemony flavor for the drink. You need REALLY strong alcohol and a couple of weeks to pull the essential lemon oils and essences out of the peel. If you were to just mix everything up all at the same time, you wouldn’t have the high-alcohol content needed to extract all that lemony goodness.
on May 19th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Hi! I am making a bottle of Limoncello. I am using 1 liter 90 proof vodka. Is that okay? or should I get a higher proof vodka? I used the peels of 15 lemons. I am just in my first week and can’t wait for it! LOL!
on May 19th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Hi RC,
If you’re using vodka, don’t worry about looking for a higher proof version. Basically, we can’t get vodka at the same hi-test proof that works really the best, which is 190-proof grain alcohol. Check your liquor store for that.
If you can’t get the grain alcohol, go ahead and try it with the vodka. It’s just that my aunt, who gave me the recipe, told me vodka doesn’t’ work “quite as well” as the grain alcohol. I think you plan of using even more lemon peel is a good one. After that, if I were doing it, I’d try it using the same amount of sugar/water you’ll eventually be mixing it with (as per the recipe.) Experiment a bit with how much of the sugar water you add?
I’m very curious to know how your batch comes out – let me know!
Sponge
on May 24th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Just completed a batch with grain used a lemon simple syrup concoction it is lemony, syrupy and has an after burn from the grain. I used peels from 20 lemons a 1.5 of grain and double batch of simple syrup. i used organic sugar which turned the mixture to a brownish color until it was strained. 6 weeks of resting then added simple syrup and rest of alcohol and let sit for another 6 weeks. it needs to be turned down a notch.
Batch 2 from 100 proof vodka turned out better and batch 3 with 80 proof vodka has the best flavoring of them all. The only downfall is that it freezes in the freezer.
Batches 5, 6 and 7 have begun today with 80 proof vodka. Any tips?
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Hello,
I promised myself that the next time I come across a good blog post I would leave a small comment saying thank you.
So, thank you for the informative post – I have shared it with my friends on twitter.
Lots of love,
Jana.
on Dec 20th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
I’m making lemoncello right now and have done it before, but searched net for confirmation on quantities…
I’m using a bottle of 750ml Everclear 75.5% alcohol as is available here in LA.
If i want the final product to have 40% alcohol content, which I do. I find that I need to add 6.5dl (650ml) sugar-water mix…so seeing suggestions of 5 CUPS and 3 CUPS of water and sugar seems crazy to me…that would make it far too sweet and far too “weak”…
75.5% of 750ml is 566ml. – We want those 566ml to be 40% of the total mix. That makes the requirement for added water, sugar to be about 650ml. – 1 cup = 2.4 dl (240ml) – …so less that 3 cups total (sugar water) mix, in my opinion…
on Apr 21st, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Great advice from everyone. Thank you!
I made my first batch of Crema di Limoncello a month ago…actually 3 batches. The recipe I found called for 4 cups of sugar…which I replaced with Splenda. It seemed to work fine. Also used a mixture of half and half with a can of evaporated milk. I thought there might be a lack of “body” in the finished product by not using a sugar syrup. Tastes wonderful but oh so fatening.
Today I am going to begin Crema di Lime-cello only this time I will use skim milk,skimmed evaporated milk, and the Splenda. Oh, and I think playing some Italian opera while peeling really gets the citrus in the mood!
on Jun 30th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Okay…now I have finished batch IV & V… I hope to eventially find a recipe that I prefer… I’ve been trying to calculate the carbs vs calories in my formulations…you know what??? Just turn your head, drink it, and and don’t worry about the consequences…hey… you might die tomorrow. May as well have A SMILE ON YOUR FACE! hugs!!!
on Nov 12th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
Convey you for serving us change to our new house.
on Feb 29th, 2012 at 8:28 am
Adoro me mostrar peladinha na web cam
on Apr 23rd, 2012 at 4:32 am
For those of you out there who get red faced from drinking (Asian Flush) don’t forget to take the No Red Face Formula first so you can actually enjoy this great drink.