Making your own liqueurs is a great way to experiment with flavors in your home bar! This easy Italian limoncello recipe is sweet, tart, zesty, and refreshing. Learning how to make limoncello liqueur means that now, it’s simpler than ever to bring the sunny taste of la dolce vita straight from the Amalfi coast to your own home. The hardest part about this recipe is waiting for it to be done!
Growing up with a grandma from southern Italy means you learn a LOT about important elements of Italian life. Citrus liqueurs like limoncello and arancello rossa, a blood orange liqueur, have a prominent home in Italian culture. Thankfully, it’s not that complicated to make your own homemade liqueurs– really, it just takes a bit of time! With a little patience and a few simple ingredients, you’ll have your own lemon liqueur to use in cocktails at home!
While it’s probably most well-known for being an ingredient in a classic limoncello spritz cocktail, in Italy, it’s common to enjoy limoncello on it’s own after a meal. You can also use it in many other cocktails to add a burst of lemon flavor, like a limoncello martini or a limoncello margarita!
why this classic limoncello recipe works:
🍋 bold lemon taste. Other limoncello recipes use the zest of lemons plus plain simple syrup. This recipe doubles the taste of lemon by using a lemon simple syrup, too.
🏛️ traditional method. Using the traditional technique of steeping the lemon zest in high-proof alcohol works for a reason. Higher proof alcohol helps extract the most flavor.
⏱️ long infusion. Infusing the lemon zest for at least a month means you extract every drop of lemon flavor from the skin of the fruit.
🛒 ingredients
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
1: Throughly clean your lemons to remove any dirt or impurities from the skin. Since we are using the zest, you’ll want to make sure your lemons are really clean.
2: Zest your lemons using a microplane grater, using care to only remove the zest, not the bitter white pith.
3: Place the zest in a large infusion jar, then slowly pour your high-proof vodka overtop of the zest.
4: Seal the jar and give it a gentle shake before placing it in a cool dark place for up to 30 days. The longer it sits, the more intense the lemon flavor!
5: Once your limoncello has infused, it’s time to strain out the zest. Use a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth to remove all the zest from the infused alcohol.
6: If you haven’t already, prepare a batch of lemon simple syrup to add to your lemon infusion. Add the lemon simple syrup to the limoncello and give the mixture a good stir.
7: Carefully portion your finished limoncello into airtight storage bottles, taking care to label them so you know when they were prepared!
8: Store your finished limoncello in the fridge or freezer for up to 6 months for the best flavor. Finished limoncello is around 20-30% alcohol by volume, so it’s more prone to spoiling than a higher alcohol infusion.
Hint: It’s best to allow the limoncello to rest again after incorporating the sugar syrup, but I know it can be hard to wait! You can start enjoying it immediately, but the flavor will deepen over time.
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💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
- straight up – serve your limoncello in a chilled shot glass after a meal for a classic Italian liqueur experience!
- limoncello spritz – try this classic Italian lemon spritz for a refreshing cocktail at a spring or summer party.
- Sorrento margarita – I love a classic margarita recipe, but this version of a limoncello margarita is hard to beat, especially during warmer months!
- gift a bottle – homemade limoncello makes an excellent gift for family and friends, particularly around the holidays! You can make cute custom labels or tags for your bottles and hand them out as party favors, too!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- save your juice – while this recipe doesn’t use the lemon juice, I recommend that you juice your peeled lemons anyway. You can portion the juice into ice cube trays and freeze it for later use. You can also use the juice to make a batch of lemon syrup, then pop that in the freezer until your limoncello has infused.
- let it rest – the best limoncello comes from allowing it to have ample resting time. All in all, expect to wait at least 30 days for the best lemon liqueur. Admittedly, I have sped up the process to about two weeks, but the flavor is always deeper and more robust after allowing the liqueur to rest longer.
- only the zest – for best results, use a microplane zester to remove the zest from your lemons. It does the best job of only getting the yellow zest, not the white pith, which is bitter. If you don’t have a microplane, you can use a sharp vegetable peeler, but use extra care to not peel your lemons too deep. Check your lemon peels for any white pith, and if you see any, you’ll want to trim it off your lemon strips using a sharp pairing knife.
- bitter – you don’t need very much pith at all to end up with a bitter infusion, so if your limoncello is bitter, chances are it’s got pith in it. You can offset this by adding in more syrup until the flavor is a bit more on the sweeter side. All is not lost if you can’t balance it out though! Certain aperitifs like Campari and Aperol are bitter, so you can use that to your favor in cocktails!
🔆 top tip
Make sure you use tools that are non-reactive and non-porous, like stainless steel and glass.
♻️ substitutions & variations
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- oranges – I love making liqueurs from other citrus, like blood orange liqueur! You can even use a mixture of citrus for a fun custom blend!
- classic simple syrup – if you’d prefer to make a limoncello that’s more akin to the traditional version of this popular Italian liqueur, you can use a regular simple syrup recipe instead of a lemon version.
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🫙 storage tips
Store your limoncello in a dark cool place for the best flavor. Since the final infusion is around 20 – 30% ABV, it’s best to store your limoncello in the fridge or freezer to preserve it. You can technically store it at room temperature, but it’s possible that bacteria or mold can grow in your infusion. I love storing it in the freezer so it’s always chilled and ready!
💬 q+a
Can I use regular vodka instead of high-proof vodka?
You can use regular 80-proof vodka instead of 100-proof vodka. This will also lower the final ABV of your infusion.
What liquor does limoncello use to infuse?
Traditionally, limoncello in Italy is made using grain alcohol or fermented alcohol from grapes. I prefer to use 100-proof vodka because it’s easy to find and easier on the wallet!
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Homemade Italian Limoncello Liqueur (DIY 30-Day Limoncello)
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Equipment
- 1 microplane zester
- 1 large infusion jar glass
- 1 fine mesh sieve non-reactive metal, like stainless steel, NOT aluminum
- 1 cheesecloth optional, for straining additional sediment
- 1 airtight storage container
Ingredients
- 30 g lemon zest from about 2 pounds of lemons, or 10-12 lemons.
- 688 g 100-proof vodka one 720 mL bottle
- 12 ounces lemon simple syrup up to 16 ounces if you want a sweeter liqueur
Instructions
Prepare the infusion
- Prep your lemons. Throughly clean your lemons to remove any dirt or impurities from the skin. Since we are using the zest, you’ll want to make sure your lemons are really clean.
- Zest the peel. Zest your lemons using a microplane grater, using care to only remove the zest, not the bitter white pith.
- Infuse. Place the zest in a large infusion jar, then slowly pour your high-proof vodka overtop of the zest.
- Allow to rest. Seal the jar and give it a gentle shake before placing it in a cool dark place for up to 30 days. The longer it sits, the more intense the lemon flavor!
Strain and assemble the finished infusion
- Strain. Once your limoncello has infused, it’s time to strain out the zest. Use a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth to remove all the zest from the infused alcohol.
- Make your lemon syrup. If you haven’t already, prepare a batch of lemon simple syrup to add to your lemon infusion.
- Add syrup. Add the lemon simple syrup to the limoncello and give the mixture a good stir.
- Bottle the liqueur. Carefully portion your finished limoncello into airtight storage bottles, taking care to label them so you know when they were prepared!
- Store. Store your finished limoncello in the fridge or freezer for up to 6 months for the best flavor.
Notes
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
