Refreshing Lemon Verbena Sorbet
A light, icy sorbet made from a fragrant lemon verbena herb syrup and fresh lemon juice. No ice cream maker needed — just a fork and a little patience for the most refreshing garden treat on a hot day.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Freeze 4 hours hrs
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup sugar or raw honey
- 1/2 cup packed fresh lemon verbena leaves loosely torn
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of sea salt
- Optional: thin lemon slices or mint for serving
Steep the Herb Syrup
In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a light simmer over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and add the lemon verbena leaves. Cover and steep 15 minutes.
Strain out the leaves and stir in the lemon juice and sea salt. Let cool to room temperature.
Freeze the Sorbet
Pour the mixture into a shallow dish or loaf pan and place in the freezer.
After 1 hour, scrape with a fork to break up the ice crystals. Repeat every 30 minutes until fully frozen and fluffy, about 3-4 hours total. This creates a granita-style sorbet with light, icy flakes; for a smoother texture, use an ice cream maker.