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Home » Beverages » Crema di Limoncello: A Step by Step Guide

Crema di Limoncello: A Step by Step Guide

November 16, 2017 , Updated November 9, 2020 Maria 63 Comments

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A bottle and a few glasses of limoncello are displayed. for this Crema di Limoncello di Vittoria

There is nothing better than having a wonderful meal with family and friends and ending it with this rich, luscious Crema di Limoncello di Vittoria. Cheers!

Crema di Limoncello

This post was originally published on December 20, 2014 and republished on November 16, 2017 with updated content and pictures.

A few years ago, my family and I were visiting beautiful Sorrento,  located in the Campania region in Southern Italy. As we were wandering through the busy streets, we stumbled – literally stumbled – upon a lemon and orange grove smack in the city center (we also “stumbled” upon Pierce Brosnan, but that’s another story).

The entrance to the garden in Sorrento with pictures of a lemon tree and a close up of an orange.

As we began our short stroll on this path, the sounds of the hustle and bustle of the streets of Sorrento, scooters and all, faded into a distant hum. Unexpectedly and instantly, the environment became peaceful and relaxing. We walked into a garden whose existence came into being over 200 years ago. This garden is called “I Giardini di Cataldo“.

At the end of this short journey, there was a stand, where one could purchase and sample homemade marmalade, ice creams, and different flavored liqueurs such as fennel, licorice, basil and of course, limoncello.

Sorrento lemons for sale in Sorrento.

It has often been said that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade – except in the region of Sorrento where they make Limoncello. If you are not Italian or have never visited Sorrento, you might not be familiar with this Italian liqueur.

What is Limoncello?

  • it is an Italian liquor, flavored with lemons;
  • usually served as a digestif (after-dinner drink);
  • stored in the freezer;
  • is served ice cold in chilled shot glasses;
  • relatively simple to make at home;
  • a wonderful ingredient to use in Italian desserts.

If interested, you can read about the history of limoncello by following this link.

Are you ready to make this Italian Limoncello?

Lemon peels being seeped in alcohol.

How to make Crema di Limoncello

Lemon peels, alcohol and a glass jar

This simple process begins by infusing grain alcohol with lemon peel.

Thoroughly wash, scrub and dry your lemons (preferably unblemished and unwaxed) before stripping them of their peel. Unfortunately, I do not have lemons growing in my backyard so I use organic lemons. Make sure you remove the pith (the white part) of the lemon, lest your limoncello is bitter.

Next, the lemon peels need to steep in alcohol. Use high grain alcohol and a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Mason jars are great as the tight seal provided by the screw tops will prevent evaporation of the alcohol. The infusion time can last anywhere from 6 to 40 days (or even longer) in a cool, dark place. A longer steeping period will result in a better-tasting and better-looking limoncello.

Swirl contents of the jar twice a day. You will notice that this process will strip the lemon peels of their color. When ready to proceed to the next step, strain the liquid with a cheesecloth in a clean bottle.

The simple syrup

Sugar is required to make the simple syrup which is in turn added to the infused alcohol. When you make the simple syrup with milk, you will obtain a creamy limoncello. The addition of a vanilla bean will enhance the final taste of this liquor.

Warm the simple syrup (the sugar, milk and vanilla bean) over medium-low heat and whisk together. Once the sugar has dissolved, strain the mixture with a cheesecloth in a large clean bottle. You might have to strain the solution a few times to get all the vanilla seeds.

A large bottle with a few shot glasses of limoncello.

The creamiest limoncello

It is very important to allow the sugar solution to cool down to room temperature before adding it to the lemon-infused alcohol. We do not want the limoncello to curdle.

The final step in this process is combining the lemon-infused alcohol with the creamy syrup.

The Limoncello can be refrigerated for up to 1 month or frozen for up to 6 months. If freezing, allow sufficient headspace of a few inches for the Limoncello to expand.

Ways to use limoncello

  • as a base for cocktails
  • drizzle over fresh fruit, ice cream, or even cake
  • as an ingredient in baking or cooking.

Limoncello recipes

One of my favorite ways to use this Italian liqueur is in lemon desserts. Two of my favorite recipes are this limoncello cake and this ricotta cake. I also like to make this lemon loaf recipe with the leftover lemon juice and then drizzle with limoncello when serving.

A tray with a few shot glasses of limoncello.

Recipe origins

When a friend of mine, Vittoria, learned of my newfound appreciation of this lemon liqueur, she shared her recipe with me. Vittoria is originally from Petrella, in the province of Campobasso, in the Italian region of Molise and had been making limoncello all her adult life.

I compared different “recipes” for creamy limoncello and I came to the conclusion that once again, the best one is simply a question of taste and how sweet you want your limoncello to be. I have been making and serving this recipe for Crema di Limoncello di Vittoria for a few years and it is always appreciated by family and friends.

The only modification I made was to replace 2 tablespoons of clear vanilla extract with a vanilla bean.

This wonderfully refreshing creamy lemon liqueur can be enjoyed year-round. I like to make a batch just in time for gift-giving for Christmas. You can easily make a batch of Crema di Limoncello di Vittoria this weekend and it will be ready for you to bring in the New Year!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

And if you are new here, welcome! You may want to sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time you want.

Ciao for now,

Maria 

★★★★★ If you have made this Crema di Limoncello recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

A large bottle with a few shot glasses of limoncello.

Crema di Limoncello

There is nothing better than having a wonderful meal with family and friends and ending it with this rich, luscious Crema di Limoncello di Vittoria. Cheers!
4.8 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 65 servings
Calories: 65kcal
Author: Maria Vannelli RD

Ingredients

  • 4 lemons peel only
  • 500 mL pure grain alcohol 94% or higher
  • 1 Liter milk (Grand Pré 2% UHT milk)
  • 600 grams granulated sugar scant 3 cups
  • 1 vanilla bean
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Instructions

  • Thoroughly wash the lemons (preferably organic).
  • With the use of a vegetable or potato peeler, remove lemon peel (avoid the white pith as this will make your limoncello bitter).
  • Place lemon peel in a mason jar (or another container with a tight-fitting lid).
  • Add alcohol, close tightly, and let steep for at least 6 days or up to 40 days in a cool dark place. Swirl contents of the jar twice a day.
  • Remove lemon zest (should be a pale color- the alcohol on the other hand should be a bright yellow).
  • Strain with a cheesecloth in a clean bottle.
  • In a large saucepan, over medium-low heat, warm the milk, sugar and vanilla bean.
  • Whisk frequently until the sugar is dissolved. 
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before adding to alcohol.
  • Strain (with the help of a cheesecloth) in a decanter with alcohol.
  • Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

The longer the period of infusion, the better the final product will be. Minimally, infusion should be at least 6 days. 
I like to use UHT 2% milk.
Can be refrigerated for up to 1 month or frozen for up to 6 months. Allow sufficient head space of a few inches for the Limoncello to expand.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 30mL | Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 30mg | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 3.5mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @shelovesbiscotti or tag #shelovesbiscotti!

This post was originally published on December 20, 2014 and republished on November 16, 2017 with updated content and pictures.

 
 
 

Beverages, How to

About Maria

Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

Comments

  1. Maria says

    October 21, 2020 at 23:22

    Hello Maria,
    Do you think that I can use heavy whipping cream instead of milk.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      October 22, 2020 at 19:16

      Hi Maria! Although I have never tried, I think it might be too think…perhaps there is someone that has tried and will share their experience. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  2. Chris D says

    September 13, 2020 at 20:39

    5 stars
    Great recipe! We’ve made several versions and this is the closest we come to our favorite authentic italian restaraunt version! The UHT milk seems to make a big difference. We put the vanilla bean in with the lemon rinds while they steeped in 151 then sliced the softened vanilla bean lengthwise and cooked it in the UHT milk and sugar cream mix. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      September 13, 2020 at 20:49

      Thanks so much for sharing Chris. Thrilled to read you are enjoying the limoncello.

      Reply
  3. Marie says

    July 18, 2020 at 00:56

    5 stars
    This recipe was so easy to make and lots of fun too! I made the creamy version.
    I used vodka from Finland, lemons from the local bowling green and organic full fat milk from our local neighbourhood farm. Just Devine!
    Marie, Cambridge, NZ

    Reply
    • Maria says

      July 18, 2020 at 10:42

      So thrilled to read this! Thanks so much for sharing Marie!

      Reply
  4. Gwen Shirvanian says

    May 9, 2020 at 23:17

    5 stars
    I used Smirnoff Vodka and we were very happy with the result.
    Also since I didn’t want the vanilla to over power the lemon flavor I just put 1 whole bean into the milk and sugar mix. After milk mix cooled I pulled out bean adding the lemon infused vodka. I did not open the bean and scrape in to the milk sugar mix.

    Excellent Recipe. I will be making again, and again.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 9, 2020 at 23:26

      Thanks so much for taking the time to share Gwen. Thrilled to hear you are happy with the results.

      Reply
  5. Alex says

    May 2, 2020 at 04:58

    Looks good, I’m hoping to try it soon.
    I also noticed you don’t have an alcohol percentage listed in the information.
    I’m estimating between 24% and 26% by volume if starting with 500mL at 94%.

    I’ll let you know how it turns out.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 2, 2020 at 17:32

      Great comment, thanks Alex. Yes, I would agree. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Paul Epthimiatos says

    January 24, 2020 at 12:34

    Dear Maria, Could you tell me where those beautiful handled shot glasses pictured above are available for sale? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      January 27, 2020 at 07:20

      Hi Paul, I bought these glasses over 30 years ago at a local “Italian” hardware store… I did a quick online search and unfortunately, I have not seen them anywhere. Thanks so much for stopping by.

      Reply
      • Tina says

        April 11, 2020 at 13:19

        So I also loved the shot glasses. Found them on eBay. Keglevich shot glasses. Unfortunately they do have the logo on them. But I really like collecting different glassware so I’m adding them to my list.

      • Maria says

        April 11, 2020 at 17:03

        Fantastic Tina!

  7. Matthew Guy says

    December 24, 2019 at 06:36

    Great recipe, I used Everclear and the alcohol taste is really prominent, would adding more milk dissipate that at all?

    Reply
    • Maria says

      December 24, 2019 at 14:10

      Great question Matthew. It would dilute it but I’m not sure what it would taste like. I would try just a small amount and evaluate it. Thanks so much for stopping by Matthew, appreciate it.

      Reply
    • Alex says

      May 2, 2020 at 04:52

      In my experience the bad qualities of a rough or cheap spirit will always be present no matter how much it is watered down. Never had Everclear, but I cannot imagine it is good quality.

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        June 18, 2020 at 20:03

        Alex, I make my regular Limoncello with Everclear 190 (grain alcohol) and it tastes amazing. Try it before you knock it. Crema di Limoncello di Vittoria is next on my to-do list as it sounds delicious! Can’t wait to get more lemons and Everclear!

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Hello and Welcome to She Loves Biscotti!
I'm Maria: dietitian and full time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth, to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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