This is a long-form of the standard recipe that omits no details or explanations. If you plan to make limoncello (also incorrectly spelled “lemoncello” or “lemonchello”) at home and have never tried it before, you should read this very closely.
The longer you let it sit, the lemonier it will taste (personally, I loved the flavor after just one week). Once you’re happy with how it tastes, strain the vodka through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the lemon peels to get every last drop of limoncello.
Step Three: Zest Lemons
Zest the lemons. Doing this step quickly and doing it well requires a Microplane Zester because anything else just doesn’t work as well in my experience. I like to put a cutting board or a large piece of aluminum foil down to catch all the zest. Then you just use the zester to remove a thin layer of zest from the whole lemon.
If you get even a little bit of the white pith just below the zest, it will make your liqueur bitter. So don’t take chances, if the lemon is bumpy and you can’t get all the zest without hitting the pith elsewhere, let it go. The lemons in the picture below have been zested. Notice how it is still yellow because I just removed the outer skin without touching the pith anywhere. This step is all about quality over quantity.
My recipe calls for 2 more lemons than what you typically see (~50 grams of zest) because it is so important not to worry about not having enough zest here and digging into the lemon for more is not allowed. This step used to take me a really long time when I used other types of zesters or peelers but with the Microplane I can zest all 17 lemons in about half an hour.
Watch the video series: My series of YouTube shorts on the process
Wash the lemons. You’ll need to do this whether or not they are organic but if they aren’t organic it’s more of an ordeal. You need to scrub them under very warm water with a vegetable brush or some other plastic scrubber. Remove all stickers or stamps and as much of the wax as possible. Then dry them with a paper towel.
As an optional step, I like to also use a vegetable wash on the lemons to really get them squeaky clean and remove any wax or debris. Its an extra step, but worth doing in my opinion. I do this for any fruit or vegetable when I intend to eat the skin.
LIMONCELLO RECIPE | Italian Nonna making the Best Limoncello in the World
FAQ
Does limoncello get better with age?
Can limoncello sit too long?
How long does it take limoncello to go bad?
Can you oversteep limoncello?
How many ml of limoncello in a bottle?
All calculations below make 33-34% vol or 66-68 Proof Limoncello of moderate sweetness 900 ml (about 3 ¾ cups) sugar syrup made with 440 g sugar (2 cups) + 720 ml water (3 cups). This recipe makes about 1650 milliliters of Limoncello or 55 fluid onces. This quantity will fill 3 (17oz) bottles or 6 (8oz) bottles.
How to make the perfect Limoncello?
Infuse for a week with 300ml of 95% vodka like Everclear. Once infused, filter through a coffee filter and add another 600ml of water and 200 grams of sugar to make 1L of final Limoncello. Keep reading as we share out tips and tricks to make the perfect limoncello
How long does Limoncello last?
Limoncello is stored in the freezer so it can be served chilled- if you use 80 proof, your drink will turn to ice. Keep it a high proof and a good quality. This part is also confusing on the web. Some recipes say let it sit for 100 days while others (like Giada’s) say 1 week. What in the world- that’s a huge difference!
Can you freeze Limoncello?
Chill in the freezer for at least a few hours before serving. Make extra sugar syrup only if you want a milder Limoncello (less alcohol – about 30% abv or 60 Proof). You can either make extra syrup apart or all together when you prepare the sugar syrup. Fresh made Limoncello reaches its perfection in a few days after bottling.