Who says you have to go to the Amalfi Coast to taste limoncello? With a few simple ingredients, a pinch of patience, and a dash of love, you can make your own homemade limoncello in the comfort of your own kitchen!
Limoncello is a classic Italian liqueur with an unmistakable lemon taste. It's made by infusing lemon peel in pure alcohol and then combining it with a simple syrup. The result is a yellow liqueur with a delicious balance of tartness and sweetness, perfect for sipping or as a refreshing ingredient in cocktails.
But you can also use it for the preparation of desserts, like for example Limoncello Tiramisu. Or you can add some drops to fresh fruit salads; just a bit in Sorbet or on top of your Italian Gelato.
You will find that making limoncello at home is more than just a recipe: it's an experience. It allows you to control the quality of the ingredients, ensuring that only the finest lemons and purest alcohol end up in your creation.
And the best part? You get to share the fruits of your labor with family and friends. Imagine their faces lighting up with the first sip when you tell them you made this limoncello with your own hands, in your own kitchen!
We will take you step-by-step through the process of making authentic Italian limoncello at home!
Ingredients
- Prep Time: 20 Min
- Cook Time: 10 Min
- Rest Time: 3 weeks
Doses for about 2 liters (~8 cups) of Limoncello
- 8 big untreated organic lemons
- 1 liter (4 cups) of pure alcohol 95° which is equivalent to 1 liter of Everclear (190-proof) or you can use a 100-proof Vodka
- 600 g (3 cups) of granulated sugar
- 1 liter (4 cups) of water
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
For making Homemade Limoncello Recipe it's necessary to have some simple but really useful kitchen tools. Let's see which ones.
- First of all, a peeler, preferably ceramic, to finely peel the lemons and remove only the zest. The ceramic blade will never brown foods or alter taste or smell of food. So it's perfect for this recipe.
- Then you need a large glass jar (at least 3 liters/1 gallon of capacity) with an airtight or screwed lid.
- It's necessary a large fine mesh strainer to strain the alcohol and remove the lemon zest after the infusion. With that goes funnels of different sizes to pour Limoncello into bottles, even the smallest ones.
- Finally, some glass bottles with airtight or cork cap to store Limoncello.
Limoncello Recipe: Instructions
Step 1) - Wash the lemons and dry them with kitchen paper. Do not rub them too much so as not to disperse oils and perfume. Use only ORGANIC UNTREATED LEMONS (for more informations see below in Substitutions and Tips).
Step 2) - Peel the lemons with a ceramic potato peeler. The ceramic blade will never brown your lemons or alter taste or their scent.
Take care to remove ONLY the zest (yellow part), leaving the white spongy one on the lemon, as it could give a bitter taste to the liqueur.
The Infusion
Step 3) - Place the lemon zest in a large airtight glass jar then pour the alcohol (or the Everclear or the Vodka). Let them infuse for 2 weeks in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
Better cover the jar with a cloth to be sure that it remains in the dark. During this time, SHAKE THE JAR EVERY DAY to mix the ingredients well without ever opening the jar.
Step 4) - After the required infusion time, you need to make the syrup. So put the water and sugar in a saucepan and, over low heat, bring to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then let it cool down.
Step 5) - Now filter the liquid with a sieve and remove the lemon zest.
Step 6) - Once the syrup is cold, add it to the infusion of alcohol and lemon zest and mix well. Now pour the Limoncello into glass bottles with hermetic closure or cork stopper. Store the bottles in a cool, dark place for one week.
NOTE: for added safety, you can sterilize the bottles by boiling them in a pot full of water. The boiling should last at least 20 minutes, then drain the bottles upside down.
Now your homemade Limoncello is ready! Remember to put it in the freezer at least three hours before drinking it or keep it always in the freezer, ready to drink on any occasion!
YOU MUST ALSO TRY:
- Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies
- Pastiera Napoletana Recipe
- Caprese Cake Recipe
- Lemon Almond Cake | Dolce di Amalfi
- Limoncello Tiramisù
Storage
Once the limoncello is ready it can be stored in the freezer. The alcohol and sugar prevent it from freezing so don't worry. In this way it's already cold when you want to drink it! Homemade Limoncello should be drunk within three months from the date of preparation.
Substitutions and Tips
- TYPE OF ALCOHOL: Traditionally, Limoncello is made in Italy with alcohol at 95°. In some countries, however, it cannot be found or its sale is forbidden. In this case, replace it with Everclear 190 proof, which is the best alternative for this recipe. You can even use a high quality 100 proof vodka as a last option.
- TYPE OF LEMONS: You MUST use untreated organic lemons, possibly recently picked from the plant with the twig and leaves still attached. This is to preserve their unmistakable aroma for as long as possible. The best lemons for the preparation of Limoncello are, of course, those from Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast: the famous "Femminello di Santa Teresa" and the "Sfusato Amalfitano". These lemons are very rich in essential oils and beneficial properties and give the Limoncello its wonderful aroma. If you don't have Sorrento lemons, don't worry! Other varieties are also good, such as the Eureka or Lisbon lemons, which are widely grown in Florida and California. In general, choose lemons with a rough, thick skin, large in size and, above all, untreated, preferably organic.
Infusion Time
The duration of the infusion is a crucial aspect in the process of making limoncello. It can vary according to personal preference and theories circulating on the subject.
Let's take a look at some of the more common theories regarding the infusion time of lemon peels to make limoncello.
- Traditional theory: According to the oldest Italian tradition, lemon peels should be infused in alcohol for 4 to 6 weeks. This long infusion time allows the lemon to slowly release its essential oils into the alcohol, creating an intense and deep flavor.
- Accelerated theory: Some limoncello makers suggest a shorter infusion time of between 1 day and 2 weeks. This theory is based on the idea that the accelerated infusion is sufficient to extract the desired flavor and aroma from the lemon zest, thus reducing the overall production time.
- Custom Theory: Many limoncello enthusiasts experiment with different infusion times to create their preferred flavor profile. Some prefer a lighter, fresher flavor and opt for a shorter infusion time. Others like a more intense flavor and extend the infusion for several weeks or even months.
In conclusion, there is no single answer as to the ideal length of time to infuse lemon peel to make limoncello. It depends on personal preference and the theories you choose to follow.
We have chosen an average total time of three weeks, which everyone agrees on and which gives a great result!
However, experimenting with different infusion times can be fun and allow you to create a personalized limoncello to your taste.
Regardless of which theory you follow, it's important to make sure that the lemon peels are of high quality and do not contain any harmful chemical treatments so that you get an authentic and tasty limoncello!
How to Drink Lemoncello
Drink Limoncello ice cold, NOT with ICE! Keep it in the freezer to have it always ready to drink. Alcohol and sugar prevent the liqueur from freezing, so don't worry! Otherwise, remember to put it in the freezer at least three hours before serving.
This wonderfully sweet liqueur is traditionally served as an after-dinner drink, especially in the summer, because it's thought to aid digestion. Limoncello is therefore a digestif, NOT an aperitif!
Drink Limoncello in a shot glass that has been chilled in the freezer for a few hours.
Because of its high alcohol content, you should sip Limoncello slowly to fully enjoy its unique and unmistakable aroma.
Limoncello History
The origins of Limoncello are certainly to be found in the beautiful Gulf of Naples. But there are many stories and myths about the birth of this famous liqueur, involving monks, intellectuals and even Zeus and the Sirens.
Many attribute the birth of Limoncello to Mrs. Antonia Farace, who ran a small hotel with a beautiful lemon garden on the island of Capri in the early 1900s. She made a very good lemon liqueur for her guests and passed the recipe on to her son.
Around 1988, Mrs. Maria's son opened a small artisanal production of lemon-based liqueurs, which he registered as a trademark. Thus was born the first official Limoncello in history.
But Limoncello certainly has more ancient origins.
Legend has it that it was Zeus who revealed the secret recipe of this precious infusion to an inhabitant of the land of the Sirens.
There are those who claim that limoncello was already known in Roman times, as evidenced by some frescoes in Pompeii.
For others, the recipe for limoncello was born in a monastery around 1700.
In short, the history of limoncello is shrouded in legend and mystery. What is certain is that at the beginning of the twentieth century, all the families of Sorrento and its surroundings always offered a glass of limoncello to their illustrious guests.
Limoncello has become a symbol of Campania in the world. It has also obtained the denomination of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). This means that in Italy the only authentic limoncello is that produced in the Sorrento area, on the Amalfi Coast and on the island of Capri.
Recipe Card

Limoncello Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 lemons big untreated organic
- 1 liter alcohol 95° 4 cups - or 1 liter of Everclear (190-proof) or 100-proof Vodka
- 600 g granulated sugar 3 cups
- 1 liter water 4 cups
Instructions
- Peel the lemons with a ceramic potato peeler. Take care to remove only the zest (yellow part), leaving the white spongy one on the lemon, as it could give a bitter taste to the liqueur.
- Place the lemon zest in a large airtight glass jar then pour the alcohol. Let them infuse for 2 weeks in a cool place out of direct sunlight. Better cover the jar with a cloth to be sure that it remains in the dark. Shake the jar every day to mix the ingredients well without ever opening the jar.
- Put the water and sugar in a saucepan and, over low heat, bring to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then let it cool down.
- Filter the liquid with a sieve and remove the lemon zest.
- Once the syrup is cold, add it to the infusion of alcohol and lemon zest and mix well. Now pour the Limoncello into glass bottles. Store the bottles in a cool, dark place for one week.
Ellen Giarola says
The recipe calls for organic lemons. Can I use bush lemons.
stephen r cox says
I have made this several times. We love it. I am however getting a layer of scum(not sure what else to call it). How do I remove it?
Gaia says
When using Vodka, use the Smirnoff Blue Label (it's 100 proof). I always keep any proof vodka in the freezer and it never freezes...just stays ice cold!!
Guille says
I'm gonna try this soon!
What's your final ABV? your recipe calls for 1000ml of 96° alcohol so about 960ml of total alcohol; mixed with 1000ml of water plus 3 cups of sugar making around 1,250ml of syrup if I'm correct. That would make it around 43.4°? Or 87 proof? I might add more water and sugar to proof it down
Patty says
Can you reuse the lemon peels from the first batch to make a second batch given that the first batch only rested for 2 weeks and some recipes call for 4 weeks?
Mike S says
I would not recommend it. Discard peels after using 1 time.
Julie says
I made this recipe as directed but it stayed clear instead of cloudy. It is a beautiful lemon color and tastes very good but why isn’t it cloudy?
Susan van Hoogstraten says
Hi there. In the UK, I am unable to obtain the alcohol that you recommend and I have used a 1l bottle of Smirnoff Vodka. My Limoncello freezes solid in the freezer. Is this because of the vodka type used? Can anyone offer an alternative that is available in the UK?
Thank you,
Susan
Amanda Clear says
Hi Susan , I’m on the south coast and I made some and also a cream version I used a nutritional grain alcohol from masters of malt
Mines in the freezer and it’s fine ,,,
Although I must say the cream version is the tastiest ,, hope this helps ,
My mum went to school with a hoogstraten ! !
Brenton says
Same for me. Smirnoff is not 100% prooof thats why.
Beleszove says
If it froze, that suggests there was a high percentage of water, which is what you get when you use lower alcohol content. The brand isn't as important as the proof/percent alcohol. What did it say on your bottle? 100 proof vodka is 50% alcohol by volume. If you used 80 proof (most common proof sold) that would only be 40% alcohol, and 60% water, which would make it freeze
Cathy Perinovic says
Contemplating making this as wedding favors. Do you know if it’s not frozen, will it be fine in little jars for a few weeks until the wedding?
BadMedisin says
If you sterilise the jars it’ll be fine. Wash the jars then heat them in the oven at 160*c for about 10 minutes. Wash the lids and soak them in boiling water for a few minutes. The limoncello will keep for ages.
Ann says
Good recipe - thank you. FYI you only need boil glass jars, bottles for 10 min. to sterilize them (avid canner here) 20 min is a waste of energy. You can also run them through the dishwasher at high heat. This limoncello will keep indefinitely and stay in prefect flavor profile if stored in the freezer... three months is not accurate. ***Using organic lemons is imperative as lemons can be heavily sprayed. Removing the zest and allowing to macerate for weeks will draw out every bit of poison on that skin. Follow the directions!
Thank you for sharing.
Michael Bennett says
Using the zest from Mandarins produces a delightful drink which we first encountered in Puglia some many years ago. We have been making Mandarinata ever since and prefer it to lemoncello ( the recipe is the same of course)
Paul says
I've had bottles in my freezer for up to a year with no loss in taste. The alcohol content alone would probably make this last forever!!
Paul says
I've made variations of this, using 80 proof and higher vodka. If you want less "burn" try a rye vodka, or a premium russian vodka. 80 proof works just fine, it's just more authentic with the higher proofs, but has less kick at the lower proof.
Fay says
I failed to mention that I did make this. Started on 12/18, got sick 12/26 so it infused for 6 weeks (except for shaking every few days) until step 4. First two sips burn all the way down but smooth sailing after that. Delicious! Thank you
Nicole says
Where are your gorgeous bottles and glasses from? Can’t wait to try this!
Pasquale says
Yes u can. Depending on your taste or ability to drink lower proof Lemoncello is all perfectly fine. I’ve made it both ways and it has come out perfect. Also consider mixing vodka with the ever clear.
Nancy Steffan says
I did not use the porcelain peeler but otherwise followed the directions to the letter. It was absolutely wonderful. This recipe is worth making. I used Meyer Lemons and would recommend that. It is imperative that you scrap all of the white off the peel. It was killer.
Susan says
I have made "limoncello" with oranges so..Orangecello. It is wonderful in the summer with vanilla ice cream and a short pour of either orange soda or cream soda to make an adult version of a orange-creamsicle float. Yummy
Joey Browne says
What is the correct volume for simple syrup, when I use 1.75 liter of 190 Everclear? I want about 32 abv so it won’t freeze.
Dave says
190 proof Everclear is 95% alcohol (Proof is double the percent)
So 1.75 l of 190 proof everclear is (0.95)*1.75 = 1.7 l of alcohol
To get to 32 % abv solve for 0.32 = 1.7 / final volume
final volume = 5.2 l
So you started with 1.75 l of Everclear. You then need to add enough syrup to make 5.2 l total, 5.2 - 1.75 = 3.45 l of syrup.
Fran says
Is it okay to double the recipe? Will it change anything by doing this?
Barbara says
Hi Fran,
Of course you can! If you double the ingredients, you will get about 4 liters of Limoncello instead of 2.
Chris says
Could it be made with a sugar substitute?
P Colchester says
the sugar will help it to not freeze and to preserve it. Honey would work but artificial sweeteners would not
Patricia says
Can I have this ferment for a longer period of time or is the three weeks the magic time? Let's say for 3 months?
Silvana says
Hi Particia!!!
How long should maceration take for homemade limoncello?
Recipes give different and widely varying prescriptions: from one week up to forty days.
It is actually in the first three days of infusion that the peel releases the essential oils into the alcohol.
We recommend two weeks for a more intense aroma and also a more vibrant color. Then another at least week of rest without peels to let the taste of Limoncello mature. Three months of infusion is not needed.
Maria L Rios says
Love your recipes. I must try a few.
Freeda w says
I will try this with my lemons on my tree. Sounds really good. Thanks for the recipe.
Kendra R says
I made this and it's sooooo good that I am going to make another batch and give them as gifts! I have Meyer Lemons growing in my yard and used Everclear as that was all that I could find with the right alcohol percentage. Absolutely delicious. Thank you so much!
Gail Bakke says
Thank you for the info on using Meyer Lemons! I was wondering if those would work as I think they are the best lemons and they are local to where I live. Although they are not super large and rough skinned as the recipe suggests, I think Meyers have great oils and aroma. I can’t wait to make this!!!
Mary says
Meyer lemons will not taste right. It will have strong herbacious note, more than lemon. Good, but not limoncello. They use the Santa Teresa Femminello variety in Italy. It is not common in the USA. If you live near a city with a population of Italian heritage, you might be able to find them, or you can grow them if you live in a warmer climate. I think the best substitute is the Lisbon lemon variety, which are easier to find.
Maria L Rios says
Where can I purchase Everclear?
Josh says
The liquor store.
Jim says
But check the alcohol content. Not all Everclear is 95%. Up in Minnesota, it's only 80% or so.
Elaine S. Anderson says
I live in California and some counties allow the sale of Everclear and some do not. I would suggest calling some liquor stores and asking. It wasn't that difficult to find it. We made one batch with Everclear and one batch with vodka and invited several neighbors to taste test and give their opinion on which they preferred without knowing which was which. Most liked the vodka batch. One really liked the Everclear batch. It's personal preference. Enjoy!
Josh Rawley says
There is no health or flavor reason to use only organic lemons. Any pesticide residues left on the lemons are so infinitesimally small they are scientifically proven to have no effect on human health. And blind taste tests do not show a difference between organic or conventional. Insisting on organic is pure hype.
Cheryl says
I disagree - there is, in my experience, a taste difference. Additionally, you are actually using the part of the fruit that comes into direct contact with the chemical pesticides. Personally, I’ll take a pass on that. For any recipe using citrus peel, keep it clean! IMHO, obviously. ✌️
Robbie says
Thank you, Cheryl for that comment. People amaze me! The soil for organic growers does not have the toxic chemicals either, if it's organic, it's not a GMO, which mostly everything is an GMO now. They should read what GMO is, what all is in that GMO fruit or vegetable. And they wonder why they have leaky gut, wait, they don't even know that either, I bet. So "pure hype"
the organic growers are killing the bees, and butterflies with their toxic chemicals like the other growers.
Rick says
I've just had lemoncello for the first time while in Florence Italy. WOW it was fantastic. Looked up this recipe and can't wait to make more. A bottle I purchased at a loca store was, I must say, very good, but it was $20 which is a little expensive considering that I have a taste anytime during the day I choose. I have not actually made my first batch as I will aquire the correct containers and ceramic peeler before I start but I can't wait. Thanks very much for your detailed recipe!
Tess says
This is the recipe to use for amazing limoncello!... I received a shipment of organic meyer lemons from someone's California backyard and made limoncello for the first time. I soaked the peels for a full month in Everclear, then diluted the alcohol with simple syrup at slightly more syrup to alcohol ratio (wow! That Everclear packs a punch! and I like anything sweeter)... I have more than 3L of the final product, and will be sipping this nectar all year round (I hope!). Thank you for this easy, foolproof recipe!!!
Guy says
My fresh lemons have been juiced. Can they still be used for lemoncello?
Toni Fox says
No you can't use the juice from the lemon you have to soak the zest from the lemon,. I suggest if you want to use the juice make lemonade with it but the yellow part of the peel is what you want for lemoncello
Tom says
I would suggest to split the alcohol with zests in half. First half can be used with sugar as traditional Limoncello. Other half can be used to make Lemon Vodka - just mix spirit with lemon juice and honey. Add honey to lemon juice until sourness and sweetness are well balanced. Next mix it with spirits. Use online calculators to estimate how much water need to be added for 35-40%.
Cheryl says
Maybe. Can you peel a juiced lemon? I’d think you’d lose much of the oils in the peel from squeezing ♀️
Gayle says
I have a lime tree with so much fruit on it
Would you use the same quantity of limes for this recipe or a few more?