No-Churn Strawberry Sumac Sorbet

Jump to Recipe

This might be a somewhat unpopular opinion, but I think I like sorbet more than ice cream. Don’t get me wrong, ice cream is wonderful. But when it’s really hot out I’d just rather not eat something milk based. I’m also a real fruit fiend, so sorbet is the clear winner in my book. This no-churn strawberry sumac sorbet is bound to be my fruit of the summer. It’s super easy to make (no ice cream maker required), and it’s also healthy! I try not to give my two year old too much sugar, but I have no qualms about giving her some of this to munch on. After all, it’s just strawberries, honey, sumac and water.

What’s the difference between sorbet and ice cream?

While ice cream is made with milk, sorbet is typically just fruit juice (or purée) and sugar. Both are usually churned, however, this sorbet is made in a food processor or high powered blender.

Of course, there’s also gelato, frozen yogurt, custard, sherbet and granita. If you’re curious about the differences between them all, you might find this article by Real Simple helpful.

How do I make this?

As I mentioned earlier, this is a no-churn recipe, meaning you won’t be needing an ice cream maker. Instead, you’ll need either a food processor or a high powered blender. Just throw your frozen strawberries, sumac, honey, and a little warm water in and process until smooth. You may need to add a bit more water to get it there, and that’s totally fine. When it’s smooth and looks like sorbet, transfer it to a bread pan or the freezer safe container of your choosing and enjoy!

Can I make this in advance?

Sure! That said, this strawberry sumac sorbet will be creamiest if eaten immediately. Or you might want to freeze it for a couple hours so that it’s more solid. You can definitely freeze it overnight (or longer!) if you’d like. It’ll be icier, but if you let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes it’ll thaw out and become easier to scoop/eat. The reason that it gets a little icy and becomes difficult to scoop is that it’s low in sugar. Higher sugar content usually helps an ice cream or sorbet stay creamy and scoopable when frozen. But keeping this sorbet on the healthier side was worth it to me. If you’re here, you probably feel similarly.

How long will it keep in the freezer?

This should keep in the freezer for about a month before it starts getting too frostbitten to be enjoyable. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container for longer spans. I like to use a glass container with a plastic lid.

Can I make this vegan?

This recipe includes honey, which isn’t vegan. Thankfully, it’s very easy to make vegan! Just substitute agave or your sweetener of choice for the honey.

A note on strawberries:

I used a bag of frozen strawberries for this, and I recommend following suit! Everything about this recipe is quick and easy, so why add the additional step of having to wash, prep and freeze your strawberries? Of course, you can do those things if you don’t have frozen. But if you can get a bag of frozen ones from the freezer section, that’s definitely easiest.

And that’s it! I love a one step recipe, don’t you? If you make this, I hope you love it. I know I’ll be snacking on mine for the foreseeable future and then making more. Let me know what you think in the comments or on Instagram! I always love hearing from you and seeing your creations, so don’t forget to tag me if you share!

Looking for more sweet summer treats? Try my goat cheese ice cream with raspberry rosemary swirls, my pineapple, coconut, cucumber and mint popsicles, or my passion fruit and jasmine sorbet! They’re varying levels of ease and healthiness, but they’re also all delicious.