Homemade Limoncello Recipe

It’s citrus season! I started a new batch of homemade limoncello! Have you ever tried it or made your own? It’s so easy and ions better than store bought.

Limoncello is a sweet and tart liquor sipped after a meal in Italian culture. Because it contains so much lemon oil from the rinds, it truly does help with digestion. Careful… it’s easy to over-sip. 😉 The yellow color of the liquor comes from the lemons, but you could also use orange peel for a Halloween-themed drink! Recipe below:


Limoncello Recipe
1 bottle 190 Proof Grain Alcohol (I use Everclear but vodka works too)
10 meyer lemons, organic
2 cups water
2 cups sugar or more to taste


Directions
Wash the lemons. Carefully peel the skin from each lemon using a vegetable peeler or pairing knife. Try to get only the yellow skin; the white pith adds a more bitter flavor. Place the skins in a large glass bottle. Pour grain alcohol over the top and close the jar. Allow to infuse for two weeks, undisturbed, out of direct sunlight.

After two weeks, strain the alcohol into a new container and discard the rinds. They’ll be crispy!

Prepare a simple syrup in a large sauce pot over medium heat by combining equal parts water and sugar. Whisk and allow the sugar to dissolve. Turn off the heat. Add the lemon liquor to the sauce pot and whisk to combine well. Taste the limoncello. If more sweetness is needed, mix a second batch of sugar syrup in a second sauce pot. Slowly add to the limoncello (1/2 cup at a time so as not to over sweeten).

Once the limoncello is fully cooled, pour into glass bottles using a funnel. Screw the lid on the jars and store in the refrigerator for up to one month or the freezer for one year. To drink, simply pour liquor in a shot glass and sip after a meal.