Making Italian lemon liqueur, known as limoncello in Italy, requires grain alcohol, lemons, sugar, and water. You need to plan ahead, but it's worth it.
Preparation Time
45 mins
Cooking Time
10 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Calories
152 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat; stir until sugar is fully dissolved. Set simple syrup aside to cool completely, 15 to 30 minutes.
Step 2
Combine grain alcohol and lemon zest in a 1-gallon jug; seal with a tight-fitting lid. Place in a cool, dark place for 1 month. Swirl contents of jug every few days.
Step 3
While simple syrup is cooling, place a sieve over a large bowl; line with coffee filters. Strain alcohol mixture through coffee filters to remove all sediment. Replace filters as needed until all mixture has been strained. Strain one more time to ensure all sediment has been removed. Discard coffee filters and zest.
Step 4
Add enough simple syrup to alcohol mixture to reach desired alcohol-by-volume percentage; refer to an alcohol content calculator.
Step 5
Divide limoncello among 6 wine bottles; seal with corks. Rest in a cool, dark place for 1 month, swirling every few days. Strain limoncello through a sieve and coffee filters to remove any leftover sediment if desired.
Step 6
Place 1 bottle limoncello in the freezer; serve icy-cold. Store remaining 5 bottles at room temperature.
