Dairy-Free Orange Sherbet
Orange sherbet has a way of living somewhere between dessert and memory, with the nostalgia of a creamsicle off the ice cream truck. Sherbet is a little different from most ice cream. It’s not typically made with a custard, which means it’s naturally egg-free. It’s more like a fruit sorbet with a little cream. In this dairy-free orange sherbet, that cream comes from coconut yogurt. It also comes together more easily than you might expect. Just a handful of ingredients whisked together in one bowl, then churned — or made in the Ninja CREAMi — until soft and scoopable.
How this dairy-free orange sherbet recipe fits AIP & Paleo
This recipe is AIP, Paleo and plant-based, made without dairy, refined sugar, or alcohol. Traditional sherbet and ice cream recipes often include a small amount of liqueur. Not necessarily for flavor, but because alcohol lowers the freezing point, which helps keep the texture soft and scoopable straight from the freezer. Here, we’re getting a similar effect with a small splash of white balsamic vinegar. White balsamic is mellow and sweet, so there’s no lingering vinegar taste. Instead, it enhances the citrus, softens the coconut flavor, and helps create that smooth, scoopable texture you want in a sherbet.
Dairy-Free, All Natural Ingredients
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Zest and juice two oranges, then measure one cup of juice (with plenty of pulp) and one tablespoon of zest. Freshly squeezed orange juice gives a brighter, more classic flavor than store-bought.
Cook’s Note
I find that the yogurt is cold enough coming right from the fridge that it’s not necessary to chill the base before churning, but it can help to set the mixture in the fridge for a bit, especially if you’re working in a warm kitchen.
Whisk the juice and zest with the coconut yogurt, golden or blonde coconut sugar, a pinch of salt, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. White balsamic is slightly syrupy and sweet, and stands in for the traditional use of liqueur. It helps keep the sherbet scoopable and neutralizes the coconut flavor.
Add the sherbet base to your favorite ice cream churner. I’m using the ice cream bowl attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer. Like most ice cream churners, you have to plan a little in advance to freeze the bowl, but it’s otherwise simple to use. Just attach the churning paddle, turn on the mixer, then pour in the sherbet mixture.
Ninja CREAMi Method
This also works in the Ninja CREAMi. Mix the base, pour it into a pint container, freeze according to the machine’s instructions, then spin on the sorbet setting.
This recipe makes a pint of dairy-free orange sherbet, and it churns to soft-serve texture in about 10 minutes in the Kitchenaid. I know it’s ready when the sherbet has doubled in volume and thicken until it’s no longer runny or liquid.
Transfer into a freezer-safe container and freeze for another four hours to set, and it’s ready to scoop. The flavor is bright, citrusy, so refreshing and nostalgic.
You might also like
If you love this Dairy-Free Orange Sherbet, try one of these sorbet and ice cream recipes next.
Dairy-Free Peach Sorbet
Dairy-Free Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Dairy-Free Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream
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Dairy-Free Orange Sherbet FAQ
Dairy-Free Orange Sherbet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (with pulp)
- 1 cup coconut yogurt
- ½ cup coconut sugar, golden or blonde
- 1½ tsp white balsamic vinegar
- ¼ tsp pink Himalayan salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, coconut yogurt, coconut sugar, white balsamic vinegar, and salt until smooth and the sugar is fully dissolved.
For an ice cream maker
- Pour the mixture into the machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it thickens to a soft-serve consistency and is no longer liquid.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours, until firm enough to scoop.
For the Ninja Creami
- Pour the mixture into a pint container and freeze until solid, about 8 to 12 hours.
- Spin on the sorbet setting until smooth.
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This recipe captures all the nostalgia of orange sherbet!