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Sorbet

Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from water, sugar, and fruit juice or fruit purée, sometimes with wine, liqueur, or other flavourings.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from water, sugar, and fruit juice or fruit purée, sometimes with wine, liqueur, or other flavourings. It is generally served as a dessert or palate cleanser and is typically dairy-free. Sorbet is usually lighter and more icy than ice cream because it contains no milk or cream.

Definition

Sorbet is a frozen sweet food made from fruit juice or purée, water, and sugar. Dictionaries and reference sources describe it as a dessert, and sometimes as a palate cleanser served between courses.

Ingredients and preparation

A basic sorbet combines sugar syrup with fruit juice or purée and is frozen while being stirred or churned to create a smooth texture. Some versions include wine, liqueur, herbs, or other flavourings.

Sorbet is different from ice cream because it does not contain dairy, and it is usually less creamy and more icy in texture. It is also distinguished from sherbet in some English-language usage, where sherbet may contain dairy in North American contexts.

Serving and culinary use

Sorbet is often eaten as a light dessert, especially in warm weather, and is also used as a palate cleanser in multi-course meals. Traditional service in Europe dates back to the late 17th century.

Key facts

  • Sorbet is a frozen dessert made primarily from ice, sugar, and fruit juice or purée.
  • It is usually served between courses or as a refreshing dessert.
  • Sorbet generally contains no milk, cream, or egg yolks, unlike ice cream.
  • It can also be flavoured with wine, liqueur, honey, or other ingredients.
  • Because it is often high in sugar, sorbet can be relatively high in calories despite being fat-free.
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Canadian context

Sorbet is widely sold in Canada as a frozen dessert, and Canadian readers are most likely to encounter it in grocery stores, restaurants, and ice cream shops as a dairy-free alternative to ice cream.

Frequently asked questions

What is sorbet?
Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from water, sugar, and fruit juice or fruit purée, sometimes with added flavourings such as wine or liqueur.
Sorbet vs ice cream
Sorbet is usually dairy-free and made with fruit, water, and sugar, while ice cream contains milk or cream and is typically richer and creamier.
How to make sorbet?
A basic sorbet is made by combining a sweetened fruit mixture with water or syrup, then freezing it while stirring or churning so ice crystals stay small and the texture stays smooth.
Sorbet recipe
A simple sorbet recipe uses fruit juice or purée, sugar, and water. Common variations add lemon juice, herbs, or a small amount of alcohol for flavour and texture.
Is sorbet dairy free?
Sorbet is typically dairy-free and does not contain milk, cream, or egg yolks, although ingredient lists can vary by brand or recipe.
Sorbet calories
Sorbet is usually fat-free, but it can still be high in calories because of its sugar content; one reference notes it often has about half the calories of comparable ice cream, though this varies by recipe.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbet
    Supports: General definition; ingredients; optional flavourings
  2. Wikipedia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbet
    Supports: Sorbet as fruit purée or juice with sugar syrup; no cream, milk, or egg yolk
  3. Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sorbet
    Supports: Definition as fruit-flavoured ice served as dessert or palate refresher
  4. BBC Food — https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/sorbet
    Supports: French equivalent of water ice; flavourings; serving as palate cleanser; historical context
  5. Cambridge Dictionary — https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/sorbet
    Supports: Fruit juice, water, and sugar definition
  6. BBC Good Food — https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/sorbet-glossary
    Supports: Dairy-free nature; texture; calorie discussion; ingredients
  7. Britannica Dictionary — https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/sorbet
    Supports: Frozen sweet dessert usually made from fruit or fruit juices
  8. Baskin-Robbins — https://news.baskinrobbins.com/blog/sorbet-vs-sherbet-vs-ice-cream-whats-the-difference
    Supports: Sorbet does not contain dairy; comparison with ice cream