Lemon Basil Ice
Cooling and refreshing, our Lemon Basil Ice is homemade shaved ice that’s flavored naturally with just a couple of simple ingredients. It’s our new favorite cold summer treat!
I am so excited to share this one with you all! This recipe is adapted from an old friend and coworker who first made it for a work luncheon over 10 years ago. It’s one of those recipes that I still remember taking the first bite of and thinking, “Wow, that is so good!” It has been on my list to recreate for many years, and I’m so happy to finally share our Lemon Basil Ice with you all! It’s like a fresh, healthier snowcone with the refreshing flavors of basil and lemon infused right into the ice itself instead of being topped with a syrup. My kids devoured the multiple batches while recipe testing and have told me that it’s their favorite way to enjoy shaved ice!
Ingredients Needed
- Fresh Basil – Fresh is absolutely key!
- Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest – You can use lemon juice from a bottle, but since you also need the peel, it makes sense to use fresh lemon juice, too!
- Sugar – Just enough to give it that added sweetness it needs without overpowering the delicate basil flavor.
- Water – Obviously!
Helpful Tools
Vegetable Peeler – Steeping the lemon peel is key to getting an even more intense lemon flavor in the ice.
Juicer – We love a little manual juicer because it’ll catch any seeds!
Small Pot – A 1-quart size works great.
Sieve – Or colander of choice to strain the steeped basil and lemon.
Baking Dish – A 7X11, 2 qt baking dish is perfect for this recipe.
SO Easy to Make
Prep Lemons
The first step is to peel and juice the lemons. Use a vegetable peeler to get big pieces of the lemon peel and then give them all a juice.
Boil and Steep
This is where you get that beautiful lemon and basil flavor infused right into the shaved ice itself! Bring the lemon juice, water, and sugar to a boil to dissolve all of the sugar. Then remove from the heat and add the lemon peel and fresh basil, and let it steep for 45 minutes before straining it into a baking dish.
Pro Tip: Steep!
This step is what creates the absolutely delicious lemon basil flavor in this shaved ice. By steeping the fresh basil leaves with the lemon peel, all of those flavors are infused into that water, just like with tea.
Add Water and Freeze
Now, just a little more cold water before the baking dish is ready for the freezer and for the magic to start!
Freeze and Scrape
This step is key to ensuring you get the proper texture for this Lemon Basil Ice, and it does require some time and attention, as you’ll need to scrape and fluff the ice as it freezes. Freeze for about 90 minutes before the first scrape and then again about every hour after that. This will prevent it all from freezing into one big cube and instead will keep it as a nice, shaved ice-like texture.
After a few hours, you’ll have this shaved texture for the most delicious Lemon Basil Ice!
Seriously, this is one of our absolute favorite summer treats! Not only is it cool and refreshing, but it’s healthier than a lot of other summer treats, and we just love the basil and lemon flavors together!
You Also Might Like
- 4-Ingredient Peach Sorbet
- Easy Cherry Sorbet
- Strawberry Kiwi Popsicles
- Peach Lemonade Popsicles
- Strawberry Chia Seed Popsicles
If ever there was a spoonful of summer, this Lemon Basil Ice is it!
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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Lemon Basil Ice
Equipment
- 7×11 baking dish 2 qt
- small pot
- juicer optional
Ingredients
- 4 lemons, juice of about 1 1/4 cup
- peel from 2 lemons
- 2/3 cup sugar 135 g
- 2 2/3 cups water divided
- 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves about 1 oz, packed
Instructions
- Prep Lemons: Use a vegetable peeler and peel 2 lemons. Juice these two lemons and 2 more lemons to get at least 1 1/4 cups of fresh lemon juice.
- Boil and Steep: Add lemon juice, sugar, and 2/3 cup of water to a small pot and turn the heat up to high to bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, remove from the heat and then add the fresh basil leaves and lemon peels and mix. Let it steep off the heat for 45 minutes.
- Drain and Freeze: Place a sieve or a colander over a baking dish. Pour lemon and basil into the sieve into the baking dish and then add 2 cups of cold water. Cover with plastic wrap and then place in the freezer for 90 minutes.
- Scrape and Mix: After 90 minutes, remove the tray from the freezer and remove the cover. Use a fork to scrape the edges of the baking dish where it has begun to freeze, and then mix/scrape it all, breaking up and "fluffing" the frozen parts. Cover and return to the freezer and repeat every hour for the next 4 hrs until the whole baking dish has the texture of shaved ice.
- Serve and Enjoy!
