Ice creams, frozen yogurts and sorbets are always good choices for dessert during hot summer weather. I particularly enjoy incorporating fresh summer fruits into my frozen treats, just as I enjoy using them in baked goods. I have a wide range of strawberry ice creams on the site, but this Strawberry Buttermilk Sorbet is a simple, summery dessert that is made with lots of fresh strawberries and creamy, tangy buttermilk. It is the kind of easy recipe that becomes an instant favorite once you’ve made it.

The sorbet is made with fresh strawberries, sugar and buttermilk. These ingredients are blended together until smooth, then the mixture is poured into an ice cream maker to churn into sorbet. There is no cooking involved and the prep really does take just a few minutes. Since the buttermilk is cold and your strawberries are (likely) either cold or at room temperature, the base for the sorbet can go into the ice cream maker right away, without additional chilling time. That said, if you want to prepare it in advance, it can be stored in the refrigerator and churned the next day.

I admit that I was tempted to call this Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream, but the truth is that there is no cream in this recipe and the fat content simply isn’t high enough to lay claim to the name of ice cream. That being said, it is very creamy and it is absolutely loaded with flavor, even while it is on the healthier side of the spectrum.

The sorbet can be made in an ice cream maker, and I always recommend using one if you have one available for the best and easiest results. It can also be made without one, if you don’t have an ice cream maker. Instead, you can pour the sorbet base into a shallow baking dish (8×8 or 9×9 pan, preferably pyrex) and place it in the freezer. After 1-2 hours, give the partially frozen sorbet a good stir with a fork to break up the larger ice crystals. Repeat the stirring process once more, after another 30-45 minutes, then allow the sorbet to freeze completely overnight. The resulting sorbet will still be delicious, but it will be a bit less creamy than one made in an ice cream maker.

Strawberry Buttermilk Sorbet
16-oz fresh strawberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk

Trim and hull strawberries, discarding the leafy green tops. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and whizz until mixture is smooth and all of the sugar has been dissolved, 60-90 seconds. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Serves 4-6

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