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    Home » Recipes » Blog

    How to make Limoncello the Italian way

    August 19, 2015 By Sara McCleary Updated November 29, 2020 - This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe

    When life gives you lemons, make limoncello! Or more importantly when Mac’s work colleague (the lovely Loz) gives him lemons, then I was definitely making a batch of limoncello.

    I already had a recipe on how to make limoncello in my very large ‘not yet made’ recipe collection. I have had this recipe for 19 years, and have wanted to make limoncello for just as long.

    How to make Limoncello | www.bellyrumbles.com

    The recipe was given to me by the lovely Leo and Lidia, who I haven’t seen in probably 19 years as well. Leo was also a work colleague of Mac’s many years ago. I met them when we were living in Italy for a while. Josh was four, and I was working casually in the hospitality industry. When the opportunity came up to go with Mac to Italy for a while, I quite happily dropped everything and Bologna bound we were.

    It seemed that everybody’s father had a good stash of home made grappa, straight up, but also various flavours. Flavour wise it was as vast as the imagination, coffee, various fruits and my favourite, lemon or limoncello.

    How to make Limoncello | www.bellyrumbles.com
    How to make Limoncello | www.bellyrumbles.com
    How to make Limoncello | www.bellyrumbles.com

    Below, for your amusement, are some photos of Josh and I 19 years ago in Bologna. Wasn’t he just the cutest kid! Oh, and yes, I had dark hair. I had this idea that my ass wouldn’t get pinched as much in Italy if I went from blonde to brunette. How wrong was I. In fact it seems that Italian men are quite happy to, well, be Italian men, even when you are walking down the street holding the hand of your four year old son.

    Bologna
    Sara McCleary
    Bologna

    The grappa I used for making the limoncello added beautifully to the synergy of the whole story. An Italian company I still work with to this day gave this particular grappa to me, over 20 years ago. Grappa straight up isn’t a particularly pleasant tipple, reminds me a little of paint stripper. A clear, high in alcohol content, potent drink made from the bits of the grapes leftover from the process of making wine.

    If you can’t find grappa, a grain alcohol is your next best bet, but if that seems all too hard, you can use vodka. Please try and not use vodka, there are so many recipes out there that do, and well, that’s just not how you make limoncello. After all it is an Italian drink not Russian.

    How to make Limoncello | www.bellyrumbles.com
    How to make Limoncello | www.bellyrumbles.com

    The lemon part of the limoncello is very important. Avoid lemons from the supermarket as they are waxed and the recipe wont work as well. If you don’t grown your own, or have a lovely neighbour or work colleague, maybe try your local farmers’ market.

    There you go my friends, that’s how to make limoncello. In the end my grappa was left to infuse with the lemon peel for just over a month. You don’t have to be strict about the 20 days, but I definitely wouldn’t leave it for any less than that.

    How to make Limoncello | www.bellyrumbles.com

    How does it taste? Absolutely wonderful, for many reasons. There is some happy personal history behind my limoncello and I have used locally grown Aussie lemons. Plus I do believe when you have put the effort in and invested time in making something from scratch, that fact alone makes it even more delicious.

    Now you know I am a complete recipe hoarder, and I have recipes going back 19 years (there are older ones, sigh). Do tell me, what’s the longest time you have kept a recipe before making it? Would love to know if you can break my record.

    Sara xxx

    Printable Recipe

    How to make Limoncello | www.bellyrumbles.com

    Italian Limoncello

    Recipe Author: Sara McCleary
    How to make limoncello the Italian way. Using grappa is how to make limoncello, not vodka. This is a smooth and delicious traditional limoncello.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course Cocktails, Drinks &amp
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 3 L

    Ingredients

    • 6 lemons non waxed
    • 1 L grappa or grain alcohol – 90% alcohol
    • 1 kg sugar
    • 1.25 L water

    Instructions
     

    • Peel lemons and use only the yellow skin, avoid as much of the pith (white part) as you can.
    • Put the lemon peel in a container with the grappa for 20 days. A couple of bottles with lids work very well. Store the bottled with the grappa and lemon in a cool dark place and shake them every couple of days.
    • On the 20th day place water and sugar in a large pot and stir until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and then leave to cool completely.
    • Once cool, strain grappa from the lemon peel and add the lemon infused grappa to the sugar syrup.
    • Mix well and distribute the limoncello to bottles.
    • Limoncello is best served from the freezer. Make sure you don’t over fill your bottles and the liquid will expand, but not freeze, in your freezer.
    • Recipe makes 3L of limoncello.

    Oven Temperatures

    All oven temperatures are fan forced.

    Measurement Notes

    All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.

    NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

    The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.

    Did You Make This Recipe?I do a happy dance when people share how they went. Tag me on Instagram @bellyrumbles & #bellyrumbles
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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Christine Vasilopoulou

      June 03, 2024 at 3:07 am

      5 stars
      Perfect recipe!
      Can I use the lemon peels afterwards in any way?

      Reply
      • Sara McCleary

        June 24, 2024 at 7:54 pm

        Hi Christine
        Always makes me happy to hear when somebody enjoys a recipe. Now, regarding the lemon peels. I've never really thought about it before, nor have I tried the peels once they have been soaked. The oils have been extracted into the alcohol. Not sure how tasty the leftover peel will be.
        I think the peels have done their job, and can't really be used again.
        Saying that, you now have me thinking 😉
        Cheers, Sara.

    2. john | heneedsfood

      August 26, 2015 at 7:54 am

      I had no idea it was made like this and how easy it was! And look at you in that photo! Love it.

      Reply
    3. nags

      August 20, 2015 at 3:38 pm

      what gorgeous pictures!

      Reply
    4. THE HUNGRY MUM

      August 20, 2015 at 12:33 pm

      Sara, this is amazing! I have only had home-made limoncello (not made by me, I hasten to add) made with vodka and I thought that it was the bee's knees. Makes sense to use grappa. And i love you as a brunette 😉 Yummed this.

      Reply
    5. Bianca@forfoodssake

      August 20, 2015 at 10:56 am

      My Nonna's is POTENT, it's a vibrant almost fluro yellow and it's hauled out after coffee/cake for special occasions 🙂

      Reply
    6. Bron

      August 20, 2015 at 8:27 am

      apart from colour of your hair, you've not changed, Sara! Looking forward to trying your recipe.

      Reply
    7. Jason King

      August 20, 2015 at 5:22 am

      Great pics Sara, great recipe and will definitely give this a go - limoncello will make for awesome Xmas presents this year 🙂 Thanks

      Reply
    8. Helen | Grab Your Fork

      August 20, 2015 at 12:10 am

      Naww how cute does Josh look! Can never resist limoncello in summer. It's one of those things I've always said I will make but never quite get around to doing!

      Reply
    9. Loz

      August 19, 2015 at 9:13 pm

      Just sensational!! Thanks x

      Reply
      • Dorothy

        October 24, 2021 at 10:05 pm

        Made it do u colour it or not

      • Sara McCleary

        October 25, 2021 at 10:50 am

        Hi Dorothy
        I don't colour it, the yellow natural from the lemons. Mine is pretty pale compared to some limoncellos. The colour will be dictated by your lemons.
        Cheers, Sara

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