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Italian Lemon Ice is one of those desserts that makes me think of my childhood. It’s sweet and refreshing and perfect for a summer sweet treat!

There are lots of foods that remind me of my family or childhood but most of them make me think of my grandma because she was the resident cook and baker in our family. All of my family recipes come from her and it’s impossible to eat a slice of cheesecake without comparing it to her recipe. But the one food that makes me think of my mom without fail is Italian Ice.

We never made these from scratch when I was a kid. We always bought them in those big boxes from Walmart or Costco and they came in multiple different flavors. But lemon was always my favorite. Ice cream was a special treat but we always had a box of Italian ices in the freezer. Always.

So when I found myself with some lemon to use up and missing my mom like whoa I decided to whip up some homemade Italian lemon ice that knocks the socks off of the store bought stuff and is so easy you’ll hardly believe it. You need just four ingredients and a few hours of your time to make this delicious lemon ice that will take you back. Or takes me back.

I remember they came in flavors like lime, strawberry, cherry, and orange and any of the citrus flavors would be super easy to replicate with this recipe. The easiest way to do it with cherries and strawberries and other similar fruits would probably be to just process them into small pieces but not so small that they become paste-like. Whatever flavor you decide to go with these Italian ices will put a spring in your step and help you stay cool this summer!

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Italian Lemon Ice

Yield: 4 1/2 cup servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 Tbs lemon zest
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a small sauce pan over medium high heat heat sugar and water until boiling, stirring as the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
2. Turn off heat and add lemon juice and zest and stir well.
3. Allow to cool to room temperature before pouring into a loaf pan.
4. Freeze for 4-5 hours stirring every hour to be sure the mixture doesn't freeze solid.