What's the Difference Between Sorbet and Sherbet? (2024)

What's the Difference Between Sorbet and Sherbet? (1)

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During the dog days of summer, it's only natural to crave a cool frozen dessert. After all, scoops of homemade cherry sherbet or strawberry sorbet are some of the tastiest ways to cool down! But if you've ever found yourself at the counter of your favorite ice cream shop wondering the difference between the two—sherbet and sorbet—it's time for a quick lesson.

When you think of sherbet, the rainbow treat from your childhood is probably the first thing that comes to mind. Creamy, fruity, and incredibly refreshing, sherbet (yes, it's sherbet not sherbert like it's commonly pronounced) is a dessert that often gets twisted with its intensely fruity, and just as refreshing, cousin known as sorbet (pronounced sor-bay). Sure, they have a lot in common. They're both fruit-driven and scoop-able! Heck, some people are even guilty of using their names interchangeably. But these frozen desserts have key differences that you should know about before ordering your next scoop.

What is the difference between sorbet and sherbet?

The major difference between the two is that sherbet is made with dairy and sorbet isn't. Sherbet has more of a creamy texture that you'd expect from ice cream thanks to ingredients like milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk in the mix. Sorbet, on the other hand, is simply sugar and fruit. Other than the occasional addition of other flavor additives, that's it! Expect a texture that's a little less creamy and a touch icier and harder when enjoying a scoop of sorbet.

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What's the Difference Between Sorbet and Sherbet? (4)

Both of these frozen treats are churned in an ice cream maker to achieve a smooth consistency.

In the world of frozen desserts, granita is another sweet that's sometimes confused with sorbet or sherbet. Like sorbet, it's made with sugar and fruit, but rather than taking a spin in an ice cream maker, it's frozen in a pan and, every few hours, flaked off to resemble coarse shaved ice.

Do sherbet and sorbet taste the same?

They're fruity, but sorbet is more so. Since it's just fruit and sugar, the fresh fruitiness really shines through in sorbets. Sherbets on the other hand, have more a milder fruit flavor since the fruit is diluted by the addition of dairy, yet they're also richer that sorbets. Sorbet is oftentimes served in fine dining restaurants as a palate cleanser due to its refreshing nature.

Which is healthier: sherbet or sorbet?

It depends. Because sorbet lacks dairy, it's fat-free whereas sherbet does contain some fat due to the milk or cream it's made with. However, thanks to that diary, sherbets have more protein and calcium than sorbet. When it comes to calorie count, sorbet and sherbet have comparable numbers, depending mostly on the brand that you buy. Next to a scoop of classic vanilla bean ice cream, both sorbet and sherbet are lower calorie and generally healthier options. For folks with lactose intolerances or those who follow vegan diets, sorbets are also a delicious way to enjoy and ice cream-like dessert without having to worry about dairy.

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What's the Difference Between Sorbet and Sherbet? (2024)

FAQs

What's the Difference Between Sorbet and Sherbet? ›

What makes sorbet different from sherbet? Sorbet is strictly fruit juice and sugar while sherbet is fruit juice, sugar, and a bit of milk. That gives sorbet a brighter, more vibrant flavor and sherbet a creamier consistency.

Which is healthier, sorbet or sherbet? ›

"If you follow a vegan diet or have a food allergy, sorbet will be a better choice," she adds. Plus, in terms of nutrition, sorbet will also be the healthiest option becasue it doesn't contain the milk, cream, or butterfat, which increases saturated fat content.

What's the difference between gelato and sherbet? ›

Gelato is similar to ice cream but typically contains less cream and air. Frozen yogurt uses yogurt as its primary ingredient rather than milk and cream. Unlike ice cream, sherbet uses fruit juice or fruit purée as its main ingredient and typically only has a small amount of dairy.

Is there milk in sorbet? ›

A sorbet does not contain any dairy products and is more acidic, which results in tart flavors. Another difference between sorbet and ice cream is it is a sweet alternative for those with non-dairy* dietary needs or lifestyle preferences.

What is gelato made of? ›

Like ice cream, gelato uses milk, cream, and sugar, but it differs in proportions. Gelato uses less cream and more milk than ice cream and typically contains no egg yolks or eggs at all. Gelato is served slightly warmer than American ice cream and is also churned at a slower rate, introducing less air into the product.

Is sorbet better than gelato? ›

Frequently Asked Questions. Which is a healthier option: sorbet or gelato? In comparing sorbet and gelato, the latter has more calories and fat because it contains milk. Sorbet is just fruit juice and sugar (no dairy) and has fewer calories, so many consider it the healthier option.

Is Italian ice and sorbet the same thing? ›

Italian ice is less dense than sorbet, which explains its lower calorie count — there's simply more ice in it. Water ice is another form of Italian ice, native to the Philadelphia area. It's slightly chunkier than standard Italian ice, but it's more or less the same thing — unless you ask someone from Philly.

What is rainbow sherbet made of? ›

Ingredients. Milk, sugar, corn syrup, skim milk, high fructose corn syrup, strawberries, water, oranges, citric acid, limes, carob bean gum, modified cellulose gum, guar gum, artificial color (includes yellow 5, red 40, blue 1, yellow 6), caramel color, locust bean gum, xanthan gum.

Is sorbet a drink or dessert? ›

Sorbet is a non-dairy frozen dessert made from puréed fruit or fruit juice mixed with water and sugar.

Is Baskin-Robbins ice cream or frozen dessert? ›

Baskin-Robbins is an American multinational chain of ice cream and cake specialty shops owned by Inspire Brands.

Is there raw egg in sorbet? ›

Add a couple of pasteurized eggs whites and let it run a good while to kick the texture up from creamy to luxurious. Since the eggs in this recipe don't get cooked, using pasteurized whites minimizes risk of food borne.

Is Talenti real gelato? ›

Talenti gelato is particularly special because we make it from scratch with the finest ingredients from around the world, and use an old world process that involves slow cooking our ingredients and making our gelato in smaller batches than most other ice cream in the US is made.

Which is healthier, gelato or ice cream? ›

The main difference between ice cream and gelato is their fat content. With only 4-9% fat to the usual 10-25% of ice cream, gelato usually is lighter and healthier. Per portion, however, the answer is clear, gelato is typically healthier than ice cream.

What is Italian ice cream called? ›

What Is Gelato? Gelato is a frozen treat that hails from Italy; the word "gelato" actually means "ice cream" in Italian.

Is sorbet the healthiest ice cream? ›

Not only is sorbet a healthier alternative to ice cream, but it is also a dessert that can be enjoyed guilt-free. With no eggs or cream present in the recipe, sorbet contains fewer calories and less fat compared to traditional ice cream.

Is sorbet better than ice cream for cholesterol? ›

Low cholesterol and saturated fat alternatives

The following are some suitable options: Sorbet: This is a dairy-free option consisting primarily of fruit puree, water, and sugar. It does not contain the fats present in regular ice cream but can contain high levels of sugar.

Is sorbet full of sugar? ›

Sorbet is made up of fruit juices, syrup and water.

One cup of an all-fruit sorbet has 184 calories, 34 grams of sugar, 46.2 grams of carbohydrates and no fat. While no fat is good, sorbet is high in sugar and doesn't have any calcium, like milk-based frozen treats do.

What ice cream has no sugar? ›

Table. Best sugar-free ice cream brands
BrandCalories per half cup or one serving or one scoop
1. Halo Top Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert70 to 110
2. So Delicious Light Ice Cream (Formerly Mousse Frozen Dessert)75 to 83
3. Frozen Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert80 to 110
4. Arctic Zero Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert40 to 80
5 more rows
Jun 23, 2022

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