ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK!
Vincenzo's Plate
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Pasta
    • Pizza
    • Sauces
    • Bread
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • Nonna’s Recipes
    • Vincenzo’s Basics
    • Recipes by Course
      • Appetizer
      • Mains
      • Dessert
      • Sides
      • Drink
  • NEW Cookbook
  • Tours
  • Vincenzo’s Guide
    • How to Shop Like An Italian
    • Vincenzo’s Ratings
    • Where To Eat In Italy
  • Shop
  • Academy
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Pasta
    • Pizza
    • Sauces
    • Bread
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • Nonna’s Recipes
    • Vincenzo’s Basics
    • Recipes by Course
      • Appetizer
      • Mains
      • Dessert
      • Sides
      • Drink
  • NEW Cookbook
  • Tours
  • Vincenzo’s Guide
    • How to Shop Like An Italian
    • Vincenzo’s Ratings
    • Where To Eat In Italy
  • Shop
  • Academy

Limoncello

Author:

Vincenzo

Updated:

16th Mar, 2026

220 Comments

share:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on X
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Email this Page

This post contains affiliate links. See disclosure policy.

Jump to Recipe

Jump to Video

How to Make Limoncello

Limoncello is a beloved Italian liqueur that has gained worldwide fame for its tangy, refreshing taste. Made using just three simple ingredients. My Nonna’s family recipe will transport you to the sunny Mediterranean coast with just one sip.

Moreover, the intense citrus flavor of fresh lemons blends perfectly with the sweetness of sugar and the kick of alcohol. Additionally, resulting in a delightful explosion of taste in your mouth.

Whether you enjoy it on its own, as an after-dinner digestif, or mixed into a refreshing cocktail. Lastly, limoncello is a must-try for anyone who appreciates the finer things in life.

Watch Limoncello video recipe:

Limoncello | Nonna making the best limoncello in the world Italian Homemade Recipe

limoncello recipe

Nonna’s Top Tips To Make Limoncello

NOT the white part

Firstly, make sure you only peel the skin without getting the white part of the lemon.

20 days

Soak your lemons for 20 days in order for the Limoncello to be bold yellow in colour and full of flavour.

Store your Limoncello

You can either put one bottle of limoncello in the fridge and store the other ones in a dry cool place. It depends on you!

Limoncello

Print Recipe
4.85 from 40 votes
Prep Time: 30 minutes mins
Servings: 150

Equipment

  • Strainer
  • pot
  • Big Jar with sealed tap

Ingredients

  • 9 Organic Lemon, This is a must
  • 1 L Grain alcohol (95% ABV / 190 proof), You can use 100% pure vodka but it won’t taste the same
  • 1.5 L Water
  • 700 grams White sugar
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Peel 9 organic lemons. Make sure you only peel the skin without getting the white part of the lemon.
  • Place the lemon skins in a big jar and add grain (pure) alcohol. Seal the jar and let it infuse for approx 20 days.
  • The lemons need to soak in this liquid for 20 days in order for the Limoncello to be bold yellow in colour and full of flavour.
  • Bring 1.5 litres of water to a boil and add 700 grams of white sugar.
  • When the water cools add the marinated yellow alcohol to the water using a strainer so the lemon skins don’t go into the limoncello.
  • Put a glass of water into the jar, mix it around and add it to the mix. This will get the most flavour out of the lemon mix for the limoncello to be full of bold flavour.
  • Now mix the limoncello really well for a couple of minutes.
  • With 1.5lt of water and 1lt of grain alcohol you should be able to get almost 3lt of limoncello.
  • Fill up empty glass bottles with the limoncello.
  • Put one bottle of limoncello in the fridge and store the other ones in a dry cool place.
  • E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’sPlate….Enjoy!

Video

Author: Vincenzo’s Plate

How to serve Limoncello

  • Serve the Limoncello in small glasses. Some Italians enjoy to drink it in a cold glass. To do this, place the glass in the freezer for about 20minutes before you drink the limoncello.

Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/vincenzosplate

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




220 responses

  1. Rita
    December 7, 2025

    I’m dieing to try this, I bought ingredients today. We were given a glass to try at our local Italian restaurant , and I couldn’t find it in the supermarket so…..here goes . Thank you

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 9, 2025

      Ciao Rita! How exciting! Making your own limoncello is such a beautiful experience. I’m so glad you were inspired after trying it at your local Italian restaurant. You’re going to love the homemade version. Just follow the steps, be patient with the infusion, and you’ll end up with something delicious. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
      1. Erin
        December 18, 2025

        5 stars
        Finishing my third batch today. Simple recipe with easy to follow instructions. I’m gifting bottles this Christmas. Homemade gifts are the absolute best and this recipe takes the gift to the next level. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
        1. Vincenzo’s Plate
          December 19, 2025

          Ciao Erin! That’s amazing to hear! ✨
          Third batch already, you’re officially the family Limoncello supplier now 😄
          You’re so right, homemade gifts always mean more, and gifting Limoncello is next level generosity. Thank you for trusting the recipe and for sharing the love this Christmas. Salute!

          Reply
  2. Ruth Daly
    December 9, 2025

    5 stars
    The recipe looks straight forward but like others sourcing the 95% grain alcohol is not so straight forward. I found a website selling the following ‘Organic extraction alcohol is 190 Proof Certified Organic Natural Grain Alcohol are NOT DENATURED food grade alcohol’ Does this sound ok ?
    Looking forward to making it in the New Year.
    Thanks
    Ruth

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 9, 2025

      Ciao Ruth! yes, that sounds good! Because it’s not denatured and food-grade, it’s safe for consumption and perfect for making Limoncello. The high alcohol content helps extract all the oils, aroma, and flavour from the lemon zest.

      Once you get it, just follow the recipe and then be sure to dilute it properly with the sugar syrup. If you mix it right, you’ll get a beautifully smooth, aromatic Limoncello. Please let me know how it goes, I’m sure it will turn out great.

      Reply
      1. Ruth Daly
        December 10, 2025

        I shall keep you posted, I am buying all the separate ingredients as a Christmas gift and will see how the long the person takes to work out what it as they unwrap each parcel. Grain alcohol at the end, should be fun.

        Reply
        1. Vincenzo’s Plate
          December 11, 2025

          Ciao Ruth! Fantastic! I can already imagine the look on their face as they unwrap each mystery ingredient and try to guess what on earth it’s all for. Please do keep us posted. Take care!

          Reply
  3. Mary
    December 10, 2025

    5 stars
    Wonderful recipe. It was so easy to follow. I used lemons from my backyard tree. It’s been marinating for 21 days and I’m waiting for the syrup to cool. I can’t wait to try it . I have made 2 batches so I have plenty to gift over the holidays. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 11, 2025

      Ciao Mary! Nothing beats homemade limoncello, especially when the lemons come straight from your own garden.
      And making two batches? Brilliant idea. Limoncello is one of those gifts that disappears quickly because everyone loves it. Your holiday visitors will be very happy!
      Enjoy that first taste, and grazie for sharing your beautiful update with us!

      Reply
  4. Hope Monaghan
    December 11, 2025

    Hello, So sweet,, I have allowed my lemons to soak 20 days,, and now about to get to the next step..so excited , found small bottles for gifts & hand painted lemon bottles,,with me luck..,,can;t wait to give for Joy>> warmly Hope

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 11, 2025

      Ciao Hop!e Wow, 20 days already! Your lemons must be bursting with flavour by now. This is the most exciting part of making limoncello, when all that beautiful lemon essence is ready to come to life.
      I love that you found small bottles and even hand-painted lemon bottles, that is such a thoughtful touch. Your gifts are going to make people smile before they even taste the limoncello!
      Buona fortuna for the next step, even though you won’t need it. Just follow the process with patience and love, and your limoncello will turn out amazing.
      Let me know how the final result tastes. I can’t wait to hear!

      Reply
  5. H Wong
    December 13, 2025

    Hi, I can’t wait to try this recipe! Instead of using lemon peel, can I use lemon zest instead?

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 16, 2025

      Yes my friend, that’s perfectly fine, as long as you avoid the white pith underneath the peel.
      Only use the yellow part, that’s where all the flavour is. Let me know how your limoncello turns out.

      Reply
  6. Mary
    December 15, 2025

    5 stars
    what is the volume of the grain alcohol? the bottle i purchased was 1.75ml. After 21 days of marinating I followed the rest of the directions. The flavor was not quite right so I added 1 cup of fresh lemon juice and it was perfect. Please let me know about how much alcohol. Thanks

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 15, 2025

      Ciao Mary! For this recipe, the required amount of grain alcohol is 1 litre.
      If your bottle was 1.75 litres, that means it contains more alcohol than the recipe calls for. When the flavour feels too strong, the correct way to balance it in this recipe is by adjusting the sugar syrup (water and sugar).
      Thanks again for making it and for sharing your experience. Enjoy your limoncello.

      Reply
      1. David A. Wallace
        March 15, 2026

        I think you should add this important point to the actual recipe. I was going to ask the same question but thought I’d look through the commenst first. Nowhere in the recipe does it say what quantity of alcohol to use. Thanks!

        Reply
        1. Vincenzo’s Plate
          March 16, 2026

          Ciao! Thank you, my friend, for pointing that out. I appreciate you taking the time to mention it. I will update the recipe to make that clearer. Grazie!

          Reply
  7. Dave Witts
    December 17, 2025

    Hey Vincenzo!
    I love your content and have been following you for some years.
    Can you give examples of brands of grain alcohols which can be used? I’m in Hong Kong and I don’t believe it’s available here.

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 17, 2025

      Ciao Dave! Grazie mille for following along for so many years, I really appreciate the support.

      For making Limoncello, the ideal option is a neutral grain alcohol around 95% (190 proof), but availability varies a lot by country. Common brands people use include Everclear (190 proof)

      That said, in many places, including Hong Kong, high-proof grain alcohol can be difficult or even impossible to find. In that case, a good quality, neutral vodka is the best and most practical alternative. It won’t extract the lemon oils quite as intensely, so the flavour will be lighter, but it will still give you a beautiful Limoncello.

      What matters most is using unwaxed, organic lemons and giving them enough time to infuse. The love and patience make all the difference. I hope this is helpful

      Reply
  8. Pamela
    December 19, 2025

    This is brilliant! We used grain alcohol this time + you are right, it is not the same as using vodka. We have done that before, but grain alcohol is so much better! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Ciao!

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 19, 2025

      Fantastico! 😄
      Yes Pamela, once you try grain alcohol, there is no comparison. Vodka works, but grain alcohol really captures the lemon oils and takes Limoncello to another level.
      So happy you tried it and loved the result. Thank you for trusting the recipe and sharing the experience. Ciao and salute!

      Reply
  9. H Wong
    December 19, 2025

    Hi again!
    190 proof Everclear is not sold in California. I’m only able to get 120 proof. How do I adjust your recipe for the considerably lower proof? More or less lemons? More or less water/sugar syrup mix? Help!
    Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 20, 2025

      Ciao my friend! I did a quick search online for “190 proof Everclear in California” and found a few options you might want to check out:

      1) https://www.winetransit.com/spirits/whiskey-whisky/american/everclear-grain-alcohol-190-proof-1-75-l-35543.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22223397991&gbraid=0AAAAADxPXzRZt9re_2mF8VYlMaTVC_1n5&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjJTKBhCjARIsAIMC44_Gvd8bidy5_PakGHfAADctJ4-urrjNvkgdx-PwSina4sSkEmOBgPUaAvEOEALw_wcB

      2) https://bevmo.com/products/7949?srsltid=AfmBOoo1OzggfOqMr-yktDK3ORykwu543GxaCwZPDwlTQyVNakEPb9y8

      I also came across an organic vegan 190 proof ethanol here, though I haven’t heard of it personally so I’m not sure how it performs:
      https://www.laballey.com/products/ethanol-190-proof-certified-organic-sugar-cane-alcohol-1?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19902600850&gbraid=0AAAAADL2l2V5VwL0GXbuRDmeFlXs0O8vh&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjJTKBhCjARIsAIMC449_GpSaNH8qP1eCXMu2cL36hd82tqcunw7ntU9x1ljf1g4AYGsWOUAaAgvREALw_wcB

      Hopefully that helps you track something down!

      Reply
  10. H Wong
    December 19, 2025

    Dang! I just saw your response to Dave regarding the lower proof. I already bought the lower proof (120 proof) Everclear. Now what? Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Vincenzo’s Plate
      December 20, 2025

      Ciao again! Honestly, I haven’t personally tried making it with 120 proof Everclear, so I don’t want to pretend I’ve tested it myself. That said, it will still work, it just needs a bit of care and tasting along the way.

      My suggestion would be:
      Keep the same amount of lemons
      Let them infuse a little longer to pull out as much flavour as possible
      When you add the sugar syrup, add it gradually, taste as you go, and stop when it feels balanced to you

      The final limoncello will be lighter and less strong than the 190 proof version, but it should still be very enjoyable.
      If you decide to give it a try, I’d genuinely love to hear how it turns out. Let me know how you go 🍋

      Reply
Older
1 … 6 7 8 9 10
Newer

Don’t miss out!

Our long-awaited Cookbook is here. Filled with classic recipes and highlights from Abruzzo and Calabria, it is a love letter from our family to yours.

Order Cookbook
Join our famiglia and stay up to date with my new recipes

Ciao, from Vincenzo

I’ve made it my mission to bring authentic Italian recipes into your kitchen, because great Italian food shouldn’t be complicated. Good food brings people together!

Join our famiglia and stay up to date with my new recipes, exclusive news and cooking tips direct from Nonna

Name

Most Popular Videos

16:17

10M Views

How to Make Neapolitain Pizza…

14:56

6M Views

How to Make Spaghetti Carbonara…

18:17

5M Views

Italian Chef Reacts to Popular…

9:26

3M Views

Mouthwatering Spanish Omlette…

More Videos

Vincenzo’s
Favourite Recipes

A carefully curated selection of the recipes I literally cannot live without. My favourites mostly because of the irresistible flavors but also often because of the memories they evoke.

  • How To Make The Best Tiramisu Recipe Nobody Can Resist

    How To Make The Best Tiramisu Recipe Nobody Can Resist

  • How To Make The Best Chicken Broth Aka Italian Penicillin

    How To Make The Best Chicken Broth Aka Italian Penicillin

  • Easy Panna Cotta Recipe Everyone Will Fall in Love With

    Easy Panna Cotta Recipe Everyone Will Fall in Love With

  • How to Make Ultimate Bolognese Sauce Recipe

    How to Make Ultimate Bolognese Sauce Recipe

Subscribe for weekly recipes

Name

About
Tours
Work with us
Contact
Privacy and Disclosures
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
TikTok

© Vincenzo’s Plate | Design by Street Fresh Digital Media. Theme by OC.

Vincenzo's Plate

Mother’s Day Jura C8 Giveaway

Promoter: Vincenzo’s Plate in collaboration with JURA Australia
Contact: ciao@vincenzosplate.com

1. Eligibility
Entry is open to residents of Australia aged 18 years or over. Employees, immediate family members, and agencies associated with this promotion may be ineligible.

2. Promotional Period
Competition opens 24 April 2026 at 5:00pm AEST and closes 4 May 2026 at 5:00pm AEST.

3. How to Enter
To receive one standard entry, entrants must during the promotional period:

  • Follow @jura_au and @vincenzosplate
  • Comment MUM on the official giveaway post

4. Bonus Entries
Additional bonus entries may be earned by:

  • Tagging a mother who deserves to win in the comments (as many as you like!)
  • Sharing the giveaway post to Instagram or Facebook stories (public account or screenshot required)
  • Purchasing a copy of Authentic Italian Cookbook and emailing proof of purchase to ciao@vincenzosplate.com during the promotional period.

No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

5. Prize
One winner will receive:

  • Jura C8 (AUD $1,999 RRP approx.)
  • One copy of Authentic Italian Cookbook (AUD $39.99)

Prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash.

6. Winner Selection
Winner will be selected by random draw on 5 May 2026 at 10:00am AEST.

7. Winner Notification
Winner will be contacted by direct message within 48 hours of the draw.

8. Claiming Prize / Redraw
If the winner does not respond within 5 business days, the Promoter reserves the right to redraw a replacement winner.

9. Delivery
Prize will be delivered to an Australian address nominated by the winner. Promoter is not responsible for delays outside reasonable control.

10. User Content Permission
By entering, entrants grant permission for the Promoter to repost, share, or publish submitted comments, usernames, stories, or winner content for promotional purposes.

11. Privacy
Personal information collected will be used for administering this giveaway. Email addresses submitted voluntarily may be used for future marketing only where consent has been provided.

12. Platform Disclaimer
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Meta.

13. General
Promoter reserves the right to verify entries, disqualify fraudulent entries, and amend these Terms where reasonably necessary.

Subscribe for weekly recipes

Name