Lemon Granita

The easiest lemon granita recipe made with fresh lemon juice, granulated sugar, and lemon zest. This refreshing spring and summer dessert is gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and vegan. No oven, fancy ingredients, or special tools required!

Why Make This Lemon Granita Recipe?

This lemon granita reminds me of grown-up frozen lemonade, or an adult snowcone, and making it couldn’t be easier. Simply simmer a sugar-and-water syrup on the stovetop, stir in fresh lemon juice and zest, and freeze the mixture in a shallow container, periodically scraping the forming ice crystals with a fork. A couple of hours (and a whole lot of fork-scraping!) later, and you’ve made an impressive summer dessert, without ever needing to turn on the oven.

My citrus granita recipe requires just two ingredients and about ten minutes of active prep time. Because it lends itself well to advance preparation, this lemon granita makes a solid option for summer dinner parties, or any occasion where you don’t want to abandon the festivities to assemble dessert. Oh, and it’s nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, too!

Lemon Granita Ingredients

To make homemade lemon granita, you’ll only need a handful of cheap, easy-to-source ingredients. Start by gathering 200 grams (1 cup) of granulated sugar, 240 milliliters (1 cup) of fresh lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest, finely zested on a Microplane.

How to Make Homemade Lemon Granita

To make homemade lemon granita, simmer water and sugar in a pan on the stovetop, stir in fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, and pour everything into a shallow container. Freeze the mixture, and periodically scrape the ice crystals with a fork.  A few hours of scraping and freezing later, and that’s it! A light and lemony frozen dessert.

Which Container Should I Use for Lemon Granita?

For best results, choose a shallow square or rectangular container. (If you use a small, deep container or a round bowl, the granita mixture will take a much longer time to freeze.) My favorite container for making granitas is a lidded rectangular plastic food storage container measuring about 5 1/2 x 9 inches. Any similarly-sized plastic food storage container will work.

Some granita recipes recommend an 8×8 or 9×13 metal cake tin because metal freezes faster than plastic. Metal will definitely work (and it’s a good option if you want to speed things along) but I prefer plastic because the repetitive fork-scraping can scratch and damage a metal tin.

Garnishing and Serving Lemon Granita

I garnished my lemon granita with slices of lemon and sprigs of fresh mint from my windowsill herb garden. You can also use other fresh herbs (basil, lavender); lemon zest; strips of candied lemon peel; other fresh fruits or berries; edible flowers; or even a dollop of whipped cream (or coconut whipped cream, if you want to keep the dessert dairy-free.)

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Plan ahead. The entire freezing process requires about 4-6 hours from start to finish. Remember that the exact amount of time required will depend on the size of your container, your freezer temperature, and whether the freezer is empty or full.

Other granita recipes you might enjoy:

Cherry Cola Granita
Vanilla Peach Granita

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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