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Small chilled glass of pale yellow crema di limoncello beside a stoppered bottle and lemon zest curls on marble

Homemade Crema di Limoncello: Creamy Lemon Liqueur

A homemade Italian cream liqueur made from lemon zest steeped in vodka for 7 days, then blended with a cooled milk, cream and sugar syrup. Makes about 1.7 L and keeps 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 8 days 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 30 pours
Course: After-dinner drink
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 78
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the infusion
  • 8 unwaxed organic lemons large; zest only, scrubbed and dried
  • 750 ml 100-proof vodka
For the cream syrup
  • 500 ml whole milk
  • 250 ml heavy cream
  • 300 g granulated sugar

Method
 

Day 1: Infuse the vodka
  1. Scrub the lemons, dry them fully, and peel the zest in wide strips with a vegetable peeler. Scrape off any white pith with a paring knife. Drop the zest into a 2 L / 2-quart glass jar, pour in the vodka, and seal.
  2. Leave the jar at room temperature, away from direct light, for 7 days (10,080 minutes). Shake it once a day. The vodka turns deep yellow and the zest turns pale and brittle.
Day 8: Make the cream syrup and bottle
  1. Strain the infused vodka through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large jug, pressing the zest gently. Discard the zest.
  2. Combine the milk, cream and sugar in a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan. Heat over medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves and steam rises. Don't let it boil.
  3. Take the pan off the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 60 minutes, stirring now and then to prevent a skin.
  4. Pour the cooled syrup into the infused vodka in a thin stream, stirring, until the color is an even pale yellow. Funnel into sterilized bottles, about 1.7 L total, and refrigerate for 24 hours. Shake and serve ice cold in 50 ml pours.

Notes

  • Use only the yellow zest, since white pith turns the liqueur bitter.
  • Cool the milk syrup fully before mixing it with the vodka.
  • Shake the bottle before every pour, as the cream settles slightly.
  • Sterilize bottles with boiling water and let them dry before filling.