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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Everyday Life • Food & Drink

Sorbet

Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from water, sugar, and fruit juice or fruit purée, sometimes with wine, liqueur, or other flavourings.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from water, sugar, and fruit juice or purée, typically dairy-free and often served as a palate cleanser or light dessert.

What it is

Sorbet is a frozen sweet food made from fruit juice or purée, water, and sugar. It is generally lighter and more icy than ice cream because it contains no milk or cream. It can also be flavoured with wine, liqueur, honey, or other ingredients.

Key details

A basic sorbet combines sugar syrup with fruit juice or purée and is frozen while being stirred or churned to create a smooth texture. It is usually served as a dessert or palate cleanser between courses. Sorbet is typically dairy-free, but it can be high in sugar and calories despite being fat-free.

Sorbet in Canada

Sorbet is widely sold in Canada as a frozen dessert, commonly found in grocery stores, restaurants, and ice cream shops as a dairy-free alternative to ice cream.

In short

  • Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from fruit, water, and sugar.
  • It is typically dairy-free and lighter than ice cream.
  • Often used as a dessert or palate cleanser.
  • Can be high in sugar despite being fat-free.
Canadian angle

Sorbet is widely sold in Canada as a frozen dessert, and Canadian readers are most likely to encounter it in grocery stores, restaurants, and ice cream shops as a dairy-free alternative to ice cream.

Quick questions

What is sorbet?
Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from water, sugar, and fruit juice or fruit purée, sometimes with added flavourings such as wine or liqueur.
Is sorbet dairy free?
Sorbet is typically dairy-free and does not contain milk, cream, or egg yolks, although ingredient lists can vary by brand or recipe.
Sorbet vs ice cream
Sorbet is usually dairy-free and made with fruit, water, and sugar, while ice cream contains milk or cream and is typically richer and creamier.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbet
    Supports: General definition; ingredients; optional flavourings
  2. Wikipedia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbet
    Supports: Sorbet as fruit purée or juice with sugar syrup; no cream, milk, or egg yolk
  3. Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sorbet
    Supports: Definition as fruit-flavoured ice served as dessert or palate refresher
  4. BBC Food — https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/sorbet
    Supports: French equivalent of water ice; flavourings; serving as palate cleanser; historical context
  5. Cambridge Dictionary — https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/sorbet
    Supports: Fruit juice, water, and sugar definition
  6. BBC Good Food — https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/sorbet-glossary
    Supports: Dairy-free nature; texture; calorie discussion; ingredients
  7. Britannica Dictionary — https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/sorbet
    Supports: Frozen sweet dessert usually made from fruit or fruit juices
  8. Baskin-Robbins — https://news.baskinrobbins.com/blog/sorbet-vs-sherbet-vs-ice-cream-whats-the-difference
    Supports: Sorbet does not contain dairy; comparison with ice cream