Step 1: Make the Simple Syrup Pour the water into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir constantly until completely dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. You’re not looking for a rolling boil at this point—just enough heat to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is fully dissolved and the syrup is clear, remove from heat and let cool completely. You can speed this up by transferring to a bowl and placing in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes, or letting it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Step 2: Puree the Strawberries While the syrup cools, add the hulled and halved strawberries to a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth and liquidy, about 1-2 minutes. You should have a beautiful strawberry puree. If you prefer a smoother sorbet without tiny seeds, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing gently on the solids with a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the seeds and pulp (or save for a smoothie!).

Step 3: Combine Base Ingredients In a large bowl, combine the strawberry puree, cooled simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and a tiny pinch of salt (if using). Stir well until everything is thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust: if you want it sweeter, add a tablespoon of sugar; if you want it more tart, add another squeeze of lemon juice. This is your chance to perfect the flavor before freezing.

Step 4: Chill the Base Cover the sorbet base and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until completely chilled. A very cold base churns more efficiently and creates better texture. Many people prefer to refrigerate overnight, which is totally fine.

Step 5: Churn the Sorbet (Using an Ice Cream Maker) Remove your ice cream maker bowl from the freezer (it should have been pre-frozen for at least 24 hours). Pour the chilled sorbet base into the machine and churn according to your manufacturer’s instructions, usually 20-25 minutes. The sorbet will go from liquid to soft-serve consistency as it churns. Churn until it reaches soft-serve consistency—don’t over-churn, as this can create an icy texture.

Step 5 Alternative: No-Churn Method If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the sorbet base into a shallow baking dish and place in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, remove and vigorously stir with a fork, scraping ice crystals from the sides toward the center. Repeat this process for 4-5 hours until the sorbet reaches a creamy, scoopable consistency. For a smoother texture, after the first hour of freezing, blend the sorbet again in a food processor, then return to the freezer and continue stirring every 30 minutes.

Step 6: Freeze Until Firm (If Desired) If using an ice cream maker, transfer the soft-serve sorbet to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 hours until firm enough to scoop. If you prefer a softer serve, you can scoop directly from the ice cream maker into chilled bowls.

Step 7: Serve and Enjoy Scoop into chilled bowls or cones and serve immediately. Strawberry sorbet is best enjoyed fresh but keeps beautifully in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Let soften at room temperature for 5 minutes if it’s frozen too hard.