When the summer heat starts to settle in, nothing hits the spot quite like a dish of cold, refreshing sorbet. But instead of loading your cart with the pre-made stuff at the grocery store, have you considered churning out your own unique sorbet at home? If you’ve thought about experimenting with DIY frozen desserts, let this be your sign to take the leap — after all, we’ve got killer guidance on the subject straight from an expert source: America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams: A Salt & Straw Cookbook by Tyler Malek and J.J. Goode.
Salt & Straw, for the uninitiated, is an especially whimsical ice cream brand known for kooky, delicious flavors like Arbequina Olive Oil and Pear & Blue Cheese. But we’re especially drawn to the brand’s recipe for strawberry cucumber sorbet: It’s sweet, crisp, and utterly unexpected. The strawberries bring bold, jammy flavor, while the cucumber adds a cooling, almost spa-like finish that makes each bite feel like a fresh breeze. It’s a simple recipe with a twist — perfect for backyard dinners, picnic coolers, or just treating yourself on a hot afternoon.
One note: To prepare this cooling confection, you’ll need an ice-cream maker. Don’t have the gadget on hand? We like the Ninja Creami because it’s not explicitly limited to ice cream; it can make sorbet, milkshakes, smoothies, and more. Which means that this strawberry cucumber sorbet can be a gateway to a whole new chapter of frozen treat-making.
Strawberry Cucumber Sorbet
Makes about 1½ pints
Ingredients
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled
- ½ medium English cucumber, unpeeled, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Diamond
- Crystal kosher salt
- 2 cups Sorbet/Sherbet Base (see below)
Instructions
- In a blender, puree the strawberries, cucumber, lemon juice, salt, and 1 tablespoon cold water to a smoothie texture. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing (then discarding) the solids to extract as much juice as possible. Stir in the sorbet base.
- Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and turn on the machine. Churn just until the sorbet has the texture of a slushie, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the machine.
- Transfer to freezer-safe containers and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or for up to 3 months.
Salt & Straw’s Super-Easy Sorbet/Sherbet Base
Makes about 2¾ cups
Ingredients
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum (yes, I’m easy to find!)
- ¼ cup plus
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and xanthan gum.
- In a small saucepan, stir together 1½ cups water and the corn syrup. Add the sugar mixture and immediately whisk vigorously until well combined and mostly smooth. Set the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent a simmer, until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours. At this point, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 year. Thaw completely and stir well before using.
Reprinted with permission from America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams: A Salt & Straw Cookbook by Tyler Malek and JJ Goode. Copyright © 2025 by Salt & Straw, LLC. Photographs copyright © 2025 by Stephanie Shih. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
