This Low-Carb Margarita Sorbet recipe makes a cooling summer dessert. It can be made with or without alcohol and works for low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, Atkins, ketogenic, or Banting diets.

Low-Carb Margarita Sorbet

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I’m a bit of a pack rat when it comes to old cooking magazines. I have every Bon Appetit magazine starting in 1992. I don’t store them in the attic or in a storage room. These are my treasures and I keep them where I have easy access. I use these magazines all the time. I love looking at food photos and recipes. Paging through them fills me inspiration with my own cooking. 

This recipe for Low-Carb Margarita Sorbet was inspired by an article in one of these magazines. In Bon Appetit’s August 1996 issue, there was an article entitled “When the Cocktail becomes Dessert” by Sarah Tenaglia. One of the featured recipes was Lime Margarita Sorbet. She had me at margarita. 

Of course, this recipe was far from low-carb and contained lots of sugar and triple sec, so I needed to make a bunch of adjustments to lower the carb content. The first problem was the triple sec. This orange flavored liquor contains carbs, so I wanted to find a substitute. I had just been drooling over a low-carb margarita recipe from Step Away From the Carbs, so I checked out her ingredients to see how she handled the triple sec substitution. She used orange extract.to get that orange taste without added sugars. I decided to follow her lead.

The second issue was the quantity of sugar in the recipe. I substituted out the sugar with my favorite low-carb sweetener which has a sweetness twice that of sugar. This decreased the amount I used which was concerning because the texture of a sorbet is dependent on the amount of sugar.

Margarita Sorbet sq

To make up for the decreased sweetener quantity I knew I would need to have a stabilizer of some sort–otherwise the texture would be too grainy and icy. I decided to try some gelatin. I had no idea if this would work and how successful it would be, but I had used it in a few of my popsicle recipes with good results.

So I put my margarita concoction together and poured it in the ice-cream maker and turned it on. One thing I love about this ice-cream maker (I have an older model) is that it has an opening at the top so I can easily see what’s going on inside and spoon out a taste of the developing frozen concoction as I see fit (i.e.. frequently).  

I watched the paddle move around for a while and the clear liquid began to look a bit slushy. I wasn’t thrilled with what I was seeing, but I figured that at the very least, I would have a margarita slushy at the end of it all. I went off to do something else while the ice-cream maker did its job. When I checked on it a while later, the margarita slush had turned into a smooth, creamy textured frozen confection. It had transformed into exactly what I wanted.

Low-Carb Margarita Sorbet

This Low-Carb Margarita Sorbet recipe makes a smooth sweet-tart frozen dessert that tastes just like a margarita. If desired, for serving, rub the edge of a slice of lime over the rim of a glass and dip it in a saucer of margarita salt. This sorbet is the perfect dessert to follow our Low-Carb Crustless Taco Pie or our Low-Carb Quesadillas. Really, though, it makes a perfect ending to any summer meal or as a special treat for winding down on a hot day. Enjoy!

-Annissa

This Low-Carb Margarita Sorbet recipe makes a cooling summer dessert. It can be made with or without alcohol and works for low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, Atkins, ketogenic, or Banting diets.

Low-Carb Margarita Sorbet
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Low-Carb Margarita Sorbet

This Low-Carb Margarita Sorbet recipe makes a cooling summer dessert. It can be made with or without alcohol and works for low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, Atkins, ketogenic, or Banting diets.
Course Dessert
Cuisine low-carb, Mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 6
Author Annissa Slusher

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup granulated stevia/erythritol blend
  • 1 packet unflavored gelatin (2 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 2 cups cold water (quantity divided)
  • 2/3 cup lime juice freshly sqeezed
  • 6 tablespoons tequila (substitute water if you prefer a non-alcohol version)
  • 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Instructions

  1. In a 2 quart saucepan, whisk together the granulated stevia/erythritol blend and the unflavored gelatin. Pour in one cup of cold water and let sit for one minute. 

  2. Slowly heat gelatin mixture over medium-low heat, while stirring occasionally, until sweetener and gelatin are completely dissolved. Remove from heat.

  3. Stir in the second cup of cold water and lime juice. Add tequila, lime zest, and orange extract and stir. 

  4. Cover mixture and refrigerate for about 1 1/2 hours. Process according to your ice-cream maker manufacturer's instructions.
  5. Spoon into a freezer-safe container and freeze 2-3 hours before serving.

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1/6th of the recipe

Per serving: 

Calories: 51

Fat (g): 0

Total carbs (g): 2

Fiber (g): 0

Protein (g): 1

Net carbs (g): 2