Honeydew Melon Sherbet. I had so many other ideas for the Slightly Indulgent Mondays event. Because I had shared the peach sorbet last week, I was thinking about yet another chocolate cake recipe I’ve been wanting to share or maybe another main dish.
But, today I was still “puny” (which is Southern speak for not feeling at all very well) from a bug that started Thursday evening. Although I have been varying my time between the sofa and bed, I was functional enough this weekend for the occasional stint into the kitchen to make lunch or dinner. So, I had some good eats remaining in the refrigerator, but I had no real appetite.
Suddenly I found myself thinking of the things that my mother always prepared when weren’t feeling well … and similar things I’d made for Son. Chicken soup, hot tea, toast, crackers, applesauce … nope, but, then I remembered the very special treat of sherbet.
Son always wanted a little orange or rainbow sherbet when he was puny. But there was no sherbet in the house (and the peach sorbet was long gone).
Then I remembered the honeydew melon that had been too ripe to include in Mom and Dad’s anniversary glorious fruit easily (gfe) creation. I’d spooned the melon into a freezer container for later contemplation. Hmmm, surely, running the ice cream maker wouldn’t take much of my energy, I thought.
I thawed the honeydew a few minutes and dumped it into the blender. Working off the measurements from the successful peach sorbet, I came up with a three-ingredient recipe: honeydew melon, coconut milk, and our bees’ honey. (I didn’t add any vanilla extract because I didn’t think it was needed with the sweetness of the melon and the honey.)
I only had two cups of the honeydew melon and I wondered if there were any warnings about not filling the ice cream maker up enough, but I didn’t look in the manual. I didn’t want to know.
I just wanted the honeydew sherbet that I was already tasting in my mind—cool and creamy … definitely comfort food. Because the container was not full, I only needed to churn this sherbet for 15 minutes. And, in the end, it was everything I hoped it would be.
It may be my best attempt in the ice cream maker yet … and that’s saying something up against the Snickerdoodle Ice Cream and the previously mentioned Peach Sorbet.
Oh, and sherbet … or sorbet … I’m not following the real rules on what differentiates the two. This sherbet might not contain any dairy, but it’s got sherbet flavor all the way.
Whatever you call it, it would be lovely in small portions to cleanse the palate before a meal or as a delightful and creamy, yet lighter, dessert. One of our favorite B&Bs, Long Hill in Winchester, Virginia, gives you a choice of about six different sorbets before their award-winning breakfast. Sundrop (remember the old-fashioned citrus drink? another Southern pleasure) is one of the flavors they offer and the one I always select; this honeydew sherbet pleases me just as much.
Honeydew Melon Sherbet … Three Ingredients
Here’s my “bowl.” Oh, wait … you wanted some of this sherbet, too? So sorry. You’ll have to make your own.
First, find a very ripe honeydew (hey, you might even negotiate with the produce manager for a better deal on one that is super ripe!) and then follow the recipe below. (Incidentally, I appreciate that photo not just for the sherbet. Soon the neighbor’s house will “reappear” as the leaves fall, the evening light will be fading earlier … and the shadows will be different as a result, and, finally, the red-checked tablecloth will be put away until warm weather returns.)
Last, if you are wondering, I think I’m definitely going to live now … I wasn’t so sure before. The fact is that I don’t get ill very often since going gluten free. No viruses, no colds, etc.—unlike the old days.
However, I did get glutened last weekend (a story I’ll share another time) and I think my resistance was down as a result. I’m hoping to wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow. Better eat some more of this honeydew sherbet to be sure!
Honeydew Melon Sherbet Recipe
This Honeydew Melon Sherbet is absolutely delicious! So flavorful and cooling on a hot summer day.Honeydew Melon Sherbet
Ingredients
Instructions
Not just gf, but gfe!
Originally published September 14, 2009; updated September 8, 2021.
Linda says
Your fruit desserts sound so delicious and refreshing. I happen to have a very ripe honey dew sitting on my counter, but I don’t have an ice cream maker. Maybe I’ll try a granita tomorrow. You’ve inspired me!
Shirley says
Hi, Linda–Thank you! I bet you could make a pretty good “ice cream” without an ice cream maker. Just pour into a flatter pan after blending and freeze. Then scoop and enjoy. Honeydew granita sounds great, too, though. 🙂
BTW, we never had honeydew as I was growing up … I think I’m playing catch up now. 😉
Shirley
Amy Green (Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free) says
That is my kind of ice cream dish!! To me, there’s nothing better than a fabulous scoop of ice cream or sherbet.
Your recipe is so simple but perfectly made, which makes me laugh at myself. I complicate the process and cook this, add that, chill it overnight. I am not simple when it comes to making ice cream. I learned something from you. 🙂
Thanks so much for participating in Slightly Indulgent Mondays! Big hugs!
Shirley says
Hey there, Amy–Thanks! I’m with you on fabulous scoops. 😉 I love that when I am using the coconut milk with these ice creams and sherbets, I don’t want more and more. I’m actually losing my taste for dairy ice cream I think. I made the Snickerdoodle ice cream again for my parents the other day—this time using dairy—and while they loved it, I didn’t like it as much as the coconut milk version.
I think my “newfound” simplicity with recipes (over the last several years) is wisdom that comes with age! LOL Seriously, I’ve found that often a dish with only a few ingredients can be wonderful and let’s the flavors shine through. If I ever do a cookbook, it might be Six Ingredients or Less … or something like that. 😉
Slightly Indulgent Mondays is turning out to be a great weekly event–bravo, and thanks for hosting!
Shirley
Trish says
What a simple recipe! I could go for a bowl of that!
Shirley says
Hey there, Trish–Welcome to gfe! It is simple and incredibly good. I’d share some IF … well, you know the rest. 😉
Just looked at your blog really quickly. Wow—some stunning photos there … love that! Will have to go back to read the words next. 🙂
Best,
Shirley
Lauren says
This sounds delicious =D. I think the only real difference between sherbet and sorbet is that sorbet is the french word. When I felt sick pre-gf, I always went for pasta, especially tortolini. Nowadays I just eat whatever I feel like when I’m sick. I figure that will help me get better. And tea. Lots and lots of tea.
Shirley says
Hi Lauren–You are so smart … I’m glad I have you to help me out here at gfe! 🙂 I think I’ll just go with whatever label sounds better … peach sorbet, but honeydew sherbet. I’ll have to wait to see what’s next in this food category. LOL
I think when we get rid of the food intolerances, our body does a much better job of telling us what will make us feel better. (Otherwise, I believe the “you crave what you are allergic to” thinking.) I’m grateful that mine told me honeydew sherbet yesterday. 😉
Shirley
Pam says
Looking Good!
Shirley says
Hi, Pam–Thanks! 🙂
Shirley
GF PATISSERIE says
That Sherbet would be fantastic in a coup de Champagne.
Now that’s an idea for the weekend.
Shirley says
H.Peter–Ooooh, now you’re talking … I like that idea better than mimosas! Breakfast soon?
Shirley
Chaya says
What a great summer dessert. My husband likes all kinds of melon but I have never done anything other than cut it up. This is a far superior idea. Thanks.
Shirley says
Hey there, Chaya! 🙂 I think this one will make both of you happy. If your hubby loves melon, he should especially enjoy it. The honeydew flavor provides wonderful sweetness and a lovely fresh taste at the same time. Hope you’ll try it and let us all know what you and your husband think!
Thanks,
Shirley
noble pig says
It looks great in that big glass! Love it!
Shirley says
LOL, Cathy … even that big glass wasn’t big enough–that stuff was good!! Notice I used past tense … it was used for medicinal purposes and the prescription was one bowl every 4-6 hours, you know? 😉 What can I say? It worked!
Shirley
Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen says
This sounds fantastic Shirley! I bet the melon and coconut milk went really well together!
Shirley says
Hi Jenn!–I’ve been amazed at how well the coconut milk works in these recipes. It doesn’t always impart a coconut flavor, but is a great substitute for dairy and provides a lusciousness that dairy doesn’t give IMO. And, I like that the honey adds sweetness, but not a strong distinctive flavor. 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Shirley
Chaya says
Sounds heavenly. I can imagine this in many flavors.
Shirley says
Hi, Chaya–Thanks! It was quite popular at my support group meeting last night. 🙂 Some folks said they’d like it just as a smoothie because of the flavors. They are right … it’s hard to beat honeydew, honey, and coconut milk (with no additives). Our one member on SCD was thrilled. And, you are right … so many different flavors could be used for this very easy ice cream.
Shirley
naomi says
Yum! This sounds incredible. My ice-cream maker has unfortunately hit the dirt, but this is going on the list to make as soon as I charm a new one into my life. x x x
Shirley says
Hey, Naomi–I’ve always been a big fan of simple recipes, but this one blows me away every time. I could make it every week and never tire of it. It’s so delicious and refreshing. I know all the support group members wish that I had made a double batch.
There’s probably a friend of yours who doesn’t even use their ice cream maker or a great deal via coupon or Amazon for you. I used a 20% coupon off to get mine. I waited too long. It’s been an amazing experience making my own ice cream NOT using the old-fashioned method with tons of ice and rock salt. 😉
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
Shirley
Jennifer R. says
okay, I got the ice cream maker finally , got the honeydew , now i just need to make the ice cream 🙂
So, do you think it will work if I don’t freeze the honeydew first??
Shirley says
Hey Jennifer–Yippee for you! You will need to freeze the container for the ice cream maker anyway (probably overnight), so just freeze the honeydew at the same time. I don’t think it will work if you don’t freeze it, but I may be wrong. I know it works wonderfully well when the honeydew is frozen …
Shirley
Jennifer R. says
The ice cream maker container is already frozen… and I’m too tired to cut up the honeydew tonight. My bed is calling me 🙂
We made Pumpkin Ice Cream a few nights ago (recipe from The Spunky Coconut) and it was delicious and of course, didn’t last long in my house with 5 of us.
Shirley says
Just so you know, you don’t have to cut it up. If it’s very ripe, just use an ice cream scoop and you can scoop it all out into a container in no time. Very easy.
Kelly’s Pumpkin Ice Cream … I’m going to look at her site right now! Yes, with five in the house, you could almost be making ice cream daily. Making it when nobody is home and stashing it in the freezer until you have several tubs might be a good idea. 😉
Shirley
Jennifer R. says
Thanks Shirley, but I was too tired to cut or scoop last night – LOL! And my honeydew was not very ripe or sweet. I ended up using 2 1/2 cups of honeydew (as measured in my VitaMix), 1 can of coconut milk (14 oz), and 1/4 cup of raw honey, and 1/4 cup of agave syrup. Needed to maximize the space in the ice cream maker, being that there were 5 eating it. It turned out DELICIOUS, and I did not freeze the honeydew first — just an FYI.
The pumpkin ice cream is from her cookbook, so if you can’t find it on Kelly’s site, that would be why.
Shirley says
Jennifer–Sounds like you did well with your improvisations! I’m so glad that it turned out delicious. 🙂 I like the idea of using 1/2 honey and 1/2 agave. Thanks also for the tip regarding not having to freeze the honeydew first.—that will come in handy!
Haven’t looked for the pumpkin recipe on Kelly’s site yet. I got sidetracked. I’ll go look … if I have to wait for her cookbook, I can. 🙂
Thanks so much!
Shirley
Suzanne Beaudoin says
hi! I am interested in knowing if one can substitute ripe watermelon.
I am going to try using my fancy blender some and then freeze it.
I dont have an ice cream maker.
I am gluten in tolerant
…
Winning Wellness
Suzanne
Shirley says
Hi Suzanne–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I think watermelon will work if it’s good and sweet (the ripe honeydew is very sweet). If not sweet, you might add a little more sweetener. Watermelon is juicier usually, too, so you might drain and save a bit of the juice for something else or back off a tad on the coconut milk; otherwise, you’ll end up with more of a granita (or a great smoothie recipe!). Give it a try though and let us all know. Fingers crossed! 😉
Shirley
Sophia says
I don’t have n ice cream maker.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Sophia–It’s a time-consuming process (IMO) to make ice cream without an ice cream maker but you can do it. Here are some instructions. Good luck!
Shirley