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Published July 22, 2015 | Last Updated October 4, 2022 By Barbara Bianchi 16 Comments

Strawberry Granita (Low-Carb And Sugar Free Recipe)

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Light cold strawberry granita is just what you need to cool off on a hot day. Made with strawberries and stevia, it’s a fun dessert with no sugar.

frozen dessert topped with mint leafAll I can say is, “It’s hot outside!” The mercury is rising and icy, strawberry granita is light and cold; just what I need to cool off on these hot summer days.

Earlier this month, I made a sparkling raspberry lemonade pressé with fresh lemons and raspberries.

It was the perfect summer drink, and I loved that because it was homemade, I could sweeten it with stevia and choose organic berries, free of chemicals and pesticides.

As the days grow more humid here, my kids have been eating more ice cream. The pressé gave me the idea to make a healthy frozen dessert for them instead with fresh berries!

What Is granita?

I decided on a strawberry granita, a dessert originally from Sicily, similar to snow cones and Italian ice.

My version is made with organic strawberries and stevia for a refreshingly fun dessert without a drop of sugar.

sugar free,fresh strawberry, grenita

This summer has been unusually busy. In the past, my family looked forward to summer as a break from the year-long homeschooling schedule.

Now, however, nearly all the children are graduated and busy with their own schedules.

All the more reason why my family appreciated this fruity treat today.

While I savored the delicious icy granita crystals melting in my mouth, I looked around at my children’s faces. They were just as delighted as I was to take a break from work to cool off with this wonderful treat.

sugar free, organic, strawberry, granita

Granita is so quick to mix together, and then you just have to return to the freezer every now and then to scrape the crystals as they form.

I didn’t mind at all because it was a particularly hot day, and it was wonderful every time I opened that freezer and felt the gush of cool air.

What is the best way to prepare strawberries?

In order to preserve as much of the fruit as possible, hull the berries with a paring knife.

Remove the stems and core beneath the cap by inserting the tip of a paring knife on an angle into the core. Then rotate the knife and fruit in opposite directions until the core is released.

Now you’re ready to make your cool summer treat.

Instructions

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

First bring water and stevia to a simmer. Stir so that the stevia dissolves completely. Then let it cool to room temperature.

Place the hulled strawberries in your blender. Add the sweetened water (syrup) and lemon juice and process until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan, cover and place in the freezer. And that’s it; only 3 ingredients plus water.

After 40 minutes scrape the icy crystals that have formed on the edges into the middle of the pan with a fork. Repeat this every hour for the next 4-6 hours.

You want to stir often to avoid chunks of ice from forming. An icy sorbet-like consistency is what you want.

I have left my strawberry granita in the freezer overnight. Then I used the fork to scrape it up again before serving.

Pro tips and recipe notes

Today, I used this brand of stevia for sweetener because I have found that it doesn’t have a back taste. Give it a try or go with whichever sweetener you prefer.

Now that you know how to make it, you can make granita in your favorite flavors. Will you go with watermelon, lemon-lime, or mixed berries?

I have heard that almond flavored is popular using puréed almonds, almond paste, and almond extract in the mix.

Or would you like a more savory granita infused with herbs like basil, rosemary, or cinnamon? Or how about wine or champagne?

And be sure to let me know how you make yours in the comments!

This really was love at first taste.

After just one spoonful, all my son Michael wanted to know was when I would be making delicious frozen strawberry granita again!

close up of finished dessert with a spoon
Go ahead and make strawberry granita this week. There’s a smile and a taste of summer in every spoonful.

More healthy desserts you’ll love

How to make coconut whipped cream Here’s a step by step tutorial for how to make coconut whipped cream from coconut milk. Paired with organic blackberries for anytime you want a dairy free topping. 

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins (Paleo, Grain Free) – Get your ingredients together, and you’ll be taking these coconut flour blueberry muffins out of the oven in just 25 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons – Cookies with the healthiest ingredients! Yes, please.

Healthy Coconut and Almond Dark Chocolate Bars – These frozen bars are sheer happiness in your mouth: a layer of toasted coconut flakes, coconut oil, almonds, and chia seeds topped with a thin layer of delicate chocolate and sprinkled with more chopped almonds. Yum.

Want to save this recipe? Pin it!

Cool off with delicious granita icy crystals | Strawberry fruit | Italian dessert | sugar free | gluten free

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5 from 1 vote

Strawberry Granita (Low-Carb And Sugar Free Recipe)

Light and cold granita is just what you need to cool off on these hot summer days. Made with organic strawberries and stevia; a fun dessert without sugar.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword granita recipe, guilt free dessert, healthy desserts, Italian ice, sugar free desserts
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 19kcal
Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of water
  • 8 packs of Stevia (I've found that this brand doesn't have a back taste)
  • 16 ounces of strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice fresh-squeezed from a lemon

Instructions

  • Rinse strawberries. Then hull the berries with a paring knife.
    Remove the stems and core beneath the cap by inserting the tip of the paring knife on an angle into the core.
    Then rotate the knife and fruit in opposite directions until the core is released.
  • Bring water and stevia to a simmer. Stir so that the stevia dissolves completely. Then let it cool to room temperature.
  • Place the strawberries in your blender. Add the sweetened water and lemon juice and process until smooth, about 1 minute.
    Pour mixture into 9 x 13 baking pan, cover and place in the freezer.
  • After 40 minutes, scrape the icy crystals into middle of pan with a fork.
    Repeat this every hour for the next 4-6 hours. You want to stir often to avoid chunks of ice from forming.
    An icy sorbet-like consistency is what you want. To serve, spoon into chilled dessert dishes.

Notes

Freeze 4-6 hours, scraping frozen crystals with a fork after the first 40 minutes and each hour after that.

Try your favorite flavors

Now that you know how to make it, you can make granita in your favorite flavors. Will you go with watermelon, lemon-lime, or mixed berries?
I have heard that almond flavored is popular using puréed almonds, almond paste, and almond extract in the mix.
Or would you like a more savory granita infused with herbs like basil, rosemary, or cinnamon? Or how about wine or champagne?

Nutrition

Calories: 19kcal
did you make this recipe? We want to see! Take a pic, and tag @glutenfreehomestead on Instagram.

  • About the Author
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About Barbara Bianchi

Barbara loves to bring fun into the kitchen and healthy food to the table. She also enjoys drinking coffee, eating a little chocolate, reading a good novel, going for walks and spending time with her family and friends.
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Filed Under: Dairy free, Desserts, Egg free, Nut free, Recipe, Vegetarian

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alice Gerard says

    July 22, 2015 at 10:59 pm

    Wow, that looks positively delicious and light, too. I’ve never tried Stevia. Does it have an aftertaste? I am curious about it, however, because it is a natural sugar substitute.

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      July 25, 2015 at 9:20 pm

      Hi Alice, I’ve tried a few brands of Stevia and I like Stevita Supreme. There is no after taste. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Melanie T. Campbell says

    July 22, 2015 at 11:14 pm

    5 stars
    Oh this looks so great. Wish I had some right now!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      July 25, 2015 at 9:44 pm

      Ha ha Melanie. Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Sarah C says

    July 24, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    This is as great idea for a hot day. Your photograph is gorgeous!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      July 25, 2015 at 9:45 pm

      Thank you, Sarah! You’re sweet.

      Reply
  4. Bethany says

    July 24, 2015 at 4:16 pm

    Wow! It looks delicious and so refreshing!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      July 25, 2015 at 9:58 pm

      Hi Bethany, It’s so easy. A must try!

      Reply
  5. Sofia Clara says

    July 25, 2015 at 4:26 am

    this looks so perfect for the heat over here!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      July 25, 2015 at 10:13 pm

      Oh my, yes. Are you still in Geneva? Granita would be a pleasure after a full day of sightseeing. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says

    July 28, 2015 at 8:57 pm

    I love granitas!! This looks so delicious! We’ve got another hot day ahead so I just may be making this tomorrow! Shared on Facebook and sending some other foodie love your way! Hope you are having a great week!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      July 28, 2015 at 9:04 pm

      Thanks, Michelle. Go for it. It’ll be in the 90’s!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free Roundup: Strawberry or Lemon? says:
    July 24, 2015 at 8:46 am

    […] The Gluten Free Homestead shared Strawberry Granita […]

    Reply
  2. #FoodieFriDIY no 57 and Features - A Dish of Daily Life says:
    July 30, 2015 at 9:00 pm

    […] Strawberry Granita from The Gluten Free Homestead […]

    Reply
  3. Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade Pressé says:
    June 12, 2019 at 9:53 pm

    […] Strawberry Granita […]

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  4. 25 Easy Sugar-Free Desserts - Insanely Good says:
    May 17, 2021 at 1:08 pm

    […] 10. Strawberry Granita […]

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