Sherbet

In the United States, a fruity frozen dessert similar to sorbet but containing a small amount of milk or cream.

Sherbet: Scoops of rainbow sherbet in orange, lime green and raspberry pink in a glass dish, with a creamy, smooth surface
  • Frozen desserts and sweet beverages

American sherbet is made from fruit juice or puree, sugar and water, with a little dairy added. That small amount of milkfat gives it a creamier, smoother texture than sorbet while keeping it lighter than ice cream. Under US federal standards, sherbet contains only a little milkfat, far less than the minimum required for ice cream. Orange, lime, raspberry and rainbow blends are classic flavors.

The word means different things elsewhere. In Britain, sherbet is a fizzy, sweet powder candy, and in the Middle East and South Asia a sharbat is a chilled sweetened drink made with fruit or flowers.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. 21 CFR 135.140 Sherbet, U.S. Government Publishing Office (Code of Federal Regulations)
  2. 21 CFR § 135.140 - Sherbet., Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute