Forget Ice Cream: 10 Healthy Sorbet Recipes You Need To Make This Summer

One of summertime's go-to snacks is ice cream, whether you make a tub at home or pick up a pint at your grocery store. While it's one of the most cooling and refreshing snacks when the weather gets warmer, eating a cup can pack on the pounds. There is a way to satisfy your craving without the calories: sorbet.

I know what you're thinking. Avocados in a sorbet? Oh, just you wait. The coconut and lime add a tropical panache, but the avocado gives it a distinctive, smooth finish. I can't think of a more gratifying way to get a healthy scoop of monounsaturated fats. For the Avocado, Coconut, and Lime Sorbet recipe, click here.

This sorbet is sufficient reason to bring back the custom of serving a "palate cleanser" when switching from white to red wines at formal dinners. For the Basil Lime Sorbet recipe, click here.  

This light yet refreshing dessert from chef Laurent Quenioux of Vertical Wine Bar in Pasadena, California, is wonderful after a rich meal to cleanse the palate. Serve a couple of crisp chocolate chip cookies alongside, if you wish. For the Blood Orange Sorbet recipe, click here.  

Here's a refreshing and delicious dessert recipe that's perfect for summer. The use of seemingly obscure additives like glucose powder and sorbet stabilizer may seem strange to the home cook, but they result in a superior texture that mimics gelateria-quality sorbet. For the Cucumber-Mint Sorbet recipe, click here.

A boozy treat from Havana Central, this frozen sorbet is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next party. For the Frozen Mojito Sorbet recipe, click here.

These are so simple to make — it's just a matter of squeezing, stirring, and freezing! They look so fabulous in their frozen lemon cups. For the Lemon Sorbet recipe, click here.

Miraval Resort and Spas in Tucson, Arizona, turns a mai tai into a light and refreshing (not to mention easy) summer dessert. For the Mai Tai Sorbet recipe, click here.

Pastry chef Michelle Duran created this ice-cold, alcohol-infused treat as a part the summer menu for New York City's SUSHISAMBA. It's perfect for hot days and warm nights. For the Pisco Sour Sorbet recipe, click here.

SUSHISAMBA's alcohol-infused sorbet is the perfect way to cool down in the summer heat. Ideal for parties and barbecues, it is flavorful and refreshing. This recipe uses some exotic ingredients and complex techniques, but with these simple steps you'll have no problem whipping up this ice-cold treat. For the Red Shiso Sorbet recipe, click here.

The splash of Grand Marnier here makes this sorbet a very grown-up dessert for sure. For the kids, just omit the liqueur and replace it with the same amount of maple syrup — they can always take a bit more sweetness, can't they? For the Strawberry Sorbet with Grand Marnier recipe, click here.