Sherbet is a frozen dessert usually flavored with fruit, water, sugar, flavourings, and milk or cream. Egg white may be added to ensure a fine texture. Sherbets may also be flavoured with wine or liqueurs. Sherbets must contain 1-2% butterfat. The fat tends to smooth out the texture and make the mouth feel softer. Sherbets are not sour. The most famous sherbet is lemoncello is often offered as a refresher in the form of a liquor after meals.

A sorbet is made by adding flavors, fruit fibers, sweeteners, stabilizers, sometimes water and freezing it. Typically fruit juice, fruit purée, wine, liqueur, vanilla, chocolate, peppermint are used. The amount of dairy product in sherbet is low compared with other frozen desserts. If milk is added, it is usually skim. Sorbets contain no fat, so their flavors are very intense. They tend to be a bit sour and are popular used in drinks such as “slurpees.”