We Tried 5 Types of Orange Sherbet and This Was Our Favorite

For many Southerners, a scoop of sherbet to stave off the heat might be a more familiar American tradition than serving up apple pie. The delicious blend of fruit juice, dairy and ice is a refreshing way to cool down, whether eaten plain or added to a favorite punch. But as popular as it might be, sherbet isn't actually an American invention — its origins actually lie in the Middle East. Luckily for us, the dessert made its way to the Americas, where it enjoyed enough popularity to earn a permanent spot in the freezer aisle.

Sherbet comes in a variety of delicious flavors, but orange is undoubtedly a crowd-pleasing favorite. And whether you're looking for pure orange sherbet, or a delicious orange cream, we have you covered. To find out which orange sherbet most deserves your freezer space, we sampled five different brands, all of which are available online or in stores. Here are our picks, from best to worst.

Best Orange Sherbet at a Glance

Best Orange Sherbet: Signature Select's Low Fat Orange Sherbet
Runner-Up: Happy Belly Orange Sherbet
Best Orange Cream Swirl: Dreyer's Orange Cream Sherbet
Best Budget Orange Sherbet: Lucerne's Orange Vanilla Swirl

What We Looked For When Ranking Orange Sherbet:

Taste: Any dessert worth its sugar aims to be a delight to the tongue. In this test, we looked for orange sherbet varieties packed with creamy, citrusy flavor without excessive sweetness. We also kept our eyes out for brands that tasted more fake than fruity, or that contained too much of the bitter aftertaste oranges are occasionally known for. Since orange sherbet is often packaged together with vanilla ice cream, we also included orange cream variations in this taste test.

Price: Although not as universal as strawberry, chocolate or vanilla, orange sherbet is still a classic frozen treat flavor. And since it's not a novelty, it shouldn't have a novel price. While picking up sherbet brands, we considered which kinds would grant consumers the most dessert for their dollar.

Texture: Since sherbet is primarily frozen fruit juice, you can expect a bit more iciness than you might find in a true ice cream. But the presence of dairy or gelatin (or both) is what separates sherbet from sorbet, so one should expect at least a somewhat creamy texture. For this test, we looked for smooth sherbets that contained little or no noticeable icy patches.

Additional Features: Along with taste, price and texture, we also made note of which brands contained notable amounts of sugar per serving, what kinds of sweeteners they used and what kind of fruit juice were incorporated. All of the brands we tested contained concentrated orange juice, and while all used corn syrup, only one included high fructose corn syrup. Some of the brands advertised their sherbet as low fat, but this descriptor goes a little without saying, as sherbet isn't exactly a high fat dessert. All of the sherbet we tried contained 3 grams or less of fat per serving, with most containing less than half that amount.

How We Tested Each Orange Sherbet

This taste test came at a perfect time, during a particularly hot week in which my household was eager for frozen treats. For this test, I tested each of the five brands by first allowing a container of ice cream to thaw outside the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Once the ice cream had been given some time to soften, I tested how easily it could be portioned out using a standard ice cream scoop, as well as how smooth of an ice cream scoop a consumer might expect. I ate at least one scoop of each variety so that I could form a thorough opinion on the sherbet's taste and consistency.