This Amaretto French 75 cocktail is a delicious cross between an Amaretto Sour and a French 75. The bittersweet almond of Amaretto blends really beautifully with the lemon, gin and Champagne of a French 75. It's a great twist on a familiar classic!
Adding Amaretto to a French 75 is a great way to give it a little warmth. This is a great drink for any season, but it really works well in the early spring or fall to give an almond-y twist to an already refreshing drink.
Check out my classic French 75 recipe if you want to to make the original!
If you're looking for another sparkling wine recipe, this Vodka Champagne Cocktail is the perfect drink for any celebration! Another sparkling wine cocktail is the Poinsettia Cocktail, which, although perfect for the holiday season, is also wonderful year-round.
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Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you'll need to gather up the following ingredients:
- Gin - I've used Plymouth Gin here. Any London Dry gin works beautifully in this drink.
- Amaretto - Many people think of Disaronno Amaretto as the only brand in this category, but in fact lots of companies make their own version of this almond liqueur. Here I've used Saliza Amaretto by Bepi Tosolini, which is not a sweet as Disaronno and has a more pure almond flavor. It is made from almonds, whereas Disaronno is made from apricot kernels.
- Lemon juice - preferably freshly squeezed.
- Sparkling white wine - Champagne, Prosecco, or any dry sparkling white wine will work well.
Substitutions
Don't have some of the ingredients? Here are some ways you can substitute to make a similar drink:
- Gin - you can always substitute vodka if you are not a fan of gin. This will give the Amaretto more of a front seat flavor-wise. Lemon or citrus vodka would go well here also.
- Sparkling wine - if you don't have a bottle of sparkling wine handy, just use seltzer water to top off this drink. You can then increase the amount of gin by a half ounce per drink.
- Lemon - if you don't have a lemon handy, an orange would work pretty well in this drink. Just keep in mind that it might end up being on the sweet side.
Variations
Here are some ideas on different variations to try if you enjoy this cocktail!
- Classic French 75 - for the classic gin cocktail, just omit the Amaretto and add in a little simple syrup.
- Classic Amaretto Sour - the Amaretto sour is just a mix of Amaretto and lemon juice, with an optional egg white if you want a foamy top. If it's too sour, you can also add in a little simple syrup. Or, if it's too sweet, add a few dashes of Angostura bitters.
- Elderflower French 75 - also known as a French 77, this is an absolutely delicious variation. Substitute the Amaretto for an elderflower liqueur like St. Germain.
Equipment
To make this drink, you'll need a few bar tools handy. You'll need a cocktail shaker and strainer, plus a jigger or a small measuring cup. Also grab a citrus juicer if you're using fresh lemon. For the lemon peel garnish, you'll want a vegetable peeler as well as a sharp paring knife or an X-Acto knife dedicated to food use.
This drink is perfect for a stemmed cocktail glass. It's served up, without ice, and the stem helps to keep the heat of your hand away from the drink. I've used a coupe glass, but a Champagne flute also works perfectly here.
If you need any new bar equipment, I really love the products from A Bar Above! You can get 10% off using my discount code, LKDrinks. Their bar tools are really durable, and also can be thrown in the dishwasher when you're done mixing!
Instructions
To make the Amaretto French 75, start out by adding the lemon juice to your cocktail shaker. Then add in the Amaretto.
Add in the gin. Then fill the cocktail shaker with ice, and give it about 15 to 20 good shakes.
Strain the drink into your serving glass, and top it off with the sparkling wine. Then add the lemon peel garnish and serve immediately.
Hint: I love using this Champagne bottle opener! Check it out if you've ever struggled opening a bottle of bubbly.
How to make the Lemon Flower Garnish
Using a carved lemon peel as a garnish really gives this drink a note of elegance! It may look fancy, but it's not too hard to make. (Of course, you can always keep the peel clean and simple too, for a more classic look.)
Start by using a vegetable peeler to peel off a wide section of a lemon peel. Try to keep on a good amount of the white pith, because it gives the finished garnish some stability.
Then, use a sharp paring knife or an X-Acto knife to carve out your design. To make this flower, I just freehanded a flower-like design and made some cutouts in the wide top part to look like petals. Just be sure to make the "stem" of the flower wide, since the flower part will tend to flop over if it's not stable enough.
I used one of these little gold clips to clip this on to the rim of the glass. You can also use a mini clothespin to attach it. Just be sure to wash the clip in dish soap before using it, and reserve it for food use only.
It does take a little time to make these garnishes, so if you are planning on making a lot of them for a party, consider making them a day in advance. Wrap them well in plastic wrap so they don't dry out, and store them in the fridge. They should keep their fragrance for a couple of days stored this way.
Frequently Asked Questions
A French 75 is a gin cocktail with lemon juice, a little simple syrup and Champagne. It's a refreshing drink, but don't be fooled, since it's definitely on the strong side.
Amaretto is an almond-flavored liqueur. To be considered Amaretto, it needs to be made with either almonds or apricot kernels (pits). It is a liqueur, which means it is a lower ABV than a regular spirit (usually around 25-28% alcohol rather than 40%), and it also contains sugar.
Batching this Cocktail for a Party
If you're making a batch of these drinks for a party, you can pre-make the shaken part of the cocktail and then just top each glass with Champagne. Just mix together the lemon juice, Amaretto and gin in proportion, and add half an ounce of water per cocktail. Store it in the fridge and pour out 3¼ ounces per serving glass before adding the sparkling wine.
Top Tip
It's worth noting that although this drink looks pretty and fancy, it does pack a punch! If you're feeling it a little too much, reduce the amount of gin you use, or sub out the Champagne for seltzer.
📖 Recipe
Amaretto French 75
Equipment
- Cocktail serving glass (coupe) (or Champagne flute)
- Citrus juicer (if you're using fresh lemon)
- Knife and cutting board (for the citrus and garnish)
- Decorative clip to attach garnish to glass (optional)
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces gin London Dry style
- ¾ ounce lemon juice preferably freshly squeezed
- ½ ounce Amaretto liqueur
- 2 ounces sparkling wine look for a dry sparkling wine
Instructions
- Start out by adding the lemon juice, Amaretto and gin to a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and give it about 15-20 good shakes.
- Strain the drink into the serving glass.
- Top the drink with the sparkling wine.
- Clip the garnish to the rim of the glass and serve.
Kristy says
That garnish is just so pretty, what a clever idea Kim! Knocking it out of the park as always with your delicious and refreshing recipes.
Kimberly says
Thank you so much, Kristy! I appreciate it so much. The garnish is a lot of fun to make!