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    Home All Cocktails

    Aperol Sour

    Published: Apr 21, 2023 · Modified: Jun 9, 2024 by Kimberly · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Aperol sour cocktail Pinterest pin.
    Aperol sour cocktail Pinterest pin.

    This divinely frothy and delicious Aperol Sour cocktail recipe will transport you straight to Italy! A perfectly classy cocktail that's full of flavor and easy to make, this drink is perfect for enjoying as a pre-dinner aperitif on a warm summer day.

    A prepared Aperol sour garnished with a lemon peel.

    The Aperol Sour follows the basic formula of a classic sour cocktail, but the Aperol sets it apart. Sweet, bright and citrusy, it's a favorite among bartenders and cocktail lovers alike!

    Some of my favorite cocktails are sours, like this Amaretto Stone Sour and the vibrant Midori Sour.

    Looking for more Aperol drinks? The classic Aperol Spritz is always a hit! (Or make it a Non-Alcoholic Aperol Spritz.) This color changing Gin Aperol Cocktail is delicious and pretty too! Or, the Aperol Negroni is a lightened up version of the classic.

    Jump to:
    • What is Aperol?
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Instructions
    • Top tip
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    What is Aperol?

    Aperol is an Italian liqueur with a bitter yet very sweet flavor. It's not technically an amaro liqueur since it is only 11% alcohol, but it has a lot of similar flavors to its cousin Campari (just with less bitterness and less booze).

    Aperol is a great cocktail ingredient because it not only adds color, but a delicious flavor, and the bitterness helps to keep drinks from being overly sweet. Win-win!

    A prepared Aperol sour garnished with a lemon peel.

    Ingredients

    • Aperol liqueur
    • Gin (go for a London dry style gin -- I've used The Botanist gin)
    • Lemon juice
    • Simple syrup (store bought, or make your own simple syrup)
    • Egg whites (I used pasteurized liquid egg whites)
    • Lemon peel (optional garnish)
    Aperol sour cocktail ingredients.

    Substitutions

    Here are some ways you can substitute the ingredients in this cocktail:

    • Aperol - if you don't have Aperol, try Campari instead. Just keep in mind that Campari has double the alcohol of Aperol, so you can use a little less gin.
    • Egg whites - you can replace egg whites with aquafaba (chickpea juice) for a vegan option. Or, try Fee Brothers fee foam, a non-egg white alternative to create a foamy cocktail.
    • Syrup - instead of simple syrup, you can use maple syrup or agave nectar.

    Variations

    Here are some variations on this recipe:

    • Keto-Friendly Aperol Sour - it's easy to make this into a keto-friendly drink. Just switch out the simple syrup for syrup made with a sugar-free sweetener. My favorite is allulose! You can use store-bought sugar-free syrup, or you can find more info on how to make your own in my How to Make Simple Syrup post.
    • Virgin - if you're avoiding alcohol, you can use an alcohol substitute in place of the hard stuff. Lyre's Italian Orange and Lyre's Dry London Spirit are perfect non-alcoholic replacements. All the flavor, none of the alcohol.
    • Extra flavor - try adding orange bitters or Angostura bitters for some extra oomph.
    A prepared Aperol sour garnished with a lemon peel.

    Equipment

    To make your Aperol Sour, you'll need a few bar essentials and some extras.

    To mix the cocktail, you'll want a jigger, a cocktail shaker, a regular strainer and a fine mesh strainer. (BTW -- if you need any new bar tools, check out A Bar Above and get 10% off with my code LKDrinks!)

    A paring knife and cutting board will come in handy to prepare your lemon peel garnish. Optionally, you may want a milk frother to help with the egg white foam.

    This drink is typically served in a stemmed coupe glass. I've used the Reidel drink-specific Sour glass, which has a flared out rim for optimal foam!

    Instructions

    Prep the lemon peel garnish and make a slit in the middle to attach it to the glass. Set aside.

    Using a vegetable peeler to peel a lemon.
    Cutting a lemon peel for the garnish.

    Then, add the lemon juice and simple syrup to your cocktail shaker.

    Lemon juice being added to the cocktail glass.
    Adding simple syrup to the cocktail glass.

    Next, add the gin and Aperol to the cocktail shaker.

    Adding gin to the cocktail glass.
    Adding Aperol to the cocktail glass.

    Add ice to your shaker, and shake well, about 15-20 times. Then strain out the ice, but don't pour the drink into your glass just yet. Keep it in your cocktail shaker (if you don't have a 2-sided shaker, use a different glass to collect the liquid.)

    Giving the cocktail a shake with ice.
    Using a hawthorne strainer to strain out the ice.

    Next we will create the foam. Add the egg whites into the mixture.

    Seal the shaker without ice, and do a dry shake for at least a minute. This creates the best and longest lasting foam. If you prefer, you can use a milk foamer to froth up the mixture instead.

    Egg whites being added to the cocktail shaker glass.
    Using a milk foamer to foam up the drink.

    Using a fine mesh strainer, strain into a chilled coupe glass.

    You can optionally squeeze a separate piece large lemon peel over top of the foam for extra aroma, or add a few drops of lemon or orange bitters to the top.

    Add the lemon twist garnish to the rim of the glass, and serve.

    Straining the cocktail through a fine mesh strainer.
    Placing the lemon garnish on the finished cocktail.

    Hint: Use leftover lemon peels to express some lemon oils over the top of the cocktail before serving. Just squeeze a lemon peel while holding it over the drink, with the dark yellow side facing the drink. It's a simple touch, but gives the drink a wonderful aroma!

    Top tip

    If you are planning to make a batch of these for a party, you can pre-make your garnishes. Store the garnishes in the fridge in a ziploc bag along with a damp paper towel to keep them fresh.

    You can also pre-mix the Aperol, gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice about an hour before your party. Hold off on adding the egg whites until just before serving. Cheers!

    📖 Recipe

    A prepared Aperol sour garnished with a lemon peel.

    Aperol Sour

    Kimberly Salem
    This easy and delicious Aperol Sour cocktail recipe combines Aperol liqueur with gin, lemon juice, and egg whites to make a drink that's full of flavor and bright citrus notes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 1 cocktail
    Calories 274 kcal

    Equipment

    • Cocktail shaker and strainer
    • Jigger or measuring cup
    • Fine mesh strainer
    • Vegetable peeler (for the lemon peel garnish)
    • Knife and cutting board (for the lemon peel garnish, and if you are using the fresh juice)
    • Citrus juicer (if you are using fresh lemon juice)
    • Cocktail serving glass (coupe)

    Ingredients

    Garnish

    • Lemon peel

    Cocktail

    • 2 ounces Aperol liqueur
    • 1 ounce Gin (London Dry style works great)
    • ¾ ounce Lemon juice
    • ½ ounce Simple syrup
    • 1 ounce Egg whites (I used pasteurized)

    Instructions
     

    • Use a paring knife to clean up the sides of your piece of lemon peel, and then make a slit in the middle of the peel to attach it to the glass. Set aside.
    • Add the Aperol, gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
    • Fill the shaker with ice and shake well about 15-20 times.
    • Strain out the ice, collecting the liquid in the other side of your cocktail shaker (or in a separate glass, and then add it back to the shaker).
    • Add in the egg whites.
    • Seal the shaker without ice and do a dry shake for at least a minute. Or, you can use a milk foamer to froth up the mixture for a quick shortcut (but the bubbles won't be as smooth).
    • Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into your chilled coupe glass.
    • You can optionally squeeze a separate large lemon peel or add some drops of bitters to the top of the foam for extra aroma.
    • Add the garnish to the rim of the glass, and serve.

    Notes

    • You can use Fee Foam, aquafaba or another vegan foamer in place of the egg whites if you prefer.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 274kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 56mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword amaro, aperol, bitter, cocktail, lemon, liqueur, sour
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    Aperol sour cocktail Pinterest pin.
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