Aperol Spritz

The Aperol Spritz is an easy, bubbly and delicious cocktail that’s perfect for summer sipping! This simple three-ingredient drink is always a crowd pleaser, and the recipe is a snap to remember when you keep in mind the 3-2-1 ratio. It's light and versatile, too, perfect for so many occasions!

The Aperol Spritz is basically the cocktail version of a mascot for summertime! Its sunset-orange color and bittersweet citrus flavors make for the perfect hot weather drink.

You don't have to make Spritzes with just Aperol, though. Check out my recipe for the tasty Amaro Spritz, which is kind of the Spritz blueprint!

You can make Spritzes with all sorts of liqueurs, too. Check out the Hugo Spritz, Limoncello Spritz, or Lillet Spritz for some similar and delicious summer sips.

Ingredients

All you need for this Spritz are three ingredients:

• Aperol liqueur
• Prosecco
• Club soda

You can also add an optional garnish. I used an orange slice, but lemon works nicely too!

Substitutions

You can easily substitute a different sparkling wine for the Prosecco. Try using Champagne, Cava, or whatever your favorite bubbly is.

If you don't have club soda, you can add in a flavored seltzer for some extra freshness and flavor. Or, just use plain water.

To sub out the Aperol, you can easily use a different type of liqueur. Check out my post on amari liqueurs for some ideas, or stick with its close cousin, Campari.

Variations

You can find lots of variations on a Spritz in my post about different Spritz cocktail recipes! Here are some more ways to change things up:

• Keto Friendly - Aperol does have a lot of sugar, so if you want to reduce the sugar in this drink, the easiest way is to use a non-alcoholic Aperol substitute like Lyre's Italian Spritz.
• Non-alcoholic - check out my non-alcoholic Aperol Spritz recipe for the best NA substitutes.
• Strawberry Aperol Spritz - cut up some strawberries and add them to a glass mason jar. Add enough Aperol to cover them and let it sit for around 3 to 5 days. Take out the berries, and use the resulting infused Aperol to make a Spritz with some extra berry flavor!

You can even buy a pre-made Aperol Spritz in a bottle nowadays. I haven't tried it yet, but if you have, leave a comment below and let me know if you like it!

Equipment

This drink is made right in the glass! All you'll need is a jigger or small measuring cup to measure out your ingredients.

(Or... just measure with your heart 🙂 which is what I tend to do with the Prosecco!)

If you need a jigger or any other bar tools, I really love all of the products from A Bar Above! You can get 10% off using my discount code, LKDrinks.

Instructions

You can start out by preparing your garnishes, if you're using them. I like to add some fresh citrus, so I cut a slice of orange to add to the glass.

Fill your cocktail glass with ice and get ready to Spritz!

First, add in the Aperol liqueur to the ice. Then, pop your bubbly and pour it in.

Top everything off with your seltzer water, and then add any garnishes before serving. If you want, you can give everything a gentle stir with a bar spoon.

Hint: Chilling your serving glass for about a half hour before making the drink will make this even more refreshing!

Top tip

Since these drinks are bubbly, fresh is best! And they're easy to make, so no need to prep them in advance. If you want to make things easier for a party, you can prepare all of your garnishes ahead of time.

Want to set up a Spritz station? Try setting out some bottles of Prosecco over ice, and a variety of different liqueurs. Then print out a sign with the basic Spritz recipe, and let your guests make their own concoctions!