Aperol Spritz Recipe

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The perfect cocktail to make you feel like you’re summering in Italy! Click to see our super easy Aperol Spritz recipe, and make one tonight.

How to make an Aperol Spritz

When we were traveling through Italy, we had a running joke that any time the kids got gelato, I got an Aperol Spritz. And in Italy, any time is Aperol Spritz-o-clock!

The Aperol Spritz cocktail is pretty ubiquitous just about anywhere you go there, but I learned that there are good ones and bad ones! It all has to do with the ratios and the type of bubbles that you use.

So naturally I wanted to come home and perfect an Aperol Spritz cocktail recipe for myself!

Psst — before you dive in, be sure you also bookmark our Bee’s Knees cocktail recipe!

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What Is Aperol?

First of all, a few details. Aperol is an Italian apéritif, made with rhubarb, blood oranges, grapefruits, and more. If you’re looking for a super-sweet flavor, this isn’t it.

It’s light and citrusy, with a little hint of bitterness (which is exactly why I love it).

What Is a Spritz Cocktail?

Also, I learned as I was perfecting the Aperol Spritz recipe that there’s a science to a spritz!

A true spritz has a 3:2:1 ratio of prosecco, aperitif, and club soda. Who knew?!

So contrary to what lots of people think, it really matters which prosecco you use in this whole equation, because that’s half of what ends up in the glass.

It’s also worth noting that you can substitute other liqueurs or aperitifs for the Aperol to try other concoctions!

Ingredients for an Aperol Spritz

Aperol. This bright orange apéritif is the hallmark of the drink! You can find it near the liqueurs at the grocery or liquor store. While Aperol may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I find it completely refreshing, especially when drinking it as a spritz.

Prosecco. We can thank Italy for these light and sparkling wines. To avoid a drink that’s overly sweet, I like to find a bottle of prosecco that’s a little more on the dry side. No need to get a high end, expensive bottle to create an Aperol Spritz recipe. A mid- to low-range bottle will still make a lovely drink.

Club Soda. We often use our Soda Stream to make fresh sparkling water to add to an Aperol Spritz. The extra bubbles of a club soda helps to dilute and lighten the flavor of the drink.

Garnish. The traditional garnish for an Aperol Spritz is a slice of fresh orange. You can skip it entirely, or use a substitute as you wish. We’ve used blood oranges, clementines, and even a lemon in a pinch. (Although I would probably forego it entirely before I use a lemon again.)

Ice. An Aperol Spritz deserves to be served over a refreshing glass of ice!

How to make an Aperol Spritz

Aperol Spritz Recipe

  • 3 oz prosecco
  • 2 oz Aperol
  • 1 oz club soda
  • ice
  • orange slice

Every Aperol Spritz I drank in Italy was served in a large red wine glass. But use what you have!

Put these in any glass you like. Start with a healthy scoop of ice. Pour in three parts of your favorite prosecco (or a nice dry champagne). Add two parts Aperol, and one part club soda. Garnish with a slice of blood orange. DRINK!

If you’re concerned that you won’t get the ratios just right, no worries! You can use a jigger to measure ounces, or just keep fiddling with the ratios until you like the taste.

Adjusting the Flavor of an Aperol Spritz

If you’re new to the drink, you might find the flavor a little bitter. You can adjust the flavor by reducing the amount of Aperol and pouring a little heavy on the prosecco.

If you’d like to make your Aperol Spritz a little less potent, reduce the apéritif and prosecco, and pour a little extra club soda in to dilute it.

And one final tip! If the whole thing is just a little too bitter for you, you can substitute a blood orange soda (there’s a really good one at Trader Joe’s) or San Pellegrino Blood Orange for the club soda. It won’t necessarily be a traditional spritz any more, but that’s just fine!

Serving Snacks with an Aperol Spritz

I enjoyed this lovely drink in about 7 different Italian cities, and almost every time I did, it came with delicious snacks!

Most often, it came with potato chips and olives. Other times it was popcorn, bruschetta, or french fries.

It goes perfectly with a lovely, salty snack!

I was going to do a whole photo shoot here at home on one of the evenings that we were testing recipes, but I figured it would be more fun to just relive a couple of moments from our Italy trip (many of which involved an Aperol Spritz). Cheers! xoxo

How to make an Aperol Spritz

Aperol Spritz

Yield: Aperol Spritz
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes

The perfect cocktail to make you feel like you're summering in Italy! Click to see our super easy Aperol Spritz recipe, and make one tonight.

Ingredients

  • 3 oz prosecco
  • 2 oz Aperol
  • 1 oz club soda
  • Ice
  • Orange slice

Instructions

    1. Every Aperol Spritz I drank in Italy was served in a large red wine glass. But use what you have!
    2. Put these in any glass you like. Start with a healthy scoop of ice. Pour in three parts of your favorite prosecco (or a nice dry champagne). Add two parts Aperol, and one part club soda. Garnish with a slice of blood orange. DRINK!
    3. aIf you're concerned that you won't get the ratios just right, no worries! You can use a jigger to measure ounces, or just keep fiddling with the ratios until you like the taste.

Notes

If you're new to the drink, you might find the flavor a little bitter. You can adjust the flavor by reducing the amount of Aperol and pouring a little heavy on the prosecco.

If you'd like to make your Aperol Spritz a little less potent, reduce the apéritif and prosecco, and pour a little extra club soda in to dilute it.

And one final tip! If the whole thing is just a little too bitter for you, you can substitute a blood orange soda (there's a really good one at Trader Joe's) or San Pellegrino Blood Orange for the club soda. It won't necessarily be a traditional spritz any more, but that's just fine!

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