The Aperol Spritz is a gorgeous Italian cocktail. Light and sparkling, with a refreshing bitter twist, this classic recipe is easy to make with just 3 ingredients and an orange slice!
This vibrant Aperol Spritz cocktail takes me right back to Italy! It’s bright yet complex, bubbly, and slightly bitter in the loveliest way. I stick to the classic Aperol Spritz recipe, made with just three ingredients – and I promise, you need absolutely no bar skills to make this easy drink!
Why I Adore This Classic Cocktail
When it comes to cocktails, the Aperol Spritz is a classic. Here’s why I like this refreshing drink so much:
- Great any time. While most people think of this drink as a summertime thirst-quencher, I absolutely enjoy it year-round. Its vibrant color, fresh flavor, and effervescence make it the perfect light pre-dinner sip!
- Quick & easy. With just three ingredients to pour over ice, this is one of the quickest, easiest cocktails around. Just pour and enjoy – it’s ready in only 5 minutes!
- Complex flavor. Aperol gives this drink a fresh yet very complex flavor that’s beautifully bittersweet.
- So Italian! To be totally transparent, this drink has a very special place in my heart. It’s a beautiful reminder of the time my family spent in Italy, where the Aperol Spritz is part of the beloved aperitivo tradition – a ritual of relaxing with friends before dinner, with a drink and small snacks.
What Is An Aperol Spritz?
The Aperol Spritz cocktail was originally created in Italy in 1919, as a means to combat the heat and humidity of summertime in Italy. As the drink gained popularity it soon became a go-to aperitif, or pre-dinner drink, meant to stimulate the appetite before eating.
The Aperol Spritz cocktail consists of Prosecco, Aperol, and club soda over ice. It’s a light, dry, and modestly alcoholic drink with bittersweet flavors, typically served with a fresh orange slice.
Aperol Spritz Ingredients
Don’t you just love a fancy-looking cocktail with a short ingredients list?! Here’s a look at what you need for this drink. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Prosecco – This is an Italian sparkling wine, very fitting for this Italian cocktail. I recommend using a dry Prosecco.
- Aperol – This Italian liqueur adds gorgeous orange color and complex bittersweet flavor.
- Club soda – A splash of club soda adds a little more bubbly effect, plus lightens up the drink.
- Orange slice – This is an optional garnish that easily adds a special touch.
What Is Aperol?
Aperol is a bright-orange liqueur with a very unique flavor that’s fresh, citrusy, herbal, and bittersweet.
This botanical liqueur is distilled from both vegetables and herbs. Its main ingredients include sweet and bitter oranges, rhubarb, vegetal gentian root, and cinchona, the tree bark which also gives tonic water its familiar bitterness. Aperol can be drunk alone as a pre-dinner aperitif – but most people find it more palatable when stirred into drinks with other components, such as this spritz recipe.
How To Make An Aperol Spritz
The perfect Aperol Spritz follows the easy 3-2-1 rule, with a ratio of 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, 1 part club soda. Just pour over ice and add a fresh orange slice! Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Add ice and Prosecco. Place ice in a stemmed glass, then pour in the Prosecco.
- Pour Aperol. Now add the Aperol.
- Finish. Top with club soda and garnish with an orange slice.
Tips & Variations
Make this Aperol Spritz recipe in its classic version, or put your own spin on it. Here are a few suggestions and tips:
- Keep the ingredients cold. You’ll see in the recipe card that I call for chilled Prosecco and club soda. Even though you’ll serve the drink over ice it’s best to keep these ingredients cold so that the final drink is ultra refreshing.
- Use a wine glass. An Aperol Spritz cocktail is traditionally served in a large stemmed wine glass. However, you can serve this drink in any type of glass you wish – it won’t affect the taste.
- Add more orange flavor. If I’m craving more fruity flavor, I squeeze some fresh orange juice into my drink. It’s lovely!
- Or add some sweet. I always have simple syrup on hand, so it’s easy to add a dash of sweetness.
- Add more Prosecco. If you’re a Prosecco fan, you might like to add more than this recipe calls for.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this classic drink with brunch, during happy hour, or as a pre-dinner cocktail on a hot summer’s evening. Here are a few serving suggestions:
- As a brunch drink. Make a platter of sweet bananas foster French toast. Or serve cottage cheese egg bake and warm blueberry muffins.
- Add appetizers. This drink goes well with almost everything – from garlic butter steak bites to grilled mini sweet peppers with goat cheese to grilled shrimp. See all my appetizer recipes for more ideas!
- Along with other bubbly cocktails. Drinks made with sparkling wine are celebratory and refreshing. In addition to an Aperol spritz, try my prosecco margaritas or a limoncello spritz.
More Classic Cocktail Recipes
Aperol Spritz
Ingredients
- 3 ounces dry Prosecco, chilled
- 2 ounces Aperol
- 1 ounce club soda, chilled
- 1 orange slice
Instructions
- Add ice to a stemmed balloon glass, to ¾-full.
- Pour Prosecco over ice, followed by Aperol. Then top with club soda.
- Garnish with an orange slice.
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