With fresh seasonal citrus, this Blood Orange Amaretto Sour is an especially beautiful twist on a classic sour cocktail. It’s sweet and tart and boozy, and ohhhh so pretty!

blood orange amaretto sour in a cocktail glass


 

Amaretto Sour Recipe

If I could relive the past weekend, again this weekend, I surely would. Blake and I spent a couple days on the North Shore with a few of our dearest friends. We woke up each morning to the sun rising over magnificent (and frigid!) Lake Superior, made delicious meals together, explored sweet li’l Grand Marais bundled up in hats and gloves and boots, and stayed cozy around the blazing fire each evening.

This wasn’t our first gathering together Up North, but it was the first time I was in charge of the Saturday night pre-dinner cocktail. And I had blood oranges and amaretto tugging at my mind. So I packed our cocktail shaker. Blake juiced the citrus. And we made Blood Orange Amaretto Sour cocktails!

This amaretto sour drink is kicked up several notches from the classic version. Not only does it include fresh-squeezed lemon juice (just like my whiskey sour recipe), but there’s also freshly squeezed blood orange juice (so GORGEOUS!) and a bit of bourbon. Besides the lovely amaretto, of course.

A little bit sweet, a lot tart, and all kinds of fun and beautiful, this blood orange cocktail is the perfect sour drink!

ingredients to make a blood orange amaretto sour drink

Amaretto Sour Ingredients

What’s in an amaretto sour? Grab these few ingredients and prepare to be blown away by this easy, gorgeous cocktail!

  • Lemon juice – This is what puts this drink in the “sour” category. Use fresh lemon juice only, for the best flavor. Some sour recipes use a pre-made sweet & sour mix, but I’m just not a fan. I adore the bracing flavor of pure, fresh lemon in sour cocktails!
  • Blood orange juice – With GORGEOUS color and a unique flavor, this seasonal citrus is a fun addition to the traditional amaretto sour recipe.
  • Amaretto – The signature almond-flavored liqueur of this classic drink. I prefer Disaronno brand, but there are others to choose from.
  • Bourbon – Provides complexity and a nice balance to amaretto’s sweetness, with flavors of vanilla, oak, and caramel.
  • Simple syrup – I include just a little bit, for a touch of sweetness beyond the blood orange juice. Adjust the amount to your own preference.
  • Garnishes – A thin slice of blood orange and a cocktail cherry, so fun and pretty!

What is Amaretto?

Amaretto means “little bitter” in Italian, which seems appropriate for this almond liqueur from Italy. It has a distinctive cherry/almond flavor, mostly sweet, with just a little bitterness. When mixed with citrus, you get that wonderful sweet + sour flavor the amaretto sour is known for. If you like almond flavored desserts and drinks, I’m betting you’ll like amaretto!

Here’s another cocktail with amaretto – a frozen eggnog cocktail. It’s perfectly festive for the holidays!

pouring blood orange juice into a cocktail shaker
pouring the finished drink from a cocktail shaker into a cocktail glass with ice and slices of blood orange
amaretto sour with blood orange juice

How To Make An Amaretto Sour Drink

An amaretto sour with blood orange juice is easy to make. If you can juice citrus, you’re nearly done!

  1. Add lemon juice, blood orange juice, amaretto, bourbon, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker.
  2. Fill shaker 2/3 full with ice, cover tightly, and shake for nearly 1 minute to super-chill and dilute.
  3. Strain into a glass over fresh ice.
  4. Garnish with a thin slice of blood orange and a cocktail cherry. Then ENJOY!
a sour cocktail made with amaretto and blood orange juice

Tips & Variations

Just a few things to note, for the best blood orange amaretto sour:

  • Use fresh juice. For the very brightest, freshest tasting cocktail, be sure to use only freshly squeezed blood orange and lemon juices.
  • Shake with ice. It might be tempting to skip the cocktail shaker step. I get it; it’s an additional step. But this not only gets the drink super duper cold, but it also dilutes it a bit, to give you just the perfect flavor and consistency.
  • No cocktail shaker? No problem! Simply use a mason jar with a lid.
  • Adjust the strength. For a stronger drink, add a splash more amaretto and/or bourbon. For a weaker drink, add a little less alcohol – or grab a taller glass and top your drink off with some cold sparkling water!
  • Adjust the sweetness. While this cocktail is noticeably “sour”, there is definitely sweetness too. Feel free to totally omit the simple syrup. Or add a bit more!
  • Add garnishes! A simple slice of blood orange and a cherry are the final touch on this pretty drink. When entertaining, I’d call this a requirement!
up-close photo of blood orange amaretto sour in a cocktail glass
a hand holding a blood orange cocktail

More Citrus Cocktail Recipes

Where would the cocktail world be without delicious fresh citrus fruits?! Here are a few more citrus-forward drinks you might like:

  • Paloma – Super refreshing, with fresh grapefruit and lime juices, tequila, and sparkling water.
  • Orange Margaritas – A bright and sunny spin on the original margarita, made with just a few ingredients.
  • Rosemary Greyhound – With rosemary-infused simple syrup, fresh grapefruit juice, and vodka, this drink is bright, tart, and delightfully refreshing drink.
  • Homemade Limoncello – A super crisp, bright drink made with fresh lemons. I like to serve it straight from the freezer!

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amaretto sour with blood orange juice

Blood Orange Amaretto Sour

Yield: 1 drink
prep time: 15 minutes
total time: 15 minutes
With fresh seasonal citrus, this Blood Orange Amaretto Sour is an especially beautiful twist on a classic sour cocktail. It's sweet and tart and boozy, and ohhhh so pretty!
4.7 Stars (3 Reviews)
Print

Ingredients

  • 2.25 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1.5 ounces freshly squeezed blood orange juice
  • 1.5 ounces amaretto liqueur
  • .75 ounce bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon simple syrup if desired
  • Garnish: thin slice of blood orange & a cocktail cherry

Instructions

  • Add lemon juice, blood orange juice, amaretto, bourbon, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
  • Fill shaker 2/3 full with ice, cover tightly, and shake for nearly 1 minute to super-chill and dilute.
  • Strain into a glass over fresh ice.
  • Garnish with a thin slice of blood orange and a cocktail cherry.

Notes

For the cocktail cherries, I recommend Luxardo cherries, simple stemmed maraschino cherries, or my favorite Amarena cherries from Trader Joe's!

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 Calories: 434kcal Carbohydrates: 42g Protein: 1g Sodium: 23mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 37g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
© Brenda | A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
Cuisine: American
Course: Cocktails
amaretto sour with blood orange juice
6 people in winter coats and hats enjoying a drink at a winery

A photo memory from our weekend on the North Shore of Minnesota. North Shore Winery was a favorite stop from our visit last year, we just had to visit again. And yes, it was a very cold day. We were bundled up, with an actual temperature of -18° F, a “feels like” temperature of -32° F. The winery’s hot mulled wine was PERFECT!