Classic Aperol Spritz Recipe

Hop on the latest happy hour trend with this classic Aperol spritz recipe!

Thirst-quenching and effervescent, this cocktail is taking everyone by storm. Its glowing red hue is as eye-catching as a sunset.

Made with Prosecco, Aperol, and club soda, it’s bubbly, refreshing, and sophisticated.

Head to Italy, and you’ll find patrons sipping on this spritz on a warm afternoon. It’s an easy-drinking aperitivo that’s all about the sweet life. 

Citrusy, aromatic, and light, it’s the ideal pre-dinner drink and brunch cocktail. It’s low-alcohol, easy to make, and downright refreshing.

So grab a glass and toast to the summer the Italian way. Cin cin!

Classic Aperol Spritz 

Live life to the fullest with an Aperol spritz. It’s the ultimate companion for those who crave the taste of summer in a glass. 

Fizzy and refreshing, it’s one invigorating libation. 

This Italian cocktail captures the season’s essence, from the flavor to the color. And you only need three ingredients to make it! 

It begins with a pour of bubbly Prosecco followed by Aperol. Next, a splash of club soda balances out the sweetness. Garnish it with an orange slice, then sip and savor.

It’s slightly bittersweet, plenty fizzy, delightfully aromatic, and complex. What’s surprising is you can make this classic in 5 minutes or less.

Just pour, stir, garnish, and sip. There’s zero shaking required. So you can leave the cocktail shakers for your other drinks. 

Make a round for happy hour or relax before dinner. It’s an easy sipper, so you can get a little buzz before you eat.

Speaking of eating, the Aperol spritz pairs marvelously with Italian appetizers like an antipasto platter. (Just in case you need a little bite.)

Ingredients 

One thing I love about the Aperol spritz is it requires very few ingredients. You need just three plus a garnish and ice. 

Here’s everything you need:

• Prosecco – A dry Prosecco is best. Other kinds, like demi-sec will be too sweet. There’s no need to break the bank, either. An affordable bottle is fine.

• Aperol – This Italian botanical liqueur gives this cocktail its vibrant color and distinct flavor. It’s bittersweet with aromatic notes of herbs and citrus.

• Club soda – The fizzy bubbles make the cocktail effervescent and dance on your tongue. Prosecco is quite delicate, so club soda makes the drink lighter and more refreshing.

• Orange slice (optional) – A simple orange slice is a classic garnish that looks classy and adds a squeeze of citrus.

How to Make an Aperol Spritz 

Making an Aperol spritz is a piece of cake. Just remember the ingredient ratio of 3-2-1, and that’s all it takes. 

Here’s how to make an Aperol spritz:

1. Prep a wine glass. Fill a wine glass with ice and chill it for 30 minutes. 

2. Pour. Pour 3 parts prosecco and 2 parts Aperol into the chilled glass with ice. Top it off with 1 part club soda. Stir gently.

3. Garnish and savor. Add a slice of orange for a garnish. Then sip and savor this classic drink. 

Tips and Variations 

The Aperol Spritz is one of the easiest cocktails around. But despite the simplicity, everyone has different tastes. 

So here are some tips and variations to making your cocktail great:

• Increase the sweetness. Do fruity sweet drinks speak to you? Then, make your cocktail a little sweeter. A sweet Prosecco will do the trick. It won’t change the ratios and dials back the bitterness of the Aperol.

• Tone down the booze. If you find the cocktail too stiff, tone down the booze. Instead, make it with 2 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, and 1 part club soda. Likewise, you can add more club soda. 

• Stiffen it up. If you want a stiffer drink, double up on the Aperol. Use 3 parts prosecco, 3 parts Aperol, and 1 part club soda. It packs a little more punch and also creates a more bitter drink.

• Use a Prosecco substitute. Prosecco is traditional, but you can use other sparkling wines like cava or even Champagne. Just keep in mind it will alter the taste.

• Tweak your garnish. Out of oranges? Use another citrus fruit like grapefruit or lemon. Or stick with tradition and skewer a green olive.

• Add ice first or last. Some recipes add ice first so the ingredients mix slightly as they pour over it. Other recipes suggest adding it last. The idea is to keep as many Prosecco bubbles as possible. Either way, they taste the same.

• Try a Campari Spritz. Replace the Aperol with Campari for an even more bitter flavor.

• Make it a Limoncello spritz. Replace the Aperol with Limoncello for a citrus twist.