Refreshing Aperol Spritz Recipe

The Aperol spritz is a drink that dates back to the 1950s, at which time it made its debut as an Italian aperitif cocktail. In the U.S., a 20-teens marketing blitz by the Campari company (makers of Aperol) made it quite trendy as an Instagram-friendly drink with a photogenic orange hue. Recipe developer Julianne De Witt brings us this recipe and says, "This classic vibrant cocktail is so easy to put together and is very refreshing." She feels it makes a great transitional drink as summer turns to fall since its sweet, fruity flavor is reminiscent of the warmer season while its autumnal hue brings to mind falling leaves, pumpkins, and cooler days to come. To go along with the color scheme, De Witt suggests using an orange slice as garnish. She prefers to use a cara cara orange, explaining, "The dark orange-red flesh of this orange mimics the color of the Aperol."

The fact that the Aperol spritz is relatively low in alcohol is also a plus for those looking to extend the evening festivities. Even with three ounces — or two shots — of liqueur in this mixed drink, along with three ounces of sparkling wine, our recipe has just 7.3% ABV. This is far lower than a more spirit-forward cocktail like the martini or Old Fashioned. This means that the Aperol spritz is perfect for its originally intended purpose — as a refreshing pre-dinner drink meant to get the palate ready for the evening.

The drink itself is made from Aperol and prosecco, topped off with a splash of club soda. You'll also need some ice, as well as the aforementioned orange slice for garnishing.

Fill a large wine glass halfway with ice.

Add the Aperol.

Add the Prosecco.

Stir the ingredients together.

Top with club soda.

Garnish with an orange slice and serve the drink.

Aperol belongs to the family of bitter Italian liqueurs known as amaros. The recipe, which dates back to 1919, is a secret one, although the company admits to using unnamed fruits, herbs, and roots. Some sources, however, reveal that rhubarb, gentian root, and cinchona may be among the liqueur's ingredients. (The last of these is a type of tree bark that is also used to flavor tonic water.) Though Aperol is quite bitter, it also has some sweetness to it, with notes of orange and vanilla.

Those who enjoy bitter flavors may drink their Aperol straight up or on the rocks, while others may prefer the liqueur in its signature cocktail which is, you guessed it, the Aperol spritz. The sweetness of the prosecco helps temper the bitterness, particularly if you choose a bottle from the demi-sec or dolce end of the dryness spectrum. The extra dilution from the soda water also assists with making the Aperol spritz palatable and refreshing.

While Aperol spritz may be one of the most well-known cocktails to use this liqueur, several other mixed drinks also make use of it. One of these is the Paper Plane, which was named after a song popular in the early '00s and is no relation to the Aviation cocktail. Instead, the drink was inspired by the Last Word, but instead of the former's 1:1:1:1 mix of gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice, it combines equal amounts of Aperol, Amaro Nonino, bourbon, and lemon juice. Another Last Word-inspired drink, the Division Bell, is made with Aperol, mezcal, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice, while a similar cocktail, The Naked and Famous, combines yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, mezcal, and lime juice.

On the lighter side, Aperol infused with strawberries can be mixed with gin and grapefruit radler to make a drink called El Chapo, while the liqueur can be combined with sauvignon blanc, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda to make a wine punch. You could also add Aperol to sangria or use it as a substitute for Campari to make a sweeter, less boozy Negroni.