Aperol Spritz Recipe
There are some drinks that seem to belong to a particular moment. Aperol Spritz is one of them for me.
I think about sitting outside on a hot day, the glass packed with ice, that bright orange color catching the sunlight, and the first cold sip after spending hours walking around Vilnius, Lithuania. We explored the city on foot, seeing as much as we possibly could and enjoying every minute of it.
Eventually, though, we needed a little break.
So we found a place to sit down, ordered Aperol Spritzes and took a little time to do absolutely nothing and just watch the people go by.
It was perfect.
That experience is part of why I love this cocktail. Yes, an Aperol Spritz is an Italian drink. No, we weren’t sitting in Italy when we had it. Instead, we were in Vilnius, taking a break from exploring on a warm summer day.
Still, the drink fit the moment perfectly.
Cold, bubbly, citrusy and just a little bitter, an Aperol Spritz is a cocktail I want when the weather is hot and I’m looking for something refreshing instead of heavy.
Best of all, you don’t need a complicated bar setup to make these at home.
What Is an Aperol Spritz?
An Aperol Spritz is a classic Italian aperitivo made with Aperol, prosecco and sparkling water.
The cocktail is served over plenty of ice and traditionally finished with an orange slice. Its beautiful orange color comes from Aperol, while prosecco provides the bubbles and a little sweetness. A splash of sparkling water lightens everything up.
The traditional formula is simple:
3 parts prosecco + 2 parts Aperol + 1 part sparkling water
It’s such a basic recipe- but it tastes so good.
From there, the drink goes straight into a large wine glass filled with ice. Give it a gentle stir, add an orange slice and you’re done.
No cocktail shaker is necessary.
There isn’t any complicated technique to learn here either, and I can appreciate that.
The Italian Aperitivo Tradition
To understand the Aperol Spritz, it helps to understand aperitivo.
In Italy, aperitivo is a social tradition centered around having a drink and a few small bites before dinner. It isn’t necessarily about getting ready for a big meal. Instead, it is a chance to slow down at the end of the day, meet up with friends and enjoy a little food and conversation.
That idea is a big part of the personality of the Aperol Spritz.
The drink isn’t meant to be complicated or fussy. It is meant to be enjoyed.
You can sit outside at a café, order a drink, nibble on a few snacks and watch the world go by. Eventually, dinner happens.
Maybe that’s one reason the cocktail became so popular outside Italy, too. The idea translates pretty easily.
After a long day, sitting down with a cold drink sounds like a pretty good plan no matter what country you’re in.
Where Did the Aperol Spritz Come From?
The history of the spritz actually goes back farther than Aperol.
During the 19th century, Austrian soldiers and visitors in northern Italy were accustomed to lighter wines. Italian wines tasted stronger to them, so they began adding water to wine.
The German word spritzen, meaning “to splash,” is generally associated with the origin of the name.
Over time, the drink evolved.
Sparkling water became part of the tradition, and eventually sparkling wine entered the picture. Different areas developed their own versions using different bitter liqueurs.
Aperol entered the story in 1919 when the Barbieri brothers introduced Aperol in Padua, Italy.
The bright orange aperitif eventually became closely associated with the spritz we know today.
By the time the cocktail became widely popular, the Aperol Spritz had developed a pretty recognizable identity: orange, bubbly, slightly bitter and incredibly easy to drink.
What Does an Aperol Spritz Taste Like?
Aperol has a distinctive flavor.
You’ll notice orange and citrus first, followed by herbal notes and a pleasant bitterness. Prosecco brings carbonation and some sweetness, while sparkling water keeps the finished cocktail light.
The result is refreshing without tasting like a sugary fruit punch.
That bitterness is important, too. It gives the cocktail its personality and keeps it from being overly sweet.
Fresh orange works beautifully as the garnish because it reinforces those citrus flavors. Plus, when you lift the glass, you get that fresh orange aroma before you even take a sip.
On a hot afternoon, all of those things just feel perfect.
The ice keeps everything cold, the bubbles make it lively and the citrus keeps it tasting fresh.
How to Make an Aperol Spritz
Making an Aperol Spritz at home is so easy.
Start with a large wine glass. Fill it generously with ice because this drink is meant to be served very cold.
Pour in 3 ounces of prosecco, followed by 2 ounces of Aperol. Finish with 1 ounce of sparkling water.
Give the cocktail a gentle stir.
Add a fresh orange slice, and that’s it.
The whole process takes about a minute.
You don’t need to shake the ingredients because the carbonation in the prosecco is part of what makes the drink work. Stirring too aggressively would also knock some of those bubbles out.
A gentle stir is all you need.
Why the 3-2-1 Ratio Works
The classic 3-2-1 ratio gives the Aperol Spritz a nice balance.
Three parts prosecco provide most of the volume and carbonation. Two parts Aperol bring the distinctive orange and bitter flavor. One part sparkling water adds a little extra fizz while keeping the cocktail from becoming too intense.
Of course, everyone’s taste is a little different.
If you really enjoy Aperol, you can make your drink slightly more bitter by adding a little extra. Someone who prefers a lighter cocktail might add more sparkling water.
The classic ratio is an excellent place to start, though.
Once you’ve made a few, you’ll probably figure out exactly how you like yours.
Use Plenty of Ice
This might be the easiest cocktail advice you’ll ever receive, but use plenty of ice.
Aperol Spritz is supposed to be cold.
A large wine glass filled with ice keeps the cocktail chilled while you sip it. Since this is a drink you can easily spend twenty or thirty minutes enjoying, keeping it cold matters.
Large ice cubes are especially useful because they melt more slowly than smaller pieces.
Nobody wants to spend the first half of their cocktail enjoying something cold and refreshing, only to end up with a watered-down drink.
Start cold and keep it cold.
Choosing Prosecco for an Aperol Spritz
You don’t need an expensive bottle of prosecco for this recipe.
That’s good news because you’re mixing it with Aperol and sparkling water anyway.
Choose a prosecco that you enjoy drinking and make sure it is thoroughly chilled before you start. A dry or extra-dry option works nicely because Aperol already brings its own sweetness and distinctive flavor.
Most importantly, keep the prosecco chilled.
Don’t Forget the Orange
That orange slice isn’t just decoration.
The citrus complements the orange flavor in Aperol and adds a fresh aroma to the cocktail.
A thick orange wedge works well, although a thinner slice looks especially pretty floating among the ice.
For an extra citrusy version, you can also run a small piece of orange peel around the rim of the glass before adding it as a garnish.
It’s a tiny step, but you notice the aroma immediately.
What Makes This Cocktail So Good for Summer?
Summer cocktails don’t always need a long list of ingredients.
Cocktails are always more fun to make when they’re easy and without turning your kitchen into a science experiment.
The sparkling wine keeps things bubbly. Aperol adds a distinctive citrus and bitter flavor. Sparkling water lightens the drink, while ice brings the temperature way down.
Everything about it works for warm weather.
Even better, the cocktail looks beautiful sitting on a patio table.
When to Serve an Aperol Spritz
The traditional time for an Aperol Spritz is aperitivo hour, generally before dinner.
However, summer afternoons are made for this drink.
Serve one before dinner while you’re sitting on the patio. Make a round when friends come over. Enjoy one while you’re cooking outside. Or, honestly, do what we did in Vilnius and order one after walking around all day when you need a little break.
An Aperol Spritz doesn’t require much work, so it’s especially nice when you want to spend your time actually enjoying your guests.
You can make each cocktail individually in the glass, which also means there isn’t a giant pitcher taking up half the refrigerator.
Can You Make an Aperol Spritz Ahead of Time?
I wouldn’t recommend making these too far ahead.
The carbonation is part of what makes an Aperol Spritz so refreshing, so you want the prosecco and sparkling water to stay bubbly.
Instead, have your ingredients chilled and your glasses ready with ice. Then make each cocktail when you’re ready to serve it.
Fortunately, that takes almost no time.
If you’re serving several people, set out the Aperol, chilled prosecco, sparkling water, orange slices and ice. Everyone can easily enjoy a freshly made cocktail without the host spending the entire afternoon mixing drinks.
Aperol Spritz Recipe
Grab a large wine glass, fill it with ice and pour in your prosecco, Aperol and sparkling water.
The beauty of this classic Italian cocktail is that you don’t always have to work very hard to make something special. With just a few ingredients, you get a cold, bubbly, citrusy cocktail that’s perfect for warm afternoons and leisurely evenings.
Whether you’re drinking one on an Italian patio, at a café in the afternoon or sitting in your backyard, an Aperol Spritz has a way of making an ordinary afternoon feel a little more like vacation.
And after all that walking, I can tell you this much: that drink in Vilnius tasted pretty darn good.
More Refreshing Cocktail Recipes
Blackberry Margarita
Raspberry Mojito
Aperol Spritz
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Equipment
- Wine glasses
- shot glass
Ingredients
- Ice
- 3 ounces Prosecco
- 2 ounces Aperol
- 1 ounce Club soda
Instructions
- Fill the wine glass with ice.
- Pour 3 ounces of prosecco into the glass.
- Add 2 ounces of Aperol.
- Top with 1 ounce of club soda.
- Garnish with orange slice or peel.
Nutrition
