Bittersweet Aperol Spritz

It takes just 3 ingredients to make my version of an Aperol spritz, which is bubbly, zesty, and refreshingly bittersweet in the best way!

My Sweeter Take on the Aperol Spritz

Kristina, who is on our team, spent some time studying food nutrition in Italy—that’s when she became quite familiar with this popular orange Italian cocktail! It wasn’t uncommon for her group to walk down the streets of Rome at the end of the work day to find many enjoying a little afternoon Aperol spritz.  

Classic Aperol spritz is made of Aperol, Prosecco, and club soda (or soda water). In my recipe, I skip the club soda in favor of a little freshly squeezed orange juice. Orange juice adds a little natural sweetness to balance the Aperol’s bitterness. 

I used cara cara oranges, which are pink-fleshed and a tad sweeter than regular navel oranges, but navel oranges will also work. And, thanks to the prosecco, the cocktail is still plenty fizzy without the addition of club soda.  

Mixed in a large wine glass with plenty of ice, this cocktail is the perfect light drink to relax with. 

What is Aperol? 

Aperol is a low-alcohol (11% ABV) Italian bitter. Like its lemony frozen cousin, Sgroppino, this drink is typically served as an aperitif before a meal to stimulate the appetite. It is made with rhubarb, oranges, gentian root, cinchona bark, and more.

With its perfectly balanced sweet, bitter, and herby flavor, Aperol is less polarizing than the better-known Italian aperitif, Campari, which is used to make a classic Negroni.

Aperol is best known for its use in the popular bubbly Italian cocktail, the Aperol spritz, which is perfect for sipping on a sunny afternoon, but equally refreshing in the fall. 

Aperol Spritz Ingredients 

With just a few ingredients, you can have a cold, refreshing Aperol spritz in a flash! 

• Ice. To keep the drink cool and to appropriately dilute the other ingredients, bringing out and balancing their flavor. 
• Orange. I juiced 1 small cara cara navel orange to use in this cocktail recipe, and sliced another orange to garnish the glass. Any navel orange would work. (Green olives are the traditional garnish, so feel free to use those instead!)
• Aperol. No substitutions! Aperol is available in most liquor stores.
• Dry prosecco. You can also use Champagne if you do not have prosecco. 

How to Make an Aperol Spritz

This simple Italian cocktail doesn’t require any special equipment, and it comes together in like 30 seconds.  

• Fill a large wine glass or stemmed balloon glass with ice (almost to the top).
• Pour in 1 1/2 ounces fresh orange juice (or club soda if you don’t want it sweet), and equal parts Aperol and dry prosecco (about 3 ounces each). 

Because this Aperol cocktail recipe is so simple, you could easily eyeball the ingredients and adjust to your taste. Want it sweeter? Add more orange juice. Need more bubbles? Top it off with a splash of prosecco. The beauty of this Italian cocktail is that it can be changed to suit you! And while you might not end up with a classic Aperol spritz, you will still have a light, fresh cocktail to sip.

Important Tips for this Italian Aperol Cocktail 

• Start with chilled Aperol and prosecco: Don’t rely solely on the ice to cool the drink; you want to start with things already chilled to avoid diluting it.
• Use a large wine glass or globe glass. You will need it to hold all of the ice, plus the liquids.
• Make one cocktail at a time: This cocktail is meant to be made one at a time; that way, it is fresh and fizzy, and it doesn’t sit in a pitcher with ice that can dilute it. You can make more as you need to!
• Use dry prosecco. Prosecco has 6 levels of sweetness. Brut nature or brut zero is the driest, while dolce is the sweetest. For this cocktail, I stick with extra sec, which is medium dry to the taste with 12-17 g/l residual sugar. Or, just dry, which is also known as sec, with a 17-32 g/l residual sugar. Any good liquor store or wine shop would be able to recommend the right prosecco to use.

What to Serve it With

This refreshing cocktail is usually served as an aperitif before meals to stimulate one’s appetite.

• Serve it with light Italian or Mediterranean-style nibbles. Try my favorite burrata platter, antipasto skewers, a simple tomato bruschetta, or a plate of whipped feta with a side of pita chips—are all good ideas!
• Serve a little something sweet and salty; try melons wrapped in prosciutto.
• I also like it with small seafood bites like shrimp wraps or smoked salmon.

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