Aperol Spritz (how to make the best Aperol spritz!)

Refreshing and light, an Aperol spritz is a brilliantly colored sparkling cocktail. Festive and easy to make!

With just three simple ingredients, and embellished with juicy orange slices, an Aperol spritz is a really great little cocktail. It’s not too sweet, it’s bubbly, refreshing, and quite low in calories, only 227 calories per serving.

When we visited Italy, we found that a “spritz” was very popular there, and why not? It’s a refreshing light sipper, perfect for a warm summer evening. I think it’s about to become very popular on my deck this summer.

Looking for a nibbler to serve with your spritz? How about easy tomato bruschetta, a fresh tomato tart with herbed ricotta, or bacon and mushroom flatbread with shaved asparagus?  Rosemary roasted almonds or sweet and spicy candied bourbon pecans are always a hit, too. Everyone loves fresh bread with olive oil dipping sauce (and it’s so easy to make!).

About this recipe

3-2-1! That’s all you have to remember. Each drink consists of three parts, two parts, one part. Making two drinks? Just start multiplying the parts by two. Making three drinks? Multiply by three. Making a pitcher? Multiply by however many servings you can fit inside your pitcher.

Pour the three ingredients over rocks in the order given, 3-2-1, for a beautiful sparkling cocktail. Don’t shake or stir it because you’ll lose the bubbles. So easy and so good! The complete printable recipe is on the recipe card at the end of the post.

What you’ll need

• Prosecco (3 parts) – Prosecco is a sparkling Italian wine. We like prosecco because it’s typically not too sweet, and also not too expensive, but you could also use French champagne or Spanish cava.
• Aperol (2 parts) – Aperol is an orange-colored Italian bitter apéritif.
• Soda (1 part) – Club soda, seltzer, or sparkling water will all work. It’s your choice!
• Orange slices – These are technically an optional garnish but I love the way they look and the taste they add.
• Ice – This cocktail is served on the rocks, so make sure you have plenty of ice made.

FAQs

How to make this cocktail your own

• Use Sprite instead of soda for a sweeter flavor. Use diet soda or Sprite to cut calories, if desired.
• A dry prosecco (less residual sugar) will make a spritz that will taste less sweet. Chose a prosecco (or sparkling wine) that you would normally drink.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Cut orange slices for the garnish and make sure you have plenty of fresh ice on hand. This cocktail takes about three minutes to make. If you make it ahead, it will go flat.

More summer sips

Looking for a lighter cocktail? Take a look at my list of 14 easy summer cocktail recipes or try:

• Raspberry Rosé Spritzer
• Bay Breeze — a refreshing cocktail with cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and vodka
• Frosé Recipe, the best frozen Rosé
• Watermelon Lemonade with Mint (with Cocktail option!)
• Vodka Lemonade
• Classic Gin and Tonic Recipe with tips to make the best!
• Orange Mojito — refreshing and delicious!
• Strawberry Watermelon Slushie Spritzer