Refreshing Aperol Cocktails That Aren’t Just The Spritz

Looking for a comprehensive list dedicated to the best Aperol Cocktails?

We’ve traveled to the trendiest cocktail bars in Italy on the hunt for the most refreshing Aperol recipes.

If you’re a fan of the bright orange Italian amaro, sip your way beyond the classic Spritz by making these delicious mixed drink recipes at home.

What Is Aperol?

Aperol is an Italian bitter apéritif made of gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona, among other ingredients. It has a vibrant orange hue. Its name comes from the French slang word for aperitif, which is apero.

Aperol was originally produced by the Barbieri company, based in Padua, but is now produced by the Campari Group.

While Aperol was originally created in 1919, by Luigi and Silvio Barbieri, it did not become successful until after World War II. Although it tastes and smells much like Campari, Aperol has an alcohol content of 11%, less than half that of Campari. Aperol and Campari have the same sugar content, and Aperol is less bitter in taste. Campari is also much darker in colour.

The Spritz, also known as Aperol Spritz, is the most famous Aperol-based cocktail. If you’re a fan of the bright orange spirit try shaking up a few of the Aperol infused drinks in this list.

Best Aperol Cocktail Recipes

We’re big fans of Italian aperitivo hour!

We’ve spent years traveling from the sun-soaked Amalfi Coast to the bustling bars in Rome to sip all the Aperol Cocktails we can!

If you’re an Aperol newbie, start with a classic Spritz then explore other tipples that marry the Italian amaro with spirits like smoky mezcal and herbaceous gin.

Aperol Spritz Veneziano

The most famous Aperol cocktail is simply referred to as a Spritz in Italy.

The refreshing summer drink is best enjoyed on a sun-soaked patio overlooking an Italian cathedral, castle or monastery. Your next backyard barbecue or sunset hour with friends will also do!

Ingredients

• 2 oz Aperol
• 4 oz Prosecco
• 1 oz Sparkling Soda Water
• 2 Orange Slices

Instructions

1. In an ice filled wine glass add aperol, prosecco and a splash of soda water.
2. Squeeze orange slices over the glass and drop into the cocktail.
3. Gently muddle with a bar spoon. Serve and enjoy!

Aperol Gin Cocktail

Combine our favourite spirits, gin and Aperol for a delightful sour cocktail made tart with fresh lime and sweet with simple syrup. Finish with a glug of soda water to make it sparkle.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Aperol
• 1 oz Gin
• 1 oz Lime juice
• 1 oz Simple Syrup
• 2 oz Soda Water

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add 2 ice cubes, Aperol, gin, lime juice and simple syrup.
2. Shake contents of the cocktail shaker for 45 seconds – 1 minute.
3. Pour contents of the cocktail shaker into a rock glass. Top with soda and muddle with a spoon.
4. Garnish Aperol Gin Cocktail with lime wedge or slice.

Aperol Negroni Cocktail

Fans of the Negroni will love this take on the classic Italian cocktail, which swaps bitter Campari for the more sweet Aperol.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Aperol
• 1 oz Gin
• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth

Instructions

1. In an ice-filled cocktail shaker add Aperol, gin and vermouth. Stir until chilled.
2. Strain through cocktail shaker into rocks glass with ice cubes.
3. Garnish with a fresh orange slice.

Aperol Aquavit Cocktail

Aquavit is a popular spirit in Scandinavia and Northern Germany, distilled from grain or potatoes and flavoured with a variety of herbs. Shake together your favourite Aquavit with sweet Aperol, tart lime, aromatic orange bitters and a splash of soda for an elevated sipping experience.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Aquavit
• 1 oz Aperol
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 2 dashes Orange Bitters
• 1 oz Soda Water

Instructions

1. Add aquavit, aperol, lime juice and orange bitters to a cocktail shaker and fill 3/4 with ice.
2. Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds.
3. Strain into a coupe glass. Top with sparkling soda water.
4. Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel.

Aperol Tequila Cocktail

Take a trip to Mexico by shaking together quality tequila with Aperol, floral St Germain elderflower liqueur and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Tequila
• 1 oz Aperol
• 0.5 oz St Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 1 oz Lemon Juice

Instructions

1. In an ice-filled shaker, add tequila, Aperol, St Germain and lemon juice. Shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds until cold.
2. Pour into an ice filled cocktail glass and garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.

Aperol Soda

If there was a book titled Aperol Cocktails For Dummies this would be the first recipe in the list!

Quick & easy Aperol Soda simply combines Aperol with sparkling water in a glass filled with ice. It’s the perfect drink to make last minute when a friend drops by, or to serve on a camping or cottage trip as it doesn’t require a cocktail shaker or any fancy ingredients. We also like to make it at potlucks when playing bartender.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Aperol
• 4 oz Soda Water
• 1 Orange Slice

Instructions

1. In an ice filled rocks glass pour in the aperol and top with sparkling soda water.
2. Squeeze an orange slice over the glass and muddle into the cocktail.
3. Gently stir with a cocktail spoon. Serve and enjoy!

Division Bell

The Division Bell is credited for being one of the first craft cocktails in the US to put mezcal on the map.

The smoky tequila and Aperol riff on the Last Word was developed by mixologist Phil Ward, who opened the now-shuttered Mayahuel tequila bar in New York City’s East Village with partner Ravi DeRossi in 2009. At the time the average American associated Mezcal exclusively with the margarita.

The popular Mezcal Aperol Cocktail’s name pays homage to the Pink Floyd album of the same name, which Ward says he listened non-stop while he was constructing the bar.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Mezcal
• 3/4 oz Aperol
• 1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur
• 3/4 oz Lime Juice

Instructions

1. In an ice filled cocktail shaker add mezcal, aperol, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice. Shake for 30-45 seconds until cold.
2. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel.

Paper Plane

The Paper Plane is a whiskey-based cocktail created in 2008 by mixologists Sam Ross and Sasha Petraske.

The due created the drink as a favour for a former colleague, Toby Maloney, who wanted a summer drink to serve at his bar The Violet Hour. Ross has described the drink as a riff on a Last Word cocktail and says the name was inspired by the M.I.A. track “Paper Planes,” a song he and Petraske listened to on repeat while developing the recipe.

The cocktail consists of equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro, and lemon juice and is served in a standard coupe glass.

Ingredients

• 0.75 oz Amaro
• 0.75 oz Aperol
• 0.75 oz Bourbon
• 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Combine amaro, Aperol, bourbon, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill with ice and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is frosty, around 30 seconds.
3. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Aperol Fizz

A “fizz” is a mixed drink variation on the older “sours family” of cocktails.

The defining feature is an acidic juice (typically lemon or lime juice) and fizzy carbonated water. Fizz cocktails are also typically shaken with egg white, giving the drink an elegant appearance and creamy mouthfeel.

Our recipe uses bright orange Aperol as the main spirit, paired with freshly squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white and sparkling water.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Aperol
• 1 oz Lemon Juice
• 0.5 oz Simple Syrup
• 0.5 Egg White
• Soda Water

Instructions

1. Add Aperol, lemon juice, syrup, and egg white to cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously without ice for 15 seconds to emulsify egg white making it frothy.
2. Add ice and shake until very cold, about 15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass.
3. Top glass with soda and garnish with an orange peel or dehydrated citrus wheel.

Aperol Sour

Sours are a traditional family of craft cocktails.

Sours belong to one of the old families of original cocktails and are described by Jerry Thomas in his 1862 book How to Mix Drinks.

Sours contain a base liquor, lemon or lime juice, and a sweetener. Egg whites are also typically included in sour recipes to create a frothy foam.

Our Aperol Sour recipe uses gin and Aperol as the base spirit. Fresh lemon juice and egg white are shaken in an ice-filled cocktail shaker to produce a pucker-inducing drink.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Aperol
• 0.5 oz Gin
• 0.75 oz Lemon Juice
• 0.5 oz Simple Syrup
• 1 Egg White

Instructions

1. Add the Aperol, gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white to an ice-filled cocktail shaker.
2. Shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds, until chilled and lightly frothy.
3. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and top with an orange peel.

Frozen Aperol Spritz

This is one of our favourite Aperol Cocktails to make on a hot summer day as it’s served as a slushie.

Plan in advance as the recipe requires you to freeze the ingredients in ice cube trays the night before serving.

The result is a smooth and chilly Frozen Aperol Spritz, after Aperol and orange juice ice cubes are combined in a blender with sparkling wine.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Aperol
• 1.5 cups Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
• 750 ml Prosecco

Instructions

1. Combine Aperol and orange juice in a large mixing bowl then pour into ice cube trays and freeze overnight.
2. Add Aperol and orange ice cubes into a blender with 500 ml of prosecco. Seal with a lid and blend until you achieve a slushy texture.
3. Pour the frozen cocktail into cocktail glasses and top with remaining prosecco.
4. Garnish with an orange slice and serve immediately.

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