Limoncello Spritz

A limoncello spritz makes for easy sipping in the warm weather! This simple summer cocktail combines Prosecco, limoncello, and soda water for a refreshing twist on a spritz. Great for parties with pitcher instructions.

My first taste of limoncello was a homemade variety mailed to my college Italian professor from her cousin in Sicily. Talk about setting the bar high!

In the years since we keep a (store-bought) bottle on hand for the occasional after-dinner digestivo. But limoncello doesn't just have to be reserved for after meals -- in fact it's a nice component to a variety of cocktail recipes.

This limoncello spritz recipe follows a basic ratio for a spritz:

• 3 parts sparkling white wine
• 2 parts bittersweet liqueur
• Little bit of sparkling water

Famously spritzes are made with Aperol as the liqueur, but switching up the variety used is a great way to create new cocktails. Limoncello, with its sweet/tart flavor, makes a perfect substitution.

Simple Cocktail Ingredients

• Prosecco - Go for a brut (dry) variety of Prosecco as we don't need extra sweetness. While technically any dry sparkling white wine will do, Prosecco, which is made in designated regions of Italy, is traditional in a spritz cocktail.
• Limoncello - At this stage in my life I'm not a limoncello connoisseur (though what a goal...) so I will say pretty much any store-bought or homemade option will be just fine. Note that the alcohol content of limoncello is on the high end for a liqueur, usually between 25-30%.
• Club Soda - Use any kind of plain (unflavored) sparkling mineral water to top off the drink.

How to Make a Limoncello Spritz

This is a simple cocktail recipe in terms of both ingredients and equipment. All you need is a liquid measuring cup and a spoon.

1. Add ice to a wine glass.
2. Pour in the limoncello, Prosecco, and sparkling water and stir.
3. Garnish with lemon rounds and fresh mint.

If you're tempted to use a cocktail shaker just because, please don't! Prosecco and sparkling water are both carbonated, which will create pent up pressure in the cocktail shaker once agitated. This means the lid will likely fly off and you'll have a big mess to clean up.

Garnishes

Lemon rounds and fresh mint are my favorite limoncello spritz garnishes.

Tip: Before adding the lemon rounds to the glass, slice one side of the rind and twist a round or two over top of the drink to squeeze in a small amount of lemon juice to provide two layers of lemon flavor.

Mint adds a wonderfully complementary flavor alongside lemon to enhance the refreshing aspect of this cocktail. That said, you can also use fresh basil if you'd rather a more pungent herb garnish.

Tips and Tricks

• Chill - For the most refreshing drink, it's ideal to chill the Prosecco, limoncello, and sparkling water beforehand.
• Summer Gatherings - With its sweet/tart flavor and cooling mint garnish, a limoncello spritz is a great cocktail to serve at backyard get-togethers in the spring and summer.
• Make it a Pitcher - For ease of entertaining, this drink can be scaled up to pitcher size. Mix it up shortly before serving so the carbonated ingredients don't go flat. Use the following quantities to serve 6 (as always, adjust to taste):
  • 1 ½ cups limoncello
  • 2 ¼ cups Prosecco
  • ¾ cup sparkling/soda water

More Cocktail Recipes

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