Amaretto Sour

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The Amaretto Sour is delicious, refreshing, and definitely worth a revisit. It’s a little sweet, a little sour, and a little fizzy if you add a splash of soda.

An amaretto sour cocktail in a clear glass.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled amaretto sour ingredients.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Amaretto: A sweet Italian liqueur that tastes like almonds (aka maraschino cherries). Some popular brands include Disaronno, Lazzaroni, Luxardo, DeKuyper, and Bols.
  • Simple syrup: Use store-bought or combine equal parts granulated sugar and water (i.e., 1 cup sugar plus 1 cup water) in a small saucepan. Cook gently over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool completely.
  • Lemon-lime soda: Optional but recommended, especially if you love fizzy drinks. 7UP or Sprite are good choices, and diet sodas work too.
  • Cherries: Dark and rich cocktail cherries, such as Luxardo brand, can be substituted for the maraschino cherries.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add amaretto, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Cover and shake vigorously until chilled, about 30 seconds.
Amaretto sour ingredients being added to a martini shaker.
  1. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
Amaretto sour being poured into a glass.
  1. Top with soda, if using, and garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
Lemon-lime soda being poured over an amaretto sour.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
  • Big batch: To make a batch of 12 cocktails, in a large pitcher filled with ice, stir together 18 ounces (2 ¼ cups) amaretto, 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) simple syrup, and 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) fresh lemon juice. Have ice, glassware, soda, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
  • No cocktail shaker: Find your biggest, sturdiest glass and fill it with ice. Add the drink ingredients, then stir with a long spoon to get it all mixed and chilled. Strain through a small mesh strainer or use a slotted spoon to keep the ice in the shaker as you pour the cocktail.
  • Egg whites: Some versions of the drink include an egg white for silky body and foamy frothiness. If you want to try this, first give the ingredients a “dry shake” (without ice) to emulsify them. Then, add ice to the shaker and give everything a second shake to chill the cocktail.
  • Amaretto Sour, up: After shaking, strain the cocktail into a chilled “up” glass or coupe. Garnish and drink.
  • Whiskey Sour: A similar cocktail made with whiskey instead of Amaretto.
An amaretto sour cocktail in a clear glass.

Party snacks for munching

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An amaretto sour cocktail in a clear glass.

Amaretto Sour

The Amaretto Sour is delicious, refreshing, and definitely worth a revisit. It's a little sweet, a little sour, and a little fizzy if you add a splash of soda.
Author: Meggan Hill
5 from 5 votes
Cook Time 3 mins
Total Time 3 mins
Servings 1 cocktail
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Calories 213

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 ounces amaretto liqueur (3 tbsp, see note 1)
  • 1 ounce fresh lemon juice (2 tbsp)
  • 1 ounce simple syrup (2 tbsp, see note 2)
  • Lemon-lime soda optional (see note 3)
  • Orange slice for garnish
  • Maraschino cherry for garnish (see note 4)

Instructions 

  • In a martini shaker filled with ice, add amaretto, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake until chilled, about 30 seconds.
  • Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with soda if desired. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.

Notes

  1. Amaretto: A sweet Italian liqueur that tastes like almonds (aka maraschino cherries). Some popular brands include Disaronno, Lazzaroni, Luxardo, DeKuyper, and Bols.
  2. Simple syrup: Use store-bought or combine equal parts granulated sugar and water (i.e., 1 cup sugar plus 1 cup water) in a small saucepan. Cook gently over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool completely.
  3. Lemon-lime soda: Optional but recommended, especially if you love fizzy drinks. 7UP or Sprite are good choices, and diet sodas work too.
  4. Cherries: Dark and rich cocktail cherries, such as Luxardo brand, can be substituted for the maraschino cherries.
  5. Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
  6. Big batch: To make a batch of 12 cocktails, in a large pitcher filled with ice, stir together 18 ounces (2 ¼ cups) amaretto, 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) simple syrup, and 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) fresh lemon juice. Have ice, glassware, soda, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
  7. No cocktail shaker: Find your biggest, sturdiest glass and fill it with ice. Add the drink ingredients, then stir with a long spoon to get it all mixed and chilled. Strain through a small mesh strainer or use a slotted spoon to keep the ice in the shaker as you pour the cocktail.
  8. Egg whites: Some versions of the drink include an egg white for silky body and foamy frothiness. If you want to try this, first give the ingredients a “dry shake” (without ice) to emulsify them. Then, add ice to the shaker and give everything a second shake to chill the cocktail.
  9. Amaretto Sour, up: After shaking, strain the cocktail into a chilled “up” glass or coupe. Garnish and drink.
  10. Whiskey Sour: A similar cocktail made with whiskey instead of Amaretto.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 213kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 20mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. Yes! Thank you for sharing! Definitely no egg whites! But I like mine with the addition of bourbon, oj and lime juice, instead of lemon lime soda! And lots of fruit garnish, of course! Colleen