Aperol Spritz Recipe

•Posted: May 30, 2023•Updated: Jun 28, 2026

This Aperol Spritz Recipe is a refreshing cocktail made with Aperol and prosecco, plus a splash of seltzer and fresh orange garnish! A slightly bitter, slightly sweet champagne cocktail that’s perfect for warm days. Pair it with a tapas platter or a charcuterie board for an elegant happy hour.

If you love champagne cocktails as much as we do, check out our Island Champagne Cocktail for a tropical flare, or these fun Champagne Moscow Mules!

What Is An Aperol Spritz Recipe?

An Aperol Spritz is an Italian aperitif cocktail, which means that it’s usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. Aperitif cocktails are usually dry, instead of a sweeter drink that could fill you up.

Aperol is an Italian, bitter liquor that is made from rhubarb, gentian (a flowering plant) and cinchona (a flowering plant). These main ingredients are primarily bitter, which is used to stimulate the appetite. Aperol’s bitter flavor pairs perfectly with champagne or prosecco and fresh orange flavors.

These drinks are very popular in Northern Italy but they have become wildly popular in the United States as well. The fun and bright orange color makes this drink perfect for outdoor, warm weather celebrations.

How Do You Say Aperol Spritz?

So I was as confused as the next person when we first started digging into this drink. Aperol is pronounced /AH-peh-rawl/ and Spritz is pronounced /sprits/. Honestly, I had to look this up because I didn’t want to go into my liquor store and pronounce it wrong looking like a rookie.

So now when you go to find Aperol, and I guarantee you’ll need to get a bottle after trying this refreshing cocktail recipe, you can look and talk like a pro.

Ingredients You’ll Need

There are only three ingredients in this champagne cocktail so it’s really easy to make whenever you want it!

Aperol: As we described before, Aperol is a bitter orange flavored liquor made from rhubarb, herbs and flowers. If you like Campari, Aperol is less bitter than that so you’ll definitely be a fan.
Champagne or Prosecco: Prosecco is the classic ingredient for this cocktail, so don’t blow the budget on champagne. Just make sure that you buy something you like the flavor of on its own.
Soda Water: Soda water or plain seltzer tops of this drink just to give it some more bubbles without adding to much sweetness from the prosecco.
Orange Slices: For garnish and flavor.

How To Make An Aperol Spritz

Let’s get into making this easy champagne cocktail! This drink is made in a 3-2-1 ratio. 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and 1 part soda water.

First add ice to a glass, a couple of orange slices and then the Aperol. You can lightly muddle the oranges in the glass if you like.
Next slowly pour in the prosecco so the bubbles don’t fizz over the top of the glass.
Top off with seltzer or soda water and serve!

How To Serve

Typically, an Aperol Spritz is served in a wine glass with a fresh orange garnish. Of course there are lots of variations to this recipe, some adding fresh herbs like basil or rosemary.

We like to stick with the classic version here, and then once we’ve nailed that we can spin it out into other variations. For a party, try making these drinks ahead of time by adding the Aperol and orange slices to glasses. Right before serving, top off with prosecco and seltzer, garnish and serve!

What Food Goes Well With An Aperol Spritz?

Now here is where the fun begins! You’re going to want to serve something light with these drinks, but that doesn’t mean a veggie platter.

This bitter drink recipe can stand up to hearty flavors with lots of fat. Sort of our expertise…so when we say light we just mean not a TON of food. Little bites of super flavorful appetizers will work perfectly.