There's a new brunch cocktail in town: the Rosemary Aperol Spritz. It's light, bubbly, and fruity, making it the perfect pre-meal appetizer.
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the ultimate brunch cocktail
The mimosa's reign as the ultimate brunch drink has come to an end. It's time we start appreciating the Aperol Spritz for the INCREDIBLE cocktail that it is—and also tell the truth: they blow mimosas out of the water! I will NOT get behind the New York Times calling it "not a good drink."
If you've never had an one, let me tell you how amazing a Rosemary Aperol Spritz is. It's light. It's bubbly. And it's also a little fruity. The drink is especially popular in Europe and it's perfect for happy hour, brunch, you name it. All you need is a little champagne or Prosecco, aperol liquor, club soda, and some orange slices and rosemary for garnish. So easy!
Here's a little bartending hack: freeze Prosecco (yes, I didn't know you could freeze it, either) in a mold and use the cubes as your ice. They'll keep your drink cold without watering it down. 😉
I highly recommend you serve this Rosemary Aperol Spritz next time you're hosting brunch—or any meal, honestly—with your friends. It's a wonderful "appetizer"!
Rosemary Aperol Spritz Ingredients
Champagne: You could also use Prosecco.
Aperol Liquor: Did you know that Aperol is meant to be sipped before a meal? So European. But if you don't have any, try this Limoncello Spritz instead!
Club Soda: I recommend an orange flavored club soda, but you could use plain or another flavor.
Oranges: We'll slice one up for garnish.
Rosemary: This is also optional for garnish. But I highly recommend it!
Tools to make your Rosemary Aperol Spritz
To make a Rosemary Aperol Spritz cocktail, you will need a stemmed cocktail glass, jigger (used to measure ounces of alcohol), cocktail stirrer, cutting board, and a knife. You may also want to use these optional ice molds.
How to Make This Cocktail
- Firstly, pop open that bubbly! If you are going to make prosecco ice cubes, they need about 4-6 hours of chilling. So pour it into your molds and get it in the freezer.
- Next, pick your glassware of choice. I love these stemmed wine glass or something circular. Then, add ice or frozen prosecco cubes.
- Pour in Aperol.
- Then, pour in prosecco.
- Top your drink with sparkling water or club soda.
- Give it a nice stir.
- Lastly, garnish with 2-3 orange slices and rosemary or thyme for extra ~aesthetic~.
- PLEASE enjoy responsibly!
Rosemary Aperol Spritz FAQ
What is an aperol spritz?
An aperol spritz is considered an aperitivo, which means a ‘pre-dinner drink’. Kind of like an appetizer but in liquid form. Think happy hour, European style. But of course, enjoy whenever you’d like because this drink is absolutely delicious all times of day.
Any tips for success?
Oh yes! Freezing Prosecco into ice cube molds is an ingenious hack. Your drink doesn’t get watered down and still keeps your drink chilled. Yes, I didn’t know you could freeze prosecco either, but it does work!
How much alcohol is in this drink?
This is a lighter drink as aperol is only 11% alcohol by volume and prosecco is closer to 12%, depending on the brand. These ingredients diluted down with the club soda keep the booze level relatively low, which again is a great reason to have as a pre-dinner drink!
What kind of champange or Prosecco should I use?
Either or is fine and any brand will do, so choose your favorite. I highly suggest using a DRY variety, however, as the prosecco does have some sweetness to it and you want to avoid an overly sugary taste with this drink.
Where can I find orange flavored club soda?
Most grocery stores will have some form of a flavored sparkling beverage. San Pelligrino, La Croix, Bubbly, Perrier, Spindrift, etc. all have their version of an orange club soda. That said, unflavored is also perfectly fine.
Other cocktails you might love
Spicy Orange and Jalapeno Margarita
How to Make An Easy Italian Margarita at Home
Rosemary Aperol Spritz Recipe
Equipment
- Stemmed cocktail glass
- Jigger
- Cocktail stirrer
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Ice molds (optional)
Ingredients
- 10 oz prosecco or champagne
- 2 oz aperol liquor
- 2 - 4 oz club soda, orange flavored or plain
- 2 slices fresh oranges, for garnish
- rosemary, for garnish
Instructions
- Firstly, pop open that bubbly! If you are going to make prosecco ice cubes, they need about 4-6 hours of chilling. So pour it into your molds and get it in the freezer.
- Next, pick your glassware of choice. I love these stemmed wine glass or something circular. Then, add ice or frozen prosecco cubes.
- Pour in Aperol.
- Then, pour in prosecco.
- Top your drink with sparkling water or club soda.
- Give it a nice stir.
- Lastly, garnish with 2-3 orange slices and rosemary or thyme for extra ~aesthetic~.
- PLEASE enjoy responsibly!
Notes
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved, something that you think it might need, or just say hi!
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Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find Aperol Spritz
1 serving: 10 grams Carbs | 0 grams Fat | 0 grams Protein
**Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
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Molly says
My sister and I made this drink and it was delicious! We did not try the Prosecco ice cubes though, so I will definitely be trying that next time I make this drink!!