The Aperol Spritz recipe
for your table
Fill a large wine or spritz glass generously with ice cubes.
Pour in the prosecco first, so the Aperol doesn't remain at the bottom.
Add the Aperol and top up with a splash of soda water.
Stir gently once and garnish with half an orange slice.
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The Aperol Spritz recipe in brief
Once you know the Aperol Spritz recipe, you never forget it: 3-2-1. Three parts prosecco (9 cl), two parts Aperol (6 cl) and one part soda water (3 cl), poured over a glass full of ice. Pour in exactly that order, first the prosecco, then the Aperol, and the colors will blend on their own into that characteristic sunset orange. Garnish with half an orange slice and you're done.
The difference between a mediocre and a perfect spritz comes down to three details. Use a brut or extra dry prosecco, never a sweet one; Aperol already provides enough sugar. Make sure everything is ice-cold before pouring, because lukewarm prosecco makes the ice melt and dilutes the drink within minutes. And be generous with ice cubes: a half-full glass melts faster than a full glass.
This Aperol Spritz recipe is deliberately written for one person, but with the people selector above, you can easily scale it for the whole table. If you're making it for a group, never mix it in a pitcher beforehand. Pour it per glass so the bubbles stay lively. The right glass to go with it? A spritz glass or large balloon glass of around 49 cl, such as the sets in our Aperol Spritz glasses collection.
The story
The spritz dates back to the time when Austrian soldiers in the Veneto found the local wine too strong and asked for a 'Spritzer' of water to be added. The Venetians created their own version with bitter liqueur and bubbles. Aperol, launched in 1919 by the Barbieri brothers in Padua, became the defining flavor of that tradition after World War II. Its global breakthrough came after 2003, when Campari acquired the brand and transformed the Spritz into a summer lifestyle. By now, the drink has also become a fixture in the Netherlands: the spritz category continues to grow every year, all year round.
The right glass
A spritz belongs in a large, rounded stemmed glass: plenty of room for ice, bubbles, and that radiant orange color. A special spritz glass of around 49 cl is ideal, but a generous balloon glass works just as well. The stem keeps your hand away from the ice, so the drink stays cold longer. In our Aperol Spritz category, we have already gathered the best glasses. A large stemmed wine glass does exactly the same job; for that, see our wine glasses.
RCR Timeless Spritz Glass 49 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Alkemist Gin Tonic Glass 58 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 89,90.
The right tools
For an Aperol Spritz, besides the glass, use a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, and large ice cubes. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Large cubes melt slowly, so your drink gets less diluted
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 82,80.
Variations & twists
Replace the Aperol with Campari for a bitter, bright-red spritz, or with Limoncello for the lemon-sweet summer version. Select and Cynar add Venetian depth for more experienced drinkers. With 0.0% bitter aperitifs and alcohol-free sparkling wine, everyone at the table can join in. Same glass, same sunshine. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Remember 3-2-1: three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda. Pour in this order and your spritz will automatically have the perfect color gradient. Serve with a bowl of chips or olives; aperitivo is a complete ritual.
Good to know
The 3-2-1 ratio explained
Three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda: that's 9, 6, and 3 cl. That ratio is no coincidence. The prosecco provides volume and bubbles, the Aperol bitterness and color, and the soda dilutes it just enough to cut through the sweetness of the liqueur. If you change it to equal parts prosecco and Aperol, it becomes heavy and syrupy. Leave out the soda, and it lacks length. Want it less sweet? Increase the prosecco to four parts before adjusting the Aperol.
Prosecco or cava: which should you choose?
Prosecco is the official choice, and for good reason: the glera grape gives pear and floral notes that pair well with Aperol's orange bitterness. Cava is drier and more bread-like because of its bottle fermentation, which makes the spritz crisper but also less fruity. Both work, as long as you choose a brut or extra dry bottle. Avoid a sweet or demi-sec sparkling wine, because then the sugar piles up on the liqueur. More importantly, the bottle must be ice-cold; otherwise the ice melts too quickly and the drink is watered down within five minutes.
Alcohol percentage and calories
In the glass, you end up with about 10 to 11 percent alcohol. Aperol itself is 11 percent and prosecco around 11.5, so the spritz is no stronger than a glass of wine, just larger. In terms of calories, it comes to roughly 170 to 190 per glass, most of which come from the Aperol: it contains about 25 grams of sugar per 100 ml. Want fewer? Increase the soda to 5 cl and reduce the Aperol to 4.5 cl. You lose some color, but the flavor remains recognizable.
A pitcher of Aperol Spritz for eight guests
For eight glasses, count on a 75 cl bottle of prosecco, about 50 cl of Aperol and 25 cl of soda. Never mix everything in advance in a pitcher, because the fizz will be gone before the first guest pours a glass. What does work: chill the bottles thoroughly, fill a large bowl with ice, slice the orange in advance and have a 3 cl measuring cup ready. Guests can then pour their own drinks, and the proportions remain visible. If you still want to batch it, mix only the Aperol with the soda and add the bubbles to each glass.
What is Aperol Spritz, really?
What is Aperol Spritz? An aperitif made with bitter liqueur, bubbles and a splash of soda water, poured over a glass full of ice. The name spritz comes from the German spritzen, meaning to spray, referring to the custom of diluting wine with water. How do you make Aperol Spritz if you don't have a jigger at home? Measure by parts with a small glass: three measures of bubbles, two measures of liqueur, one measure of soda. As long as the proportions are right, the drink will be right, whether you use an espresso cup or a measuring cup.
Adjusting the Aperol Spritz ratio
You remember the Aperol Spritz ratio as 3-2-1, and it also holds in a larger glass: scale all three parts up proportionally, otherwise the flavor shifts. If you want to maintain the Aperol Spritz ratio precisely, a jigger is more useful than pouring by eye, because it is easy to overpour a colored liqueur. Adjust the Aperol ratio only if you are deliberately looking for something different. More liqueur makes the drink syrupy, more bubbles make it drier and longer, and less ice is what you notice fastest of all.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make an Aperol Spritz?
Fill a large wine or spritz glass generously with ice, pour in 9 cl prosecco first, then add 6 cl Aperol and top up with 3 cl soda water. Stir gently once and garnish with half an orange slice. That order naturally creates the right color gradient.
What is the difference between Aperol and Aperol Spritz?
Aperol is the bitter liqueur itself; Aperol Spritz is the cocktail you make with it. You rarely drink Aperol neat; in the spritz, it is diluted with prosecco and soda water into a light aperitif of around 10 percent. In short: one is a bottle, the other is a glass.
Is Aperol made with cava or prosecco?
Prosecco is the classic and official choice. Cava works perfectly well as an alternative, provided you choose a dry (brut) bottle, because sweet sparkling wine quickly makes the spritz too sweet. More important than its origin is that the bottle is ice-cold before you pour.
What is the perfect Aperol Spritz?
The perfect Aperol Spritz follows 3-2-1: three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda, over plenty of ice. Pour in that order, stir just once and garnish with orange. Serve in a stemmed glass of approximately 49 cl, see our Aperol Spritz glasses.
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