12 Easy Aperol Cocktails You Can Make With Just 1 Bottle of the Italian Liqueur There’s so much more to bittersweet, citrusy Aperol than the simple spritz we know and love. By Oset Babür-Winter Oset Babür-Winter Title: Senior Drinks Editor, Food & WineLocation: New York CityExperience: Oset Babür-Winter has completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust's (WSET) Level 3 Award in wines and was previously the magazine's associate culture editor, where she edited Obsessions. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 19, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen If you ask us, the best classic cocktails are the simplest to make, calling for three ingredients or less, minimal garnishing, and glassware we’re likely to already have on hand. The Aperol Spritz, with its ubiquitous combination of Prosecco, club soda, and, of course, Aperol, is a perfect example — but that doesn’t mean we don’t find ourselves getting creative. Whether we’re adding an egg white for a bit of froth to make an Aperol Fizz like the one at New York City’s Italian hotspot Jupiter, using apple cider for an autumnal version of the classic spritz, or pairing Aperol with everything from mezcal to pisco, these are our favorite cocktails for showing off the versatility of this bittersweet, citrusy Italian aperitivo. Love these recipes? Join MyRecipes — your personal home for recipes — to easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place. 01 of 12 Aperol Spritz Matt Taylor-Gross / Food styling by Lucy Simon This classic, simple spritz is the most iconic use for Aperol. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 12 Apple-rol Spritz Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Who says spritzes aren’t for fall? Swapping out the Prosecco for sparkling hard apple cider transitions Aperol into colder weather. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 12 Frozen Aperol Spritzes Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall A frozen variation on the classic Aperol Spritz, this recipe dials up the citrus by blending in orange liqueur. It’s streamlined for a standard home blender — just be sure to freeze your Aperol mixture overnight for the best results. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 12 Milady’s Spritz Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon This spritz variation from Julie Reiner, co-owner of reborn New York City dive bar Milady’s, adds amaro into the mix for a more complex, herbaceous complement to relatively sweet Aperol. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 12 The Pink Elephant Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This ruby-hued tropical cocktail is a vibrant blend of blanco tequila and chile-infused Aperol. Orgeat syrup and Cherry Heering bring nutty, complex sweetness, brightened by fresh lemon, passion fruit, and pineapple juices. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 12 Il Fiorito Courtesy of Grand Hotel Tremezzo No need to choose between the bittersweet citrus of an Aperol Spritz and the herbaceous elderflower of a Hugo Spritz. This sunny crossover has it all, yielding a refined, layered drink that evolves beautifully on the palate. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 12 Aperol Fizz Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon The Aperol Fizz is a cross between the iconic summertime spritz and an egg cream, with a little bite and structure thanks to navy-strength gin and dry vermouth. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 12 Dream Catcher Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray-Streett / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Think of Shannon Tebay’s Dream Catcher as a summery, bright reimagining of a Negroni. It trades gin for pisco, sweet vermouth for a floral blanc, and Campari for Aperol. The finishing touch? Fresh, sweet strawberries instead of the usual orange wheel. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 12 Paper Plane Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Annie Probst and Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling by Lexi Juhl The bourbon-based Paper Plane has just enough sweetness to counteract its bitter and sour notes, and its signature orange hue comes from Aperol. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 12 Division Bell Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Annie Probst and Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali A contemporary riff on the Last Word, the Division Bell uses mezcal as the backbone for a balanced, approachable cocktail, trading Aperol for the usual Green Chartreuse. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 12 Naked & Famous Tim Nusog / Food & Wine The hybrid of a Last Word and a Paper Plane, this smoky, bittersweet cocktail is made with equal parts mezcal, Aperol, freshly squeezed lime juice, and Yellow Chartreuse for herbaceous complexity. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 12 Eclipse Cocktail Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall The Eclipse is an earthy, bittersweet cocktail built on a base of añejo tequila, Aperol, and Cherry Heering, brightened with lemon juice and crowned with a smoky mezcal float. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Drinks Cocktails Was this page helpful? 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