Limoncello Spritz
This Limoncello Spritz is delightfully refreshing and is the perfect easy Italian cocktail. With a yummy limoncello liqueur, bubbly prosecco, and soda water, this is the perfect summer drink that is dry, sweet, and bursting with lemon flavor.
Limoncello always transports me back to the Amalfi coast. Sitting on a restaurant balcony overlooking the Mediterranean after a delicious meal, waiters usually offer a shot of ice-cold limoncello as an aperitif. As fresh tasting as it is, I always find it a bit too much for an after-dinner drink, which is why I wanted to create a lightened-up version to enjoy as a refreshing cocktail. I tried a few different versions of a limoncello spritz when I was in Italy last summer under the ruse of “work research,” which helped me to determine the perfect ratio of prosecco, soda water, and limoncello. Unlike other lemon-forward drinks such as a Lemon Drop, I love that limoncello doesn’t have a strong acidic taste due to the lemon flavor coming from the zest rather than the juice. I think you will find that this light, lemon spritz has the perfect balance of sweet, fresh, aromatic, and zesty flavor from the very first sip.
Why You Will Love This Limoncello Spritz
- If you enjoy citrus, you will love the bright lemon flavor of this lemon spritz
- This simple spritz can be made within minutes when you are craving a refreshing cocktail for happy hour on a sunny day
- You can find the list of simple ingredients at most local grocery stores and liquor stores.
- No matter the time of year or occasion, this simple cocktail suits Mother’s Day, the summer holidays, or just an evening drink with dinner.
- This recipe is easy to make in larger size so you can enjoy a pitcher of limoncello spritz for summer gatherings
- This Limoncello spritz cocktail is a beautiful drink and the perfect balance of sweet, floral, and citrusy for all preferences.
- When garnishing this lemon spritz get creative with your garnishes or use Champagne instead of Prosecco.
Ingredients You Will Need For This Limoncello Spritz
- Limoncello: You can pick any bottle of limoncello, but a good quality limoncello like Pallini Limoncello is an excellent option. Or if you are feeling adventurous you can make your own homemade limoncello.
- Prosecco: Prosecco is a popular dry, sparkling white wine that is fruity and floral. You can also substitute Champagne or Cava.
- Soda water: Adding a splash of soda water to this drink helps the bubbles to last longer. If you don’t have club soda, you can also use unflavored sparkling water.
- Fresh garnishes: Fresh lemon slices are a must to add to this drink’s zesty, lemony flavor, along with a sprig of fresh mint for a classic Italian cocktail. You could use lime or orange slices if you don’t have lemon, and you could use fresh basil instead of mint leaves for your own twist.
You can find a printable recipe card below with full instructions
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Large Wine Glass (a chilled glass might be even better if it’s a hot summer day).
- A tall spoon to gently stir
How To Make This Refreshing Limoncello Spritz
- Place a lemon slice in a large stem glass.
- Add a large scoop of ice cubes, and then 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts limoncello, and 1 part soda water.
- Give it a quick stir and garnish the limoncello spritz with a sprig of mint or a thin strip of lemon peel.
What is Limoncello
Limoncello is a sweet, lemon-flavored liqueur that is made in Italy. This italian lemon liqueur is mainly produced in southern Italy, especially in the regions around the Gulf of Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and Sicily. Amalfi lemons are especially renowned for being sweet, extremely clean, and full of zesty, aromatic flavor. It is often served as a great after-dinner drink to help digest your food. It is made by soaking lemon zest in vodka, and then the oils of the lemon are released into the alcohol, and sweetener is added.
What is An Aperitif?
Aperitif is a light, dry alcoholic beverage. Champagne, Vermouth, Gin, and Campari are a few examples. They are often served before a meal to stimulate the appetite and prepare the palette for your meal. In Europe, the practice of enjoying an apéritif before dinner is usually done while everyone sits and visits. Limoncello is a great aperitif to be served chilled in a shot glass or small ceramic glass or to be enjoyed on its own for a strong lemon flavor. It is also often enjoyed as a digestif and is traditionally served after a meal to aid digestion. In Italy, limoncello is often shared with family and friends after dessert.
What is Prosecco
Prosecco is a floral and fruity-flavored sparkling wine. It is commonly used in spritzes, like a classic Aperol Spritz or in a Hugo Spritz, or in this amazing Lemon Spritz recipe. Bubbly prosecco is generally more fruity and lighter in flavor, with notes of fruit pear, apple, honeysuckle, and floral flavors. A bottle of prosecco can be used interchangeably with champagne very easily, and you will get very similar results. The bubbles in champagne tend to be a bit bigger, but is still so delicious and will give you an amazing bubbly cocktail. Prosecco adds a wonderful light and refreshing taste to these limoncello spritz.
Other Drinks To Make With Limoncello
There are a lot of amazing drinks you can make with limoncello as the main ingredient. If you aren’t big on sparkling beverages like this limoncello spritz, try a few of these options for some delicious limoncello cocktails:
- A classic gin cocktail consists of limoncello, gin, and fresh lemon juice for a delicious Amalfi Martini.
- For an easy cocktail, try a Limoncello Sunrise Cocktail. Mix limoncello, orange juice, and a splash of grenadine for a finishing touch.
- A great recipe is a Limoncello Lemon Drop Martini, which is limoncello, vodka, and simple syrup for a sweet flavor. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a slice of lemon for more zest.
- If you are a bourbon lover, you can make a Bourbon Limoncello Cocktail with limoncello, lemon juice, bourbon or rye, peach preserves, honey, a few dashes of orange bitters, with a lemon wheel and a fresh mint sprig on top.
- Moscow mule lovers rejoice for any time of the year…mix the limoncello liqueur with fresh lime juice, vodka, and ginger beer with a slice of lemon topped on ice.
- For a Limoncello Mojito, combine fresh mint sprigs with limoncello, white rum, soda water, sugar, and one lemon wedge. Use a cocktail shaker and enjoy!!
Here are a few more drinks that you might enjoy:
If you make this Lemon Spritz let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Limoncello Spritz
Ingredients
- 2 ounces limoncello
- 3 ounces prosecco
- 1 ounce soda water
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 1 sprig mint
- Ice
Instructions
- Place a lemon slice in a stem glass. Add a large scoop of ice and then add in the prosecco, limoncello and soda water. Stir and garnish with a sprig of mint
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