Amaretto Sour Cocktail Recipe

WRITTEN BY: SCOTT VAN DORT

The Amaretto Sour is a popular sour cocktail that combines sweet, sour, and nutty flavors. 

Its rich Marzipan-like taste comes from the Almond Liqueur, which blends incredibly well with tart Lemon Juice and the sweetness of Simple Syrup. Then there’s its frothy head and velvety texture, courtesy of Egg White or Aquafaba, which works as an Egg White substitute), resulting in one extremely smooth and decadent after-dinner cocktail.

The Amaretto Sour really took off in the 80s and, to be honest, it still carries that retro vibe today. Often enjoyed as a digestif, the Amaretto Sour is easy to make and distinctly delicious.

How To Make an Amaretto Sour

Imagine a sweet and sticky Fruit Cake topped with a generous layer of Marzipan Icing. That’s an Amaretto Sour. 

What You’ll Need

• Jigger or Measuring Instrument 
• Boston Shaker
• Rocks Glass
• Citrus Elbow
• Hawthorne Strainer
• Paring Knife

How to Mix

1. Fill a Boston Shaker with Ice Cubes.
2. Cut a Lemon in half and use a Citrus Elbow to extract the juice. 
3. Using a Jigger, measure and pour the Lemon Juice into the smaller tin of the Shaker.
4. Measure and pour in Egg White (or Aquafaba).
5. Measure and pour in Simple Syrup.
6. Measure and pour in Amaretto.
7. Shake vigorously until chilled.
8. Separate the Boston Shaker and place a Hawthorne Strainer over the larger tin and pour the mixture directly into a Rocks Glass.
9. Use a knife to cut one Orange Wheel from a fresh Orange, then place it into the Glass together with one Maraschino Cherry for garnish.
10. Sip and enjoy!

Got a question about Simple Syrup? Learn how to make Simple Syrup.

The History of the Amaretto Sour 

As with so many cocktails, the history of the Amaretto Sour is unclear. It’s believed the cocktail first appeared in the U.S. in the 1970s. However, others believe that since Amaretto is an Italian liqueur, the drink actually dates back to early 1900s Italy.

One thing is certain: since gaining popularity in the 1980s, the Amaretto Sour has become a beloved cocktail and a staple at bars around the globe.

Tips for Making the Perfect Amaretto Sour

• Adjust the sourness and sweetness to your liking
  The Amaretto Sour leans towards the sweeter side of the cocktail spectrum, but it’s also a drink that’s easy to customize to your taste.

  Personally, I like my Amaretto Sour to have a bit more tartness to balance out the sweetness of the Amaretto and Simple Syrup. I use one and a half parts Lemon Juice instead of just one part.

  You could also reduce the amount of Simple Syrup. It all depends on how sweet or sour you like your drink.

• Wet shake then dry shake
  When making Sours, Rico recommends doing what’s known as a ‘reverse dry shake’. This technique involves first doing a ‘wet shake’ by shaking the cocktail ingredients with Ice, then straining out the Ice and shaking again without it.

  This is particularly effective for drinks with Egg Whites or Aquafaba, creating a wonderfully frothy, velvety texture.

  By doing a wet shake followed by a dry shake, you also eliminate the need to fine-strain since you’ve already removed all the Ice.

Variations of an Amaretto Sour

Amaretto Sour with Bourbon
This popular variation adds Whiskey to the traditional recipe, creating a bold and complex cocktail. You could say it’s a cross between an Amaretto Sour and a Whiskey Sour.

The smooth, Marzipan-like sweetness is perfectly complemented by the rich, smoky notes of Bourbon. The addition of Whiskey introduces a robust depth, balancing the tartness of the Lemon Juice and enhancing the overall complexity of the drink.

Serving and Garnish Ideas for an Amaretto Sour

Like all other Sours, we recommend serving the Amaretto Sour in a Rocks Glass filled with Ice. 

While in this recipe, we garnish the drink with an Orange Wheel and a Maraschino Cherry, you could use a Lemon Wheel or Lemon Zest Twist instead. 

Others like to garnish with a couple of dashes of Angostura Bitters together with a Lemon Wheel. Lemon is a very popular garnish for Sours, including the Amaretto Sour.

The choice is yours!