Sweetheart

The Sweetheart is a modern cocktail, shaken with equal parts Italian orange aperitivo liqueur, vodka, and cranberry juice, followed by a splash of limoncello and lemon juice. Served in a rocks glass with ice cubes and garnished with a few fresh cranberries, and you’ve got one incredible summer cocktail.

You get the zesty, slightly herbal notes from the Italian bitter orange liqueur, perfectly paired with the sweet-tart cranberry juice. The splash of limoncello and fresh lemon juice adds acidity and brightness, along with a touch of sweetness from the limoncello. Vodka smooths it all out, making this a delicious summer cocktail that’s fruity, tart, and sweet.

With numerous cocktails sharing the name Sweetheart, pinpointing this particular cocktail’s history or origin is quite challenging. However, there’s little doubt that the recipe of the Sweetheart you see here is a modern creation. In the 2010s, bartenders started combining Italian bitter orange liqueur with vodka, and therefore, it’s very likely the Sweetheart emerged around then.

• Squeeze Fresh Lemon Juice
  If you’ve checked out any of our drink recipes, you know we always encourage using fresh juice. Even though the lemon juice amount is minimal in this cocktail, we highly recommend squeezing your own lemon to capture the perfect sourness and acidity.

  To make your life easier, use a citrus press or a citrus elbow and you’ll have fresh lemon juice in just seconds.

• Store-Bought Cranberry Juice
  For cranberry-based drinks, there’s an exception to the fresh juice rule. Raw cranberries are extremely tart, making it tricky to get the right balance. Store-bought cranberry juice is pre-sweetened, making it much more palatable and consistent. Trust us on this one!
• Chill Your Glassware
  The Sweetheart is a summer drink, so to keep it perfectly chilled from first sip to last, we recommend putting your glassware in the freezer for 30 minutes.

• Make it spritz-style
  With Italian orange bitter liqueur one of its three core ingredients, the Sweetheart lends itself naturally as a spritz. Switch glass type from a rocks glass to a wine glass or even a highball glass, follow the recipe on this page, then simply top up your glass with sparking wine and add a splash of club soda. We recommend prosecco to keep the Italian influence in tact.
• Cranberry Spritz
  Continuing with the spritz theme, omit the vodka, as is traditional in a spritz. Instead, mix equal parts Italian bitter orange liqueur and cranberry juice, then top with prosecco and club soda for a delightful cranberry spritz.
• Spritz Veneziano
  A classic Italian spritz consists of Italian bitter orange liqueur, prosecco and soda water. and cranberry juice. It’s one of the most popular summer drinks for good reason. Check out the recipe for a Spritz Veneziano.

• While a highball glass could showcase the drink’s vibrant red hues, we recommend serving the Sweetheart in a rocks glass. It’s ideal for letting the cranberries sit atop the ice cubes without sinking or getting lost.
• Instead of simply placing the cranberries on the ice, you could skewer them and set the skewer in your glass.
• If you’d prefer to accentuate the lemon juice and limoncello, add a lemon twist instead of cranberries.
• Alternatively, an orange slice perched on the rim complements the Italian orange bitter liqueur and adds a nice visual touch.

Our Sweetheart cocktail recipe consists of Italian orange aperitivo liqueur, vodka, and cranberry juice, together with a splash of limoncello and lemon juice.

It certainly does. Vodka adds a backbone and smoothness that complements the orange flavors and bitterness of the Italian bitter orange liqueur.

Limoncello is a well-loved Italian lemon liqueur known for its sweet and tangy flavor. It’s traditionally crafted by soaking lemon peels (zest) in a high-proof neutral spirit, such as vodka, and then sweetening the mixture with simple syrup. It’s often enjoyed ice-cold, straight from the freezer, served as an after-dinner drink.