Limoncello Spritz

Meet the sparkly Limoncello Spritz. Lemony, bubbly and sweet, this Italian cocktail with prosecco, Cocchi Americano and limoncello is perfectly delicious for celebrating anything.

Limoncello Spritz Cocktail recipe

Need one more New Year’s Eve drink idea? Try this Limoncello Spritz recipe, then bookmark it to make again in the summer. It’s light, bright and perfect for toasting just about anything.

With a crisp lemon flavor, bitter liqueur and bubbly prosecco, this Italian cocktail is definitely one to add to your rotation. It’s even better with homemade limoncello.

If you’re an Aperol Spritz fan, you’ll love this citrusy twist.

More lemon drink recipes: French 75 • Lemon Champagne Punch • Homemade Lemonade • Lynchburg Lemonade

Why you’ll love this recipe

You’ll love this bubbly cocktail recipe for a few reasons:

• With just three ingredients, it’s easy to put together.
• It’s a great drink for anyone who loves Spritz cocktails.
• You can easily make these for a crowd. They’re a great brunch and summer party drink!

What is a spritz?

Spritz cocktails are a type of bubbly cocktail from Italy. They are often served as an early evening cocktail throughout the Italian summers.

The spritz has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, mainly via a marketing campaign of the spirit company Aperol.

Most well-known is the Aperol Spritz, which is also known as a Venetian Spritz. It features any bitter spirit (known as an aperitivo in Italian), bubbly prosecco and club soda and is garnished with an orange slice. You can swap the bitter liqueur out with something like Campari or limoncello.

Tools & glassware

You can serve these bubbly cocktails in two types of glasses:

• champagne flutes: Classic for sparkling wine, these are gorgeous with a raspberry perched on top. I used stemless champagne flutes in these pictures.
• coupe glasses: Another type of champagne glass is the coupe glass, which is what I used in these pictures.
• wine glasses: Spritzes are often served in wine glasses, so feel free to use one with a stem or a stemless wine glass.

favorite champagne glasses

stemmed champagne flutes

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brass stemless champagne flutes

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paneled coupe glasses

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Ingredients

You only need three ingredients to make this celebratory cocktail:

• Limoncello — This is a sweet Italian lemon liqueur. Buy it or make it yourself with vodka and lemon peels. If you don’t have it, you could combine fresh lemon juice with a bit of simple syrup.
• Cocchi Americano — This slightly sweet bitter Italian liqueur works well in this sparkling cocktail. You could also use another clear bitter liqueur, such as Luxardo Bitter Bianco. Then use them to make a another Italian cocktail, the white negroni.
• Prosecco — Prosecco is from Italy, whereas champagne is French. Though prosecco is most fitting, you can use any kind of dry sparkling white wine, such as cava or champagne. Look for “dry,” “brut” or “extra brut” on the label.

My guide to sparkling wine can help you pick out a bottle and tell you more about the different types. A great budget buy is Freixenet or La Marca, which are both in the $12-15 range. They are of good quality, yet they won’t drain your wallet.

For a garnish on these limoncello spritzers, you can use a lemon twist, fresh berries or herbs like basil, thyme or rosemary sprigs.

How to make a Limoncello Spritz

Here’s how to make this lemon cocktail recipe:

First, add the limoncello and bitter liqueur to a champagne flute.

Top it off with prosecco, and garnish with a lemon wedge or lemon twist.

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips and tricks for making this recipe:

• Chill the prosecco until you’re ready to use it for the best taste and texture.
• Pour champagne last, and slowly too. As it bubbles and fizzes over the other alcohol ingredients, it’s easier to gauge how much to fill the glasses.
• Garnish with a lemon zest twist, raspberries, a mint sprig or a candied lemon slice to make the drink really shine.

What to serve with Limoncello Spritz

The Limoncello Spritz is a great drink to serve at parties.

Enjoy them with a snack like blue cheese olives, a cheese board or baked brie. Or go full on Italian with an appetizer like caprese skewers.

You can also have them with dessert, like lemon bars, raspberry lemon parfaits or lemon drop cookies.

FAQ

More prosecco cocktails

• Negroni Sbagliato
• Prosecco Popsicles
• Peach Bellini
• Orange Juice Mimosa