Kick off your next happy hour with a round of these gorgeous Bourbon Aperol Cocktails!
Changing seasons mean shaking up our cocktail routine. Out goes the gin and tonic and in come the old fashioned.
But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your favorite summer flavors entirely. Just add a seasonal twist to them like we did with these super-sippable Bourbon Aperol Cocktails!
The bourbon lends a bit of heft to what would otherwise be a lighter cocktail made from tangy Aperol, bubby Prosecco and a splash of simple syrup – a perfect meld of flavors to match the change in the seasons.
You’ll definitely find these Bourbon Aperol Cocktails making an appearance at our Thanksgiving Day feast. They will pair perfectly with our pre-meal grazing, including munchies like these mini Cranberry Cheddar Cheese Balls.
Signature cocktail? Done.
But why limit these beauties to just special occasions? I’d definitely whip up a batch of these for friends and family coming over to watch the big game. Or even as a tasty twist on an eye-catching orange Halloween cocktail.
Are you an Aperol newbie? Let’s get you caught up to speed:
What is Aperol?
Aperol is an bright orange-hued Italian aperitif. Its low alcohol content (11%) makes it the perfect sipper to help stimulate the appetite before a meal.
Most people don’t drink Aperol straight up because of its unique flavor (think slightly sour orange, tart rhubarb and a bit of herbs all mixed together).
Instead Aperol is mostly used in combination with other wines and/or spirits in cocktails so you get just a hint of the mandarin flavor in harmony with other ingredients.
So what other cocktails can I make with Aperol?
The most popular cocktail to make with Aperol is an Aperol Spritz. This drink has only three ingredients – Prosecco, Aperol and a hint of sparkling water.
But Aperol’s low alcohol content also makes it a good mixer with gin, too, like in our popular Aperol Gin Cocktail.
Aperol also plays nicely with tequila. Our Grapefruit Aperol Cocktails are a tasty twist on a crowd-pleasing margarita recipe.
Do I need a special type of bourbon for this Aperol cocktail recipe?
Not at all! I used a “fruitier” bourbon (Four Roses) for this Bourbon Aperol Cocktail to complement the orange wedge and orange twist, but feel free to use your favorite bourbon/whiskey brand.
How do you make the fancy orange twist for this cocktail?
I actually had to google this one a few times before I found a method I like, but this one seems to work the most consistently:
- Cut a thin slice of orange.
- Carve out the interior fruit, leaving the rind and a bit of the pith intact.
- Make a small cut in the rind so it is no longer a circle and you have one long piece of rind. At this point you can trim the size of the rind to make a smaller twist or leave it long for a larger twist.
- Tightly twirl the rind around your finger, a pen or even a chopstick and hold together for a few seconds to help the rind retain its shape.
If you find your twist isn’t staying in a curled shape, try cutting off a bit more pith to make the rind more malleable.
Not into fancy garnishes? No worries. You can just add a wedge of orange to each cocktail and call it good.
Jump start your next happy hour with a splash of color and a round of these eye-catching Bourbon Aperol Cocktails. This is one signature cocktail that never fails to impress.
Pin these Bourbon Aperol Cocktails for later!
Bourbon Aperol Cocktails
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
- 1 ounce Aperol
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- orange wedge
- 3 ounces Prosecco
Instructions
- Place bourbon, Aperol and simple syrup in a lowball glass filled with ice. Squeeze and drop orange wedge into glass. Top with Prosecco. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with orange twist, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Adapted from Southern Living
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 331 Total Fat: 0g Saturated Fat: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 7mg Carbohydrates: 36g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 29g Protein: 1g
Why do so many cocktails include simple syrup. I find it annoying to have to add sugar to things in general.
Simple syrup is added to many cocktails to balance the flavours- sweeten it up a bit. Having to stir the cocktail to dissolve the sugar can be time consuming during high peak business hours. Therefore making a simple syrup (equal parts hot water and sugar) to add to cocktails is a time saver. You can also experiment with making simple syrups to add a little more depth and character to classic cocktails.
I like to make a Demerara (brown sugar) syrup and use it in my old fashions along with a gentle mist of lagavulin scotch 🙂