Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

The best spritz cocktail recipes to drink this spring

Spring is the perfect time to mix it up with spritz cocktails. Let us show you how to make some tasty ones

By
Two glasses of Rose cocktails with blueberry garnish on crocheted cloth on a metal tray
GMVozd / Getty Images

The spritz is liquid springtime, using the power of sparkling wine and the floral nature of this time of year. The classic involves prosecco and Aperol, but that’s merely one of countless permutations to make and enjoy this iconic sipper. Think of it as a fizzy cooler, a drinkable bouquet cut to your liking based on your favorite accents, aromatics, and mixers.

While we advise you to go with the Italian classic and use the famous bitter apéritif at least some of the time, we also want you to be curious and inventive. Like the Old Fashioned or a classic Negroni, the spritz is so much more than one thing, and it’s very much worth plunging into and fully exploring. And there’s no better time to do so than the thawing, rejuvenating, increasingly thirsty days of spring.

Recommended Videos

Whether you mix one with bubbly water, Prosecco, Cava, your favorite champagne, or something else entirely, here are some spritz cocktail recipes to make and enjoy this spring.

Related

Rooftop rosé spritz

A glass of rooftop rosé spritz garnished with thyme on a table
Image used with permission by copyright holder

New York City’s Refinery Rooftop features a glass roof so that you can enjoy the view no matter the season. This spritz, created by In Good Company Hospitality’s cocktail curator, Will Benedetto, is especially perfect for enjoying during the warmer months.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces The Botanist gin
  • 3/4 ounce grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 ounce thyme simple syrup*
  • 1/4 ounce lemon juice
  • 1 piece lemon peel
  • Wölffer Rosé Cider to top

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake vigorously.
  2. Strain and pour into a glass over ice and top with Wolffer Rosé Cider.
  3. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.

*Thyme simple syrup: Combine 1 cup sugar, 5 large thyme sprigs, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and strain.

Cancion del Verano

A glass of Cancion del Verano garnished with grapefruit beside ice cubes, grapefruit wedges, leaves, and a handle of a knife on wooden cutting board
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This citrusy spritz from one of our favorite Spanish restaurants, Boqueria, mixes mint and grapefruit with vermouth and bubbly for a light, balanced libation. Dial in the volume of your Cava pour, as too much or too little can throw the whole thing off.

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces Ya Cava
  • 1 1/2 ounces Atxa white vermouth
  • 3/4 ounce grapefruit mint cooler mix*
  • 2 heavy dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
  • Grapefruit wedge to garnish

Method

  1. Add all ingredients, save for the garnish, to a wine glass filled with ice.
  2. Stir briefly and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

*Grapefruit mint cooler mix: Muddle 7 large mint leaves in 3/4 ounce simple syrup. Add 3 ounces of fresh grapefruit juice and 3/4 ounces of fresh lemon juice and stir to combine.

Greenmarket spritz

A woman holds a glass of Greenmarket Spritz containing cucumber slices and thyme sprig over vegetables
Image used with permission by copyright holder

New York’s Bocce teamed up with spritz master Stacey Swenson from Dante at Genuine to create this herb-packed libation, perfect for mild days and cool evenings. Pro tip: Infuse the tequila early so it’s ready when the happy hour bell is ringing.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce herb-infused Espolon Blanco tequila*
  • 1/2 ounce Carpano Dry vermouth
  • 1 ounce fresh cucumber juice
  • 1/4 ounce agave syrup
  • 1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1 dash Bitter Truth Celery Bitters
  • 1 dash saline
  • Cucumber strips to garnish

Method

  1. Add all ingredients, save for the garnish, to a wine glass filled with ice.
  2. Stir briefly and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

*Herb-infused tequila: Combine a bottle of Espolon Blanco tequila with 1 tablespoon ground oregano, 2 rosemary sprigs, and 2 thyme sprigs. Let macerate for 24 hours at room temperature. Strain and discard the herbs. Store the herb-infused tequila in the fridge until ready to use.

Almond and peach spritz

A male bartender standing behind a bar counter with a glass of Almond and Peach Spritz with mint sprig garnish
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Equal parts nutty, fruity, and delicious, this drink from Gary Wallach has us thinking of warm brunch patios. It’s an al fresco sipper that’s not too heavy, so you can keep ahold of your day even if you’re imbibing right around noon.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces Dolin dry vermouth
  • 1/2 ounce Maker’s Mark
  • 3/4 ounce peach puree
  • 1/2 ounce orgeat
  • Prosecco and soda to top
  • Lemon twist and mint sprig to garnish

Method

  1. Add the first four ingredients to a wine glass and add ice.
  2. Top with equal parts Prosecco and soda.
  3. Use a bar spoon to agitate the ingredients.
  4. Garnish with a lemon twist and mint sprig.

Bicicletta

Aperol spritz cocktail orange
Image used with permission by copyright holder

For this next spritz cocktail recipe, we go back to Italy. The Bicicletta (the Italian word for “bicycle”) is a close cousin to the better-known Aperol spritz and the Negroni, but it has a more bitter taste thanks to the Campari, which substitutes for Aperol in this cocktail.

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc works best)
  • 2 ounces Campari
  • Chilled club soda
  • 2 orange wheels (for garnish)

Method

  1. Add the wine and Campari into a wine glass or a double rocks glass.
  2. Fill the glass 3/4 full with ice.
  3. Top with club soda.
  4. Stir gently to combine.
  5. Garnish with the orange wheels.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
How to make eggnog and mix into 6 cocktail recipes
A guide on how to mix and enjoy this holiday classic
Homemade eggnog

With the holiday season upon us, now is the time for cozy festive drinks like eggnog. While most of my experiences with this drink have been slightly underwhelming, using pre-made eggnog from the store, the experience of occasionally enjoying fresh homemade nog has changed my mind about this completely. In my experience it's well worth it make your own at home, and once you have it ready you can mix eggnog into cocktails for yourself and your guests. If you haven't made it before, don't worry -- it's easy to do at home and requires common ingredients you'll find in any store.

According to Tyson Buhler of the renowned bar Death & Co, you can make your eggnog even more memorable by aging it: "If you have the patience and refrigerator space, let this nog age for a few months, and the flavor and texture will change drastically over time."

Read more
Make the dark time merry with these tasty winter vodka cocktails
Who says vodka is just a summer spirit?
winter vodka cocktails ryk xxxx23 thanksgivingbatchcocktail web 1

Vodka is an easy spirit to mix cocktails with, thanks to its largely neutral flavor, which can match well with just about any other alcohol, juice, or fresh ingredient that you might want to put with it. There are plenty of classic vodka cocktails that are universally popular, from the Moscow Mule to the Bloody Mary, and drinks like the Vodka Martini and the Vodka Gimlet have their own passionate fans.

But for many people, vodka remains something that's mostly drunk during the warmer seasons. With its light flavors and clear appearance, it doesn't necessarily scream winter in the way that whiskey or bourbon does. However, if you're a vodka fan then there's no reason you shouldn't enjoy vodka cocktails all year round, and take advantage of vodka's neutral qualities to mix it into tasty and festive drinks for the holiday season.

Read more
Taste the world: 3 must-try cocktails from ‘The Cocktail Atlas’
Mixed drinks inspired by other nations
38th Parallel cocktail

The best way to travel is to live like a local, sponging up the cuisine, drinks, and scenery. The Cocktail Atlas celebrates as much, which is a new book fit with mixed drinks inspired by nations all over the globe. Author Chris Vola takes inspiration from every corner of the map, from the beautiful Swiss Alps to the lazy beaches of Fiji.

We got our hands on a copy of the beautiful book and selected a few choice recipes to get you in the mood for some international armchair travel, drink in hand. And while it was hard to select just three, they'll offer a great taste of what the book has to offer and maybe even inspire some more eclectic cocktail making at home.

Read more