Sparkling Amaretto Sour

This Sparkling Amaretto Sour recipe is a twist on a classic. Frothy, sweet, sour, but made lighter with sparkling water. Same delicious cocktail, less calories per serving!

Classic Cocktails

Classic cocktails are great when you’re feeling nostalgic but when you need something lighter and brighter try my Sparkling Amaretto Sour. 

Amaretto, homemade sour mix, and lemon sparkling water bring the same flavors and some bubbles.  Don’t forget the cherry garnish!!!

I hate to admit this but in college I drank all the classic girly cocktails when I finally turned 21. As someone who just started drinking adult beverages, I needed to have sweet sugary drinks.

Not that the taste of alcohol is bad, but it can be a little harsh when you are not used to drinking it. One of these classic “girly” cocktails is the Amaretto Sour.

The sour is not the only Disaronno drinks out there, but certainly my favorite. Besides drinking it straight on the rocks.

What is an Amaretto Sour?

The classic Amaretto Sour cocktail consists of

1. Amaretto
2. Simple Syrup
3. Lemon Juice

A simple garnish of an orange slice and a maraschino cherry and the recipe is complete. Easy, right?!? Girly? Of course it is! But if you are new to the cocktail scene, what exactly is amaretto?

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What is Amaretto?

Amaretto, the Disaronno®  brand being my favorite, is an Italian liqueur (cordial) made from almonds, apricots, vanilla, and a little spice. Amaretto has a nutty almond flavor and can be a little on the sweet side.

Most of my other girlfriends drank cordial cocktails too, in between the wine coolers and cheap wine. It’s no wonder we gained weight in college with all these sugary drinks.  

I still really love the flavors of the Classic Amaretto Sour but I really don’t need the calories now that I am in my 40s. How can I lighten it up a bit and still enjoy the classic cocktail?

Check out my secret ingredient!

Skinny Amaretto Sour

Sparkling water to the rescue!

I’m not a big fan of club soda or tonic water so sparkling water just seems like the logical choice when looking spruce up my cocktail without adding additional calories.

The best thing about sparkling water is that it comes in a variety of fun flavors which can add another layer to your beverage.

An amaretto sour cocktail will run you about 200 calories for 2.6 ounces of drink. With the addition of the sparkling water, you can enjoy a full 9 ounces for the same amount of calories!

This version will give you the same amount of calories but in more than 3 times the amount of drink! I can certainly sip on a full 9 ounces of a drink a lot longer than 1/3 of a cup which also means I will drink less overall.

Plus the bubbles are so fun!!

Which sparkling water flavor pairs best with cocktails?

The amaretto sour consists of amaretto, lime juice, and simple syrup. My version uses amaretto, sour mix which provides the acidity of lemon juice and the sweetness of simple syrup, and a lemon sparkling water.  

To keep it from looking like a diluted mess, I add a little bit of maraschino cherry juice.

Being that you garnish it with an orange slice and a cherry, I though it best to add a little of the juice to my recipe.

All the best classic cocktails can use a new twist on them! Sparkling water makes all the difference!

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY!

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Can I use any brand of Amaretto?

Feel free to use your favorite brand!

Can I use store bought sour mix?

I prefer homemade because I can make it as sweet or sour as I want but feel free to use your favorite one!

Is there are particular brand of sparkling water you prefer?

Again, it all depends on taste. Find the brand that you like or that has the best lemon flavor:)

Can I make this into a large batch punch?

Of course you can! You can put it all together but I would leave out the sparkling water until ready to serve or you will lost the bubbles:)

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