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This perfect amaretto sour recipe has just the right balance of amaretto with lemon and a hint of bourbon! Skip the sweet and sour mix and make this simple cocktail the right way with just five ingredients.
Give me the chance to convince you: this is the Amaretto Sour recipe you need. Are you like me, burned from those syrupy amaretto sours made with sweet and sour mix? Made correctly, I’ve found that this drink can be perfectly balanced and a total crowd pleaser.
My recipe comes out tangy and sweet tart, with a hint of almond that’s balanced by the secret ingredient: bourbon. I didn’t think I liked amaretto sours: until I tasted this one!
Why This Amaretto Sour Recipe Works
The secret to an exceptional amaretto sour is in its balance. Many amaretto sour recipes call for only amaretto. But the straightforward almond flavor can be a little overpowering.
My secret? Balance it out with bourbon! The bourbon whiskey provides just the right notes of oak, vanilla and caramel to balance the almond. That, combined with fresh lemon juice instead of purchased sour mix, makes the perfect mix of complex and bright flavors.
5 Star Reader Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is the ONLY amaretto sour I drink now! Thanks for the best amaretto sour recipe on the planet!” -Jackie
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Absolutely delicious. The splash of bourbon and the bitters is a great addition! Pretty downed this like water….whoops!” -Nikki
Ingredients You’ll Need
The amaretto sour a sour cocktail made with amaretto liqueur. A sour has the following basic elements: liquor, citrus (usually lemon juice), and simple syrup. Many sours also have an egg white, a classic move to add a creamy rich flavor and frothy surface texture.
After the whiskey sour and pisco sour, the amaretto sour is the next most popular in the family. The ingredients for my amaretto sour recipe are:
- Amaretto: An Italian almond liqueur with both sweet and bitter notes.
- Bourbon whiskey: I typically use something mid-range here, like Elijah Craig.
- Fresh lemon juice: Always use fresh lemon juice in cocktails for the best flavor.
- Simple syrup or maple syrup: This balances the tartness. I like maple syrup for a hint of complexity.
- Egg white: Makes that frothy foam topping. For vegan, substitute 2 tablespoons aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas).
- Angostura bitters: Two dashes add aromatic complexity to this drink.
How to Make an Amaretto Sour: Basic Steps
The amaretto sour is quick and easy to make: the only time involved is juicing the citrus and separating out the egg white! Here are the basic steps (or jump to the recipe):
- Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake for 15 seconds without ice.
- Add ice to the cocktail shaker and shake again for 30 seconds.
- Strain into a low ball glass and garnish with a cocktail cherry and lemon wedge.
The Dry Shake Technique
Bartenders have added egg whites to cocktails since the late 1800’s to add a frothy texture to the surface and add creamy rich flavor. The best frothy egg white form is achieved by doing a dry shake. This move is used in classic cocktail recipes like the Gin Fizz and Whiskey Sour. Here’s how it works:
- The first shake without ice lets the protein in the egg begin to form foam, instead of being diluted by the ice.
- The second shake with ice cools the drink and strengthens the foam. Strain it into the glass and you’ll get a thick, white frothy layer.
What Makes Amaretto Special
Amaretto is an almond liqueur that originates from Italy. It tastes both sweet and bitter all at once (amaretto means in Italian “little bitter”). It has such a distinctive flavor that once you’ve had it once, you’ll remember it forever. You may know the flavor from amaretto cookies, a popular Italian sweet.
It’s worth getting a bottle of amaretto for your shelf: you can use it in cocktails and in cooking, especially desserts! Try more amaretto cocktails like the Italian Margarita, Godfather, Amaretto Coffee, or French Connection.
Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the classic version, try some of these variations:
- Amaretto Sour with Sweet and Sour Mix: Make a batch of my homemade sweet and sour mix: it tastes so much fresher than purchased with no artificial ingredients. Combine 1 ½ ounces amaretto, ½ ounce bourbon, and 1 ounce sweet and sour mix.
- Amaretto Whiskey Sour: Flip the proportions to make bourbon the star. Use 2 ounces bourbon and 1 ounce amaretto in my amaretto whiskey sour.
- Amaretto Stone Sour: Uses equal parts orange juice, homemade sour mix, and amaretto for the amaretto stone sour, which is lighter and served in a highball glass.
When To Serve It
This amaretto sour is pretty versatile; here are a few times that it works well:
- Date night at home: The presentation and balanced flavor makes it feel special and fun.
- Happy hour: Mix it up for friends with a spread of appetizers.
- Holiday gatherings: It’s festive without being too seasonal, making it perfect for Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.
- Cocktail hour before dinner: It’s a great aperitif and not too heavy
For glassware, I typically use a rocks glass because I like the stemless look. To step it up, pop the glass in the freezer while you’re prepping the drink.
Perfect Amaretto Sour
Here’s the perfect amaretto sour recipe that will impress everyone! It’s got just the right balance of amaretto with bourbon and lemon.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) amaretto
- ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) bourbon whiskey
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon simple syrup or maple syrup
- 1 egg white (optional)*
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- For the garnish: Cocktail cherry or Luxardo cherry, lemon slice
Instructions
- Add the amaretto, bourbon, lemon juice, syrup, egg white, and bitters to a cocktail shaker without ice. Shake for 15 seconds.
- Add the ice to the cocktail shaker. Shake again for 30 seconds.
- Strain the drink into a glass; the foam will collect at the top. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.
Notes
*Substitute 2 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) for a vegan variation.
Amaretto Sour with Sweet and Sour Mix: Make a batch of my homemade sweet and sour mix: it tastes so much fresher than purchased with no artificial ingredients. Combine 1 ½ ounces amaretto, ½ ounce bourbon, and 1 ounce sweet and sour mix.
Amaretto Whiskey Sour: Flip the proportions to make bourbon the star. Use 2 ounces bourbon and 1 ounce amaretto in my amaretto whiskey sour.
Amaretto Stone Sour: Uses equal parts orange juice, homemade sour mix, and amaretto for the amaretto stone sour, which is lighter and served in a highball glass.
This is the ONLY amaretto sour I drink now! I’ve even asked for it at restaurants and bars. Thanks for the best amaretto sour recipe on the planet!
Absolutely delicious. The splash of bourbon and the bitters is a great addition! Pretty downed this like water….whoops!
This tastes awesome. Thank you. Drinks with lemon always good.
you are right, i personally try its very awesome taste.
Tastes awesome, but you’re gonna wanna double it up to make a big boy or girl drink. Otherwise you’re stuck with a baby drink.
I made these for my boyfriend and his roommates last night and everyone was so impressed. This might be my new favorite cocktail!
This is a Morgenthaler Amaretto Sour which Jeffrey Morgenthaler created/updated the plain, boring amaretto sour that used sickly sweet and sour mix. First listed it on his website back in 2012… Eggnog recipe is also amazing and worth a try.
Made this last night with my boyfriend and it was delicious. I usually cannot stand bourbon. We may have made 4 drinks each. :)
Haha! Glad you enjoyed :)
a nice cocktail ,love lemon in almost anything, and bitters are always fun too, I like exploring new ones, thank you!
That is a DELICIOUS drink. My attempt tonight was my first amaretto sour, but won’t be the last. May drop the lemon to 0.75 oz for my own personal taste, but everything else is going down way too fast…
Glad you enjoyed!
My new favorite drink!
So glad you love it!