Aperol Recipe for 6–8 People: Easy Batch Spritz

An Aperol Spritz is a bittersweet Italian aperitivo made with Aperol, sparkling wine, soda water, and orange, served cold over ice. This easy recipe makes eight drinks using the familiar three-to-two-to-one ratio, with the ingredients poured straight into glasses to keep the bubbles lively; it can also be served as six more generous pours. This alcoholic drink is for adults of legal drinking age; drink responsibly.

Ingredients

1 standard bottle dry prosecco, chilled, 3¼ cups (750 ml). Choose brut or extra-dry prosecco for a balanced spritz; brut tastes less sweet.
Aperol, 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (500 ml).
Chilled soda water or plain sparkling water, 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons (250 ml).
Ice cubes, 8 cups (about 1 kg), or enough to fill each glass generously. Larger cubes melt more slowly than small, crushed ice.
1 large orange, about 7 oz (200 g), washed and cut into 8 thin half-moons or rounds for garnish.

Instructions

Chill the ingredients and glasses. Refrigerate the prosecco, Aperol, and soda water until cold. If you have room, chill eight wine glasses or large rocks glasses too. This is an optional make-ahead step, not an extra wait required by the recipe. Starting with cold ingredients means the ice melts more slowly and the finished drinks stay crisp.
Prepare the orange. Wash and dry the orange, then slice it into eight thin rounds or half-moons. Remove any seeds you see. Thin slices fit easily into glasses and release a fresh citrus aroma without taking over the drink. Set the slices aside while you arrange the glasses.
Fill each glass with ice. Divide the ice among eight glasses, filling each about two-thirds to three-quarters full. A generous amount of ice chills the drink effectively; a few cubes in a nearly empty glass melt quickly and dilute it. Use sturdy glasses with enough room for the liquid and an orange slice.
Pour in the prosecco. Measure about ⅜ cup (roughly 95 ml) chilled prosecco into each glass. Pour gently down the side of the glass to preserve as much fizz as possible. If you prefer not to measure individual servings, divide the bottle evenly by eye among the eight glasses; exact pours can vary slightly with the glass size.
Add the Aperol. Pour about ¼ cup (roughly 60 ml) Aperol into each glass. The drink should turn a vivid orange color. You can use a small measuring cup or a jigger, but there is no need to shake the ingredients. Shaking would knock out carbonation and create unnecessary foam.
Top with soda and finish. Add about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chilled soda water to each drink. Give each spritz one gentle turn with a bar spoon or long spoon, just enough to combine the layers without stirring away the bubbles. Tuck an orange slice into each glass and serve immediately.

Tips

Keep everything cold before pouring. Chilling the bottles ahead is more effective than adding extra ice to compensate for warm ingredients. If the bottles are not cold, place them in an ice bucket while you prepare the glasses. Avoid putting a bottle in the freezer for a long stretch, where it could be forgotten and freeze.
Pour gently and serve promptly. Prosecco and soda get their lift from carbonation, so avoid shaking, vigorous stirring, or combining the entire recipe long before guests arrive. Add the soda last, stir once, and carry the drinks to the table while they are still lively.
Adjust sweetness with the sparkling wine. Aperol is bittersweet, while prosecco styles vary. Brut prosecco makes a drier, more bitter-leaning drink; extra-dry prosecco is generally a little sweeter. Taste one finished spritz before pouring the whole round if you are unsure which balance your guests prefer.
Use a practical substitute thoughtfully. If you cannot find prosecco, choose another dry, lightly fruity sparkling white wine. It will change the flavor slightly but still works in the same proportions. Plain sparkling water is an easy stand-in for soda water; tonic is not a like-for-like substitute because its quinine bitterness and sweetness alter the drink.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the spritz immediately in wine glasses or roomy rocks glasses, with a straw or cocktail spoon if guests like to stir as they sip. The drink is an aperitivo, the kind of Italian pre-meal drink commonly enjoyed with small bites. Offer bowls of olives, salted nuts, potato chips, or crisp bread alongside it. Their salty, savory flavors pair naturally with the orange bitterness, and they can be set out without taking attention away from the drinks.

For a group, arrange the glasses on a tray and build each spritz just before serving rather than pouring all the ingredients into a pitcher. If you want guests to pour their own, set out chilled bottles, a bowl of ice, orange slices, and a small measuring cup. Explain the three-to-two-to-one proportions—three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda—so each person can make a consistent glass. Keep the bottles cold and replenish the ice as needed.

Aperol Spritz belongs to the wider Italian spritz tradition, with popular versions and proportions varying from place to place and from one household or bar to another. This recipe uses the widely recognized prosecco, Aperol, and soda combination. It is designed as an easy home batch, not as a claim that every spritz must be made in precisely one way.

Variations

Make it drier. Use brut prosecco and keep the soda measure as written. If you want a more pronounced bitter edge, add a small splash of soda less than the full amount, then taste. Avoid reducing the soda too far, since it helps keep the drink refreshing and easy to sip.
Make it lighter. Add a little extra soda water to each glass and reduce the Aperol slightly. This stretches the batch and softens its bittersweet intensity, though the drink will taste less concentrated. Add the extra soda at serving time so it remains sparkling.
Try a different citrus garnish. A thin lemon slice or a strip of grapefruit peel can replace the orange. Lemon gives a sharper, less sweet aroma; grapefruit brings a more tart, fragrant note. Keep the garnish modest so it complements rather than overwhelms the Aperol.
Offer a nonalcoholic alternative. For guests who want a drink without alcohol, make a separate glass with a nonalcoholic sparkling wine and a nonalcoholic orange aperitif-style alternative, then top with soda. These products vary in sweetness and bitterness, so follow their labels and adjust the proportions to taste. Do not substitute them into the alcoholic batch if you need to keep that batch distinct.

Storage and Reheating

A spritz is at its best as soon as it is made. Once prosecco and soda have been poured over ice, the bubbles fade and melting ice waters down the drink, so do not plan to store finished glasses for later. Remove any orange garnish and discard leftover drinks that have been sitting with ice; reheating is not applicable.

If you have ingredients left, keep the bottles separate. Seal and refrigerate opened prosecco, and use it within about one to three days for the best carbonation; it may remain drinkable longer, but it will gradually go flat. Close the Aperol bottle and store it according to its label, away from heat and direct sunlight. Keep soda water sealed and cold so it retains its fizz. If a prepared drink or opened ingredient is left out, refrigerate it within two hours when it is suitable for refrigeration.

For a small head start, wash and slice the orange a few hours before serving, cover the slices, and refrigerate them. Chill the glasses and bottles in advance as well. Keep the sparkling ingredients unopened until you are ready to pour, and assemble the drinks only when guests are ready to enjoy them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Aperol Spritzes does this recipe make?

It makes eight standard pours, each with about 95 ml prosecco, 60 ml Aperol, and 30 ml soda before ice and garnish. The same batch can serve six if you pour more generously, but the glasses will be stronger or larger depending on how you divide the ingredients. For a larger crowd, scale all three liquids in the same three-to-two-to-one ratio.

Can I mix this Aperol recipe in a pitcher?

You can, but it is harder to keep a pitcher spritz fizzy. If you choose that method, combine the chilled prosecco and Aperol gently just before serving, then add the soda last and stir once. Do not add ice to the pitcher, since it melts into the whole batch; pour over ice in individual glasses instead. Building each drink in its glass gives the most reliable bubbles and dilution.

What is the best prosecco for an Aperol Spritz?

A chilled brut or extra-dry prosecco is a dependable choice. Brut is generally the drier option and leaves the Aperol’s bitter-orange flavor more prominent, while extra-dry prosecco is usually a touch sweeter. Choose a sparkling wine you enjoy drinking on its own, and avoid a very sweet style if you prefer a balanced, refreshing spritz.

Do I need a cocktail shaker or special glass?

No shaker is needed. Pouring directly over ice keeps the carbonation, and a gentle spoon stir is enough to blend the ingredients. A stemmed wine glass is traditional in many modern servings, but a large rocks glass works just as well. Use a glass with room for ice, the drink, and a slice of orange.

Can I make the spritz less bitter or less sweet?

For a less bitter, slightly sweeter drink, use extra-dry prosecco and keep the full measure of soda. For a drier result, use brut prosecco. You can also adjust each glass by adding a little more soda for a lighter taste or a little more Aperol for a stronger orange-bitter note. Make small changes and taste as you go, since large adjustments can quickly shift the balance.

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