Limoncello Spritzer

Sweet, summery, bubbly limoncello spritzer made with prosecco, Italian limoncello liqueur, and lemon juice.   

An iced cold limoncello spritzer is the perfect cocktail for any spring or summer occasion, whether it’s a Mother’s Day brunch or a backyard BBQ. This cocktail is lightly sweet, fruity, cold, and refreshing. Homemade limoncello spritzers are quick and easy to make with just a few ingredients. If you love citrus drinks like I do, you’ll also want to check out my Greyhound and Aperol Spritz cocktails! And when you’re craving something on the healthier side, you need this Detox Lemon Water recipe! 

Aperol Spritz recipe screams Italian summers and is made with classic Italian cocktail ingredients like limoncello and Prosecco. Both these cocktails are refreshing and citrus-y sweet but not overly sweet. 

What is Limoncello?

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced around Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast of Italy. If you get the chance to walk around the island of Capri (which I highly recommend!!!), you can’t miss bottles of it hanging in shops and street vendor carts. Limoncello is a very sweet and syrupy lemon liqueur that’s usually enjoyed very cold in a small shot glass. When we were in Tuscany last, the wonderful La Castellana restaurant in Montefoiralle served tiny glasses of limoncello after dinner. I loved it instead of dessert.

You can make your own limoncello by soaking lemon rind in vodka. Here’s how to do it! We have a great company nearby that makes an award-winning limoncello, Ventura Limoncello Company. You can also find limoncello at most grocery stores including Trader Joe’s.

How to Make Limoncello Spritzers

Since limoncello is so strong and sweet, I love turning it into a spritzer. That way we get to stretch out the limoncello and enjoy it much longer.

You can add the ingredients directly to glasses of ice, or to a pitcher to serve a larger crowd. This cocktail shouldn’t be made too far in advance or the bubbles may go flat. Spritzers can be garnished with fresh edible flowers (these are Borage), a slice of lemon, or a couple of sprigs of fresh mint.

This post was updated April 2018. The original recipe is in the body of the post below, the new and improved recipe is in the formatted recipe. The new recipe uses prosecco, whereas the old recipe is just sparkling water and limoncello. 

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Yield: 2

Limoncello Spritzer

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

A delicious and easy Italian lemon cocktail spritzer made with limoncello and prosecco. A limoncello spritz is a cocktail from the Amalfi coast of Italy and is perfect for spring and summer. Cheers!

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Ingredients

• 2 ounces chilled limoncello
• 8 ounces chilled prosecco
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 slices lemon, for garnish
• ice
• fresh mint, for garnish

Instructions

1. Divide limoncello and prosecco between two glasses. Top up with as much prosecco as you'd like. Give each glass a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, stir, and add ice.
2. Garnish with fresh lemon slices and enjoy immediately.

Notes

If you'd like to make this limoncello spritz weaker, add some sparkling water to dilute while keeping the fizz. To make it stronger, some people add a splash of vodka. I think it's perfect with the classic limoncello, prosecco, and lemon combination. You really don't even need a recipe for this simple spritz.

Please remember to drink responsibly and never drink and drive.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 204Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 9mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 0g

Original recipe:

1 part limoncello
1/2 to 1 part sparkling water (depending on how strong you want it)
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh mint sprigs
Lemon slices for garnish

Mash a few mint leaves with a wooden spoon in the bottom of a pitcher. Add limoncello and sparkling water and mix. Add more water or limoncello to reach your desired strength. Garnish with more mint leaves and/or lemon slices. Giada de Laurentiis has a recipe where she adds fresh blueberries; throw some in if you have them.