Amaretto Sour and Variations

Make mine an Amaretto Sour! This classic sour cocktail with Amaretto liqueur, lemon juice and egg white needs to be part of your drinks repertoire. Enjoy the authentic version or my favourite (stronger!) variation.

You will also love my Blueberry Gin Sour

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A bottle of Amaretto di Saronno was in my parents drinks cabinet for the entirety of my childhood. The SAME bottle 😉

My parents are not big drinkers and it’s very likely that this Italian liqueur was given to them as a gift or purchased to add to cakes and bakes.

If you find yourself in a similar situation then it is time to blow the dust off the bottle my friends… because an Amaretto Sour is actually a lovely cocktail and a great way to use up this sweet liqueur.

What is a Sour?

‘Sour’ is a family of drinks that contain a base spirit, a sour element (lemon or lime juice) and a sweet element (sugar syrup or a sweet liqueur like Triple Sec). 

The beloved Margarita is a classic sour cocktail made with tequila but you can use this formula to create sours with any type of spirit, such as gin or vodka.

Getting to know Amaretto

Amaretto is a sweet liqueur that originated in Italy, in the town of Saronno. While it has the bitter sweet taste of almonds, these days Amaretto is made with peach or apricot kernels instead.

The name derives from the Italian word ‘amaro’ which means bitter. Not to be confused with: Amaro liqueur which is a herbal bitter drink or Amaretti Di Saronno which are a type of almond macaron (biscuits).

DiSaronno Originale is probably the most famous brand of Amaretto. Originally it was called Amaretto Di Saronno (=Amaretto from Saronno) before the name changed for legal reasons. 

DiSaronno boasts a 28% ABV whereas the alcohol content of other brands of Amaretto range between 22- 28. 

Ingredients

Here’s what you will need to make the classic Amaretto Sour recipe which comes in at just under 200 calories.

• Amaretto Liqueur such as DiSaronno
• Lemon juice (the sour element). Some recipes include sweet and sour mix.
• Raw egg white (you can use pasteurised egg whites or a fresh one)
• Cherries (Maraschino/ cocktail cherries) are usually used as a garnish

Optional ingredients

This is the version I prefer – a variation of the authentic recipe in my favourite cocktail book The Spirits. This version is just under 300 calories thanks to the Bourbon and simple syrup.

• Bourbon (optional) – this not only balances the drink, cutting down on the sweetness, but also adds some much needed backbone. 
• Simple syrup (sugar syrup) – you can buy this or make it yourself by combining equal amounts of sugar and water (see recipe card)

You will also need

• A cocktail shaker 
• Whisky glasses, a.k.a Rocks glasses (also called Old Fashioned glasses)

Froth it up!

Why is there egg white in my Amaretto Sour? Egg white is added to cocktails to create a creamy froth and to add body. It is a common ingredient in some sour cocktails, like the Pisco Sour.

The egg white needs to be shaken without ice – this is called a “Dry Shake” – to create the best foam. You can use pasteurised egg whites from a carton in cocktails for ease. 

If you don’t like the idea of adding raw egg white to your drink then you can simply leave it out. That’s the beauty of cocktails – you can make them your own.

How to make an Amaretto Sour

STEP 1. Add the Amaretto, lemon juice and egg white to a cocktail shaker.

STEP 2. Shake hard without ice. Have a taste – do you need to add a bit more lemon?

STEP 3. Pour into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with a cocktail cherry.

My Favourite Variation

STEP 1. Add the Amaretto, Bourbon, sugar syrup, lemon juice and egg white to a cocktail shaker.

STEP 2. Shake hard without ice. Have a taste and adjust if needed.

STEP 3. Pour into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with a cocktail cherry or a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.

Batch it up!

These drinks are very popular at parties… they make an excellent Christmas cocktail! Making a several servings in a single shaker is not advisable however as the egg white expands too much.

You can either add the ingredients to a blender and blitz briefly, until the drink foams up. Alternatively you can use a narrow jug and an immersion blender such as the Bamix. Divide between ice filled glasses and enjoy!

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