Last Updated:
The Amaretto Sour is a classic cocktail that combines – yeah, you guessed it – Amaretto, Lemon Juice, Angostura Bitters, and Egg Whites to create a luxurious, yet tangy mix.
Wanna try our quick and easy Amaretto Sour recipe? Let’s get started…
What is an Amaretto Sour Cocktail Made of?
Traditionally, the cocktail is made from Amaretto liqueur, Angostura Bitters, lemon juice, and egg whites.
Click here to jump directly to the full recipe.
However, there are a couple of cool twists on the mix that need to be considered.
Vegan Amaretto Sour
The first twist is this: you can make this cocktail vegan, by substituting egg whites with Aquafaba.
What is Aquafaba?
Aquafaba is the thick water remnants of cooked legume seeds such as Chickpeas.
It is well established to mimic the role of egg whites in cooking and can be used in anything from Meringues to Cocktail as a vegan alternative.
Add Bourbon!
A great way to enhance this awesome cocktail (and to make it a smidge more boozy) is to add Bourbon.
I’ve experimented with adding it a couple of times and I think I’m starting to prefer it. That said. I am a Bourbon guy so maybe it’s just a little more to my tastes?
But that’s beside the point: it tastes great.
If you want to include bourbon in your mix, I’ve found 15ml / .5oz just hit the spot for me. But by all means, experiment! Get it to match your tastes!
For bourbon, we’d recommend:
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Can you make an amaretto sour with sour mix?
Another flex on the Amaretto Sour mix is to substitute fresh lemon juice for a sour mix. This is a great substitute, adds a little more sourness to the drink, and also is a lot easier than squeezing all of those lemons.
What Is Amaretto?
Now that we’ve looked at a couple of cool Amaretto Sour recipe updates, we should really take a look at what Amaretto actually is.
Amaretto (Italian for ‘a little bitter’) is a sweet Liqueur that originated in Saronno (a commune Lombardy, Italy).
Depending on the brand, Amaretto can be made from a variety of ingredients including apricot kernals, peach stones, bitter almonds, or just regular almonds. They keys is all of these ingredients contain benzaldehyde which acts as the almond-like flavour of the liqueur.
Amaretto usually contains between 21 to 28 per cent alcohol by volume.
For Amaretto, we recommend:
What you need to make an Amaretto Sour
Let’s move on to cocktail equipment...what exactly do you need to make an Amaretto Sour?
Cocktail Shaker
Cocktail shakers improve the taste of cocktails. It’s a fact.
There’s a reason that famed British spy James Bonds says “shaken, not stirred”. And that reason is: because it tastes better.
If you don’t already have a cocktail shaker set, you might want to check out our detailed Cocktail Shaker comparison article.
But to cut a long story short, here’s the cocktail shaker we recommend:
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Hawthorne Strainer
If you (or perhaps the person your buying for) don’t have a Hawthorne strainer as part of a cocktail shaker set, it’s a great, and incredibly useful, cocktail gift you need in your cocktail toolbox.
The strainer is typically used to remove the ice (or any other unwanted solid ingredients) from your cocktail as it’s poured from the cocktail shaker into your glass.
For a Hawthorne Strainer, we recommend:
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Old Fashioned Glass
Old Fashioned Glasses give a cocktail a classic, retro, yet elegant look.
If you’re making an old school cocktail, then this is the glass you absolutely need.
For Old Fashioned Glasses, we recommend:
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
How to make an Amaretto Sour
You make an Amaretto Sour by mixing Amaretto, lemon juice, Angostura Bitters, and egg whites, but this mix comes with a twist: the dry shake.
What is a dry shake?
A dry shake is basically mixing the cocktail ingredients in your cocktail shaker, without ice.
Any recipe that includes egg whites as an ingredient, requires a dry shake.
Why a Dry Shake is Important
A dry shake is important because it allows the egg whites to mix properly with the other ingredients to create a nice frothy texture.
Normal Shake
It’s important to note, that after the dry shake comes the normal shake – just add ice! This is to keep the mix nice and chilled before pouring.
How to Garnish Your Amaretto Sour
The drink is garnished with Maraschino Cherries.
Maraschino Cherries are preserved, sweetened cherries that regularly used as a garnish in a variety of different cocktails.
In short, they can make a cocktail pop.
For Maraschino Cherries, we recommend:
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Amaretto Sour Recipe
Amaretto Sour
Tweet this Recipe
Share on FacebookIngredients
- Amaretto 60ml / 2oz
- Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed) 30ml / 1 oz
- Angostura Bitters 1 dash
- Egg White 15ml / .5oz
- Maraschino Cherries to garnish
Recipe
- Add your Amaretto, Lemon Juice, Angostura Bitters, and egg whites to a cocktail shaker
- Shake for 15 seconds
- Add ice and then shake again until well chilled
- Add ice to an Old Fashioned Glass
- Use a Hawthorne Strainer to strain your mix into the glass
- Garnish with Maraschino Cherries
How Strong Is an Amaretto Sour?
This is a pretty strong drink! At 14 proof or 7% ABV, it’s one of those cocktails that you’ll need to keep a close eye on.
The History of the Amaretto Sour
The cocktail was thought to have been introduced when Disaronno was first brought to the US market in 1974.
It became more popular in the 1980’s, but bartenders then often substituted the Lemon Juice for Sour mix due to ease and general preference.
And it’s been a main staple of many cocktail menus ever since.
Want More Cocktail Recipes?
Do you wanna try more classic cocktails? Or just something a little different? We’ve got you covered!
Find more recipes in the following places on ThatCocktail:
Or if you want to see the latest recipes as they’re posted, check out our Facebook page.
