Cranberry Aperol Spritz recipe

In a great update to the classic Aperol Spritz, our Cranberry Aperol Spritz recipe takes this cocktail to a whole new level.

  • 2 mins total
  • 5 ingredients
  • Wine glass
Cranberry Aperol Spritz in a wine glass with an orange slice and a straw

What you need to make a Cranberry Aperol Spritz

It’s a twist on the classic Aperol Spritz with four main ingredients:

Let’s look at these ingredients in a little more detail.

Aperol

Aperol is a type of Italian digestive bitters. Considered an aperitif (a drink served before a meal), it’s made from gentian, rhubarb and cinchona and has a vibrant orange hue.

The name comes from the Italian slang for aperitivo, apero. So Aperol literally means aperitif.

Aperol was created in 1919 by Luigi and Silvio Barbieri, though it didn’t become popular until after the Second World War. It’s now owned by the Campari Group, and in the 2000s it saw a resurgence thanks to the popularity of the Aperol Spritz.

Prosecco

Prosecco is an Italian white wine that’s almost always made to be some level of sparkling. By law it’s made from the Prosecco grape (also known as Glera), but up to 15% of the wine can be made from other grape varieties.

How do you garnish a Cranberry Aperol Spritz?

In our recipe, you garnish the Cranberry Aperol Spritz with fresh cranberries and a slice of orange.

How to make a Cranberry Aperol Spritz

What Ingredients do you need to make a Cranberry Aperol Spritz?

Aperol

Aperol is a type of Italian digestive bitters.

Considered an aperitif (a drink served before a meal), Aperol is made from gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona and has a vibrant orange hue.

The name Aperol comes from the Italian slang word for aperitivo (aka aperitif), which is apero.

So Aperol literally means aperitif.

Aperol was originally created in 1919 by Luigi and Silvio Barbieri, though it did not become popular until after the Second World War.

Now Aperol is owned by the Campari Group and in the 2000s saw a resurgence with the popularity of the Aperol Spritz cocktail.

Cranberry Juice

As you’d expect, Cranberry Juice is made out of Cranberries – but it also contains sugar and other fruit juices.

The Cranberry is a fruit native to North America and is recognised for its bright red colour, tart taste, and its sheer versatility.

Cranberries can be used to make a whole host of things:

  • Cranberry Juice
  • Cranberry Sauce
  • Frozen Cranberries
  • Various dietary supplements that contain Cranberry extract.

For Cranberry Juice, we recommend:

Prosecco

Prosecco is an Italian white wine that’s almost always made to be some level of sparkling.

By law it’s made from the Prosecco grape – aka the Glera grape – but up to 15% of the wine is permitted to be made up by other grape varieties.

For Prosecco, we recommend:

Soda Water

Soda Water is essentially water that contains dissolved carbon dioxide gas.

This can either be infused with the water artificially or occur naturally.

Soda Water is thought to have been around since 1740, but became popular in 1783 when the Soda industry really took off and Soda Water was bottled and sold.

For Soda Water, we recommend:

What Equipment do you need to make a Cranberry Aperol Spritz?

Wine Glasses

Wine Glasses are great for Wine, but even better for wine-based cocktails!

They’re classy, they look the part, and more importantly they’re big!

For Wine Glasses, we recommend:

Bar Spoon

Bar Spoons are great for cocktails you’re supposed to stir, rather than shake in a cocktail shaker.

Sure, you can probably use any spoon to stir your drink but these bar spoons are the real deal. It’s the proper equipment to get the job right.

  • They’re long enough to get to the bottom of any cocktail to allow you to properly stir.
  • They have a twist spiral design that allows for a better grip.
  • They’re made out of stainless steel, so they’re durable, corrosion resistant, and easy to clean.

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Recipe card

Cranberry Aperol Spritz

Prep
1 min
Making
1 min
Total
2 mins
Serves
1
Glass
Wine glass

Ingredients

Drinks

Makes 1 drink.

Method

  1. Fill a wine glass two-thirds full with ice.
  2. Pour in the Aperol and cranberry juice and stir with a bar spoon.
  3. Top up the glass with prosecco.
  4. Give it another slow, gentle stir.
  5. Add a splash of soda water and gently stir again.
  6. Garnish with fresh cranberries and a slice of orange.

Cranberry Aperol Spritz FAQs

What is a Cranberry Aperol Spritz?

A twist on the classic Aperol Spritz, with cranberry juice added to the Aperol, prosecco and soda water.

What is Aperol?

Aperol is an Italian digestive bitters, drunk as an aperitif (before a meal). It’s made from gentian, rhubarb and cinchona, which give it its vibrant orange colour, and its name comes from “apero”, Italian slang for aperitif. Luigi and Silvio Barbieri created it in 1919, but it didn’t become popular until after the Second World War.

What is prosecco?

An Italian white wine that’s almost always sparkling. By law it’s made from the Glera grape (also called the Prosecco grape), though up to 15% can be other grape varieties. See the prosecco we recommend.

What Ingredients do you need to make a Cranberry Aperol Spritz?

To make a Cranberry Aperol Spritz, you need 60ml / 2oz Aperol, 60ml / 2oz cranberry juice, 90–120ml / 3–4oz prosecco and a splash of soda water, plus fresh cranberries and an orange slice to garnish. There’s more about Aperol, cranberry juice, prosecco and soda water above.

What Equipment do you need to make a Cranberry Aperol Spritz?

You’ll need a wine glass and a bar spoon.

What alcohol is in a Cranberry Aperol Spritz?

A Cranberry Aperol Spritz contains 60ml / 2oz Aperol and 90–120ml / 3–4oz prosecco.

Is a Cranberry Aperol Spritz shaken or stirred?

A Cranberry Aperol Spritz is stirred, not shaken. It’s made straight in a wine glass: add the ingredients over ice and stir.

What glass is a Cranberry Aperol Spritz served in?

Serve a Cranberry Aperol Spritz in a wine glass.

How do you garnish a Cranberry Aperol Spritz?

Garnish a Cranberry Aperol Spritz with fresh cranberries and a slice of orange.

Kris Barton, founder of ThatCocktail, enjoying a cocktail

About the author

Kris Barton

Kris has been making, and sometimes inventing, cocktails for more than 20 years, and founded ThatCocktail in 2019 to share quick and easy recipes you can make at home.

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Free guide

Learn how to make perfect cocktails at home

Download our FREE guide to making perfect cocktails in the comfort of your own home. You’ll never want to pay for expensive cocktails at a bar again!