Amaretto Sour recipe
The drink everyone thinks is trashy until they try the proper version with bourbon.
Method: Shake ·
Glass: Rocks glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Daiquiri Family
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Amaretto (Disaronno)
- 0.75 oz Bourbon (this is what makes it legit)
- 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 0.5 oz Simple Syrup
- 0.5 oz Egg White (optional but recommended)
How to make a Amaretto Sour
- If using egg white, dry shake all ingredients without ice for 15 seconds.
- Add ice and shake hard for another 15 seconds.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a lemon peel and cherry.
Garnish
Lemon peel and a brandied cherry.
Pro tip
The bourbon is what separates a bar-quality Amaretto Sour from the sticky-sweet version your aunt makes at Christmas. It adds backbone and complexity. Without it, the drink is one-dimensional. Jeffrey Morgenthaler's recipe (this one) basically rescued this cocktail from obscurity.
History of the Amaretto Sour
Amaretto Sours were a 1970s-80s bar staple that fell out of fashion because most versions were cloyingly sweet — just amaretto and sour mix. In 2012, bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler published his 'proper' version with bourbon and egg white, and suddenly it was cool again.
Flavour profile
Almond, Citrus, Nutty, Smooth
Variations
- Godfather Sour — Use scotch instead of bourbon
- Amaretto Stone Sour — Add orange juice for a fruitier version
- Vegan Version — Use aquafaba (chickpea water) instead of egg white
Practise making the Amaretto Sour in the free Virtual Bar game.