Although often served neat, amaretto is an incredibly versatile ingredient for both cocktails and cooking dishes. Therefore, if you’re fond of nutty marzipan flavours, it’s a drink you must have in your cabinet.
In this guide, you will discover the top 10 best amaretto cocktails to make at home:
- Amaretto Sour
- Homemade Amaretti Morbidi
- Orgasm
- French Connection
- Godfather Cocktail
- White Rabbit
- Amaretto Coffee
- Bakewell Tart Sour
- Italian Margarita
- Downhill Racer
Simply use the links above to jump ahead or scroll down to read them all!
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1. Amaretto Sour
The quintessential amaretto cocktail, there are several variants of the Amaretto Sour, which we’ll compare below
You’ll need the following to make it:
- 60 ml (2 Oz) Amaretto
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Lemon Juice
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Fresh Egg White
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Bourbon Whiskey OR 1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Add all the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain back into the shaker, remove the ice, and shake again. Fine strain into an ice-filled tumbler glass. If opting for the bourbon whiskey recipe, consider adding a pinch of brown sugar to curb the acidity.
2. Homemade Amaretti Morbidi
Admittedly not a cocktail, but if you enjoy amaretto, you must absolutely try your hand at cooking a batch of amaretto biscuits. Morbidi biscuits are soft, chewy, and somewhat reminiscent of macaroons. Meanwhile, there are also amaretti croccanti, which are firm and crisp.
Making amaretti morbidi requires the following ingredients:
- 200 g (7 Oz) Caster Sugar
- 250 g (8.8 Oz) Almond Flour or Blanched Almonds
- 2 Egg Whites
- 1 Tbsp Amaretto
- Icing Sugar (To Taste)
Preheat the oven at 200°C (390°F). If using blanched almonds, start by grinding them into a fine powder then mix with the caster sugar and tablespoon of amaretto in a bowl.
Take care not to use too much amaretto or the alcohol will break down the dough and cause them to be flat. They’ll still be tasty but they won’t have the traditional rounded shape!
In another bowl, whisk the two egg whites into a meringue. Once hard and foamy, mix the two bowls together with a wooden spoon. Don’t worry about the meringue collapsing, making it was just to change the egg white consistency.
With wet hands so the dough doesn’t stick, roll the meringue into round balls and place them on a baking tray. As soon as they go into the oven, lower the temperature to 180°C (350°F).
After about 10 to 15 minutes, the amaretti should have cracks on their surface and are starting to go slightly golden. Take them out of the oven and let them cool. Don’t remove them from the baking tray just yet as they might break. Let them cool for about 15 minutes and they’ll be ready to enjoy!
3. Orgasm
A classic cocktail from the 1980s, many still think it was a sad day when the International Bartender Association removed it from its official list in 2011. An explosion of rich and gourmand flavours, it’s no surprise how it earned its name.
It consists of the following ingredients in equal measures:
- Amaretto
- Baileys Irish Cream
- Kahlúa
- Cream
- Vodka
Typically, the measurement used for each ingredient is around (22 ml) ¾ Oz. Simply shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a few chocolate sprinkles.
4. French Connection
A super simple classic beverage that’s barely a cocktail, it consists of just two ingredients:
- 45 ml (1½ Oz) Amaretto
- 45 ml (1½ Oz) Cognac
Pour the ingredients over ice in a tumbler glass and stir. That’s all there is to it!
5. The Godfather
Very similar to the French Connection, The Godfather instead opts for Scotch whisky rather than cognac. For additional flavour that interacts with the amaretto’s characteristics, opt for a smoky Islay expression. For instance, Big Peat would be a great choice.
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Amaretto
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Scotch Whisky
As before, pour the ingredients into a tumbler glass with ice and stir. Garnish with a lemon twist if you want but it’s absolutely fine without.
6. White Rabbit
Another gourmand option like the Orgasm, the White Rabbit instead uses gin with lemon curd and double cream.
It requires the following ingredients:
- 60 ml (2 Oz) Gin
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Amaretto
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Double Cream
- 1 Tsp Lemon Curd
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail or coupe glass and garnish with candied lemon.
7. Amaretto Coffee
Another simple mixer, this one uses the Italian tradition of mixing a spirit with coffee in order to bring out its wonderfully gourmand flavours.
You’ll only need the two following ingredients:
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Espresso Shot
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Amaretto
Simply top up a shot of espresso with amaretto and enjoy. This technique is known as a “caffè corretto”, but you can also go for an “ammazzacaffè” where the two are served side-by-side in separate glasses. We cover these in detail in our guide on drinking grappa, which is usually the most common option.
8. Bakewell Tart Sour
Consider the Bakewell Tart Sour as the French Connection’s more elaborate cousin. If you find the latter a little too basic, try out this complex version and you’ll be impressed.
You will need the following:
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Amaretto
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Cognac
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Maraschino Cherry Jar Syrup
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Lemon Juice
- 1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Shake all the ingredients with ice and then strain them into an ice-filled tumbler glass. Garnish with berry fruits like blueberries or blackberries.
9. Italian Margarita
A simple twist on the classic, the Italian Margarita just adds a dose of amaretto to accompany the tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. It’s definitely worth trying!
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 45 ml (1½ Oz) Tequila
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Amaretto
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Triple Sec
- 30 ml (1 Oz) Lime Juice
Run a lime wedge around the edge of a cocktail or margarita glass and coat the rim in salt. Shake all the ingredients and strain into the glass. Garnish it with a fresh lime wedge.
10. Downhill Racer
The Downhill Racer is a fruity and exotic alternative to the Italian Margarita. Instead of tequila, we’re having rum, which is soften by a healthy portion of pineapple juice.
It just needs the following ingredients:
- 45 ml (1½ Oz) Añejo Rum
- 15 ml (½ Oz) Amaretto
- 45 ml (1½ Oz) Pineapple Juice
Just shake all the ingredients with ice and then fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass to avoid any pulp getting in.
What Next?
Now that you have read about the best amaretto cocktails, why don’t you check out some of our related spirit guides?
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