Italy

Amaretto Sour

Also known as Amaretto Sour with Egg White, Sour Amaretto

A sweet and nutty sour that leans heavily into almond and stone fruit flavors, balanced by a sharp hit of lemon.

almondmarzipansweetcitrussournuttydessertegg-white

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits you with rich almond and cherry sweetness, followed by a tart lemon bite that cuts through the syrup. The finish lingers with a warm, marzipan-like sweetness that coats the tongue.

Who will like it

For people who like sweet, dessert-like drinks with a nutty backbone and a citrus edge.

When to drink

Drink this as an after-dinner digestif or when you want something sweet and easygoing on a slow evening.

Ordering tip

Ask for it with egg white if you want a silkier texture, or ask for a half-ounce of bourbon if you want to cut the sweetness and boost the strength.

Ice: CubedTemp: ColdCost: $2–$4Glass: Old FashionedBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a sweet, dessert-like drink that tastes like liquid marzipan with a squeeze of lemon. The egg white softens the blow, giving it a smooth, velvety mouthfeel that keeps the sharp citrus from overwhelming the nutty sweetness. It's not a strong or complex sipper, but it hits hard on comfort and flavor.

Finish: The finish is medium-long, leaving a sticky almond sweetness and a faint tartness on the back of the tongue.

Primary tastes

sweetnuttysour

Secondary

fruitycreamy

Aroma

almondmarzipancitrus zest

BitternessMildly bitter
The amaretto has a slight bitter almond note, but the drink is mostly sweet.
SweetnessVery sweet
Amaretto is a sweet liqueur, and the added syrup pushes this firmly into dessert territory.
SournessModerately sour
The lemon juice provides a solid tartness to balance the heavy sweetness.
StrengthLow strength
Amaretto is only around 24% ABV, making this a lighter cocktail.
RefreshingModerately refreshing
The citrus and ice help, but the thick sweetness weighs it down a bit.
CreaminessLightly creamy
The egg white adds a soft, silky texture that rounds out the sharp edges.
ComplexitySomewhat simple
It mostly tastes like sweet almond and tart lemon without many layers.

Recipe

Make it at home

Shaken · Old Fashioned · equal parts on Amaretto. Disaronno is the standard, but any quality amaretto works.

Before you start

Separate your egg white from the yolk beforehand and make sure your lemon juice is freshly squeezed, not from a bottle.

Ingredients

AmarettoBase SpiritDisaronno is the standard, but any quality amaretto works.50ml
Fresh Lemon JuiceJuiceMust be freshly squeezed.25ml
Simple SyrupSyrupAdjust based on how sweet your amaretto is.10ml
Egg WhiteDairyAdds a silky texture and thick foam.20ml (1 egg white)
Angostura BittersoptionalBittersDropped onto the foam for aroma.2 dashes

Garnish: Lemon peel, Angostura bitters dots

Tools

Cocktail Shaker · Shaking
Shaking the ingredients with ice to chill and create foam.
At home: Mason jar with a tight lid.
Jigger · Measuring
Measuring the amaretto, lemon juice, and syrup accurately.
At home: Measuring spoons or a small shot glass.
Hawthorne Strainer · Straining
Catching the ice while pouring the drink into the glass.
At home: Slotted spoon or fork.
Citrus Juicer · Other
Extracting juice from the fresh lemon.
At home: Squeezing by hand.
Fine Mesh Strainer · optional · Straining
Removing small ice shards and citrus pulp for a smooth drink.

Steps

1
Add the amaretto, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white to your shaker without any ice. Seal it up and shake hard for about 10 seconds until the mixture looks thick and frothy. This dry shake emulsifies the egg white so you get a good head on the drink.
~10s
!Adding ice before the dry shake prevents the egg white from emulsifying properly.
2
Open the shaker, fill it to the top with ice cubes, and seal it again. Shake vigorously for 10 to 12 seconds until the outside of the shaker is frosty and too cold to hold comfortably. This chills and dilutes the drink.
~12s
!Shaking too softly leaves the drink warm and fails to whip the foam tight.
3
Pop the shaker open and pour the drink through a Hawthorne strainer into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. If you want a smoother texture, hold a fine mesh strainer over the glass while you pour to catch any ice chips or citrus pulp.
!Pouring too fast can break the foam and make the drink look flat.
4
Take your lemon peel and squeeze it over the drink so the citrus oils spray across the surface, then drop it in. Dot the foam with a few drops of Angostura bitters for aroma and a visual touch.
!Dropping the peel without squeezing it misses the aromatic oils that make the garnish work.

Serve

Serve it in a rocks glass over a big chunk of ice if you have it, which keeps it cold without watering it down too fast.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Amaretto

AmarettoOrgeat Syrup and Cognac
Match
Specialty availability
Amaretto → Orgeat Syrup and Cognac: Replaces the nutty sweetness with a drier, higher-proof spirit and almond syrup.
AmarettoAmaretto di Saronno
Match
Common availability
Amaretto → Amaretto di Saronno: The specific brand, which has a slightly more pronounced apricot kernel flavor.

Swap options for Egg White

Egg WhiteAquafaba
Match
Common availability
Egg White → Aquafaba: Provides the same foamy texture without using animal products.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Whiskey Sour

Uses bourbon instead of amaretto, making it drier, stronger, and less sweet.

Match

The Whiskey Sour drinks much drier and stronger, while the Amaretto Sour is sweeter and tastes like almond candy.

In common: Sour family, Shaken with egg white, Citrus-forward

Ingredients

Both share

Fresh Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Egg White

Only in Amaretto Sour

Amaretto

Only in Whiskey Sour

Bourbon Whiskey

Swapping amaretto for bourbon removes the heavy almond sweetness and replaces it with a warm, oaky backbone.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Tart citrus bite, Silky egg white foam, Balanced sweet-sour profile

How Whiskey Sour differs

Drier, Stronger, Less nutty

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Godfather

Uses Scotch instead of lemon and syrup, making it a stirred, spirit-forward drink.

Match

The Godfather is a stiff, warming sipper, whereas the Amaretto Sour is a bright, tart, and shaken drink.

In common: Amaretto-forward, Sweet

Ingredients

Both share

Amaretto

Only in Amaretto Sour

Fresh Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Egg White

Only in Godfather

Scotch Whisky

The Godfather drops the sour components entirely and pairs the amaretto with smoky Scotch.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Sweet almond backbone

How Godfather differs

Stronger, Smokier, No citrus

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The Amaretto Sour emerged as amaretto liqueurs like Disaronno gained international popularity in the mid-20th century, applying the classic sour template to the Italian almond liqueur. No single bartender is credited with its invention; it simply became the default way to drink amaretto beyond neat.

Era: 1940s
Confidence

The classic recipe is often considered too sweet by modern standards; adding bourbon is a common bartender tweak but not the original spec.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Use a big ice cube to slow down dilution.
Dry shake first to get a thick foam on top.
Add a quarter ounce of bourbon to cut the sweetness.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Using bottled lemon juice, which tastes flat and metallic.
Skipping the dry shake if using egg white.
Shaking too long, which waters down the drink.