Tequila Aperol Sour

This tequila Aperol sour is light, bright, and beautifully smooth. Tequila, bittersweet Aperol, and fresh lemon get whipped with egg white into a silky, foamy cocktail with just enough edge.

This tequila Aperol sour is light and summery, but it has just enough edge to keep me coming back to it all year long. It's bright, a little bitter, and beautifully smooth, the kind of cocktail I love serving in a coupe when I want something that feels a touch elevated without any real fuss. It looks gorgeous in the glass, too, which never hurts.

The flavor is where it really shines. Tequila and bittersweet Aperol give it a complex, citrusy backbone, while fresh lemon and a touch of simple syrup keep everything bright and balanced. The egg white is the real magic here. A good dry shake whips it into a silky, cloud-soft foam that softens all that citrus and bitterness, so you get sharp and smooth, bright and creamy, all in one sip. It's what sets this apart from a more straightforward Aperol margarita and lands it firmly in sour territory.

And it comes together easily. A dry shake to build the foam, another quick shake with ice to chill, and a strain into a coupe with a dehydrated lemon round and a few drops of bitters on top, and you've got a tequila Aperol sour that looks and tastes special.

Tequila Aperol Sour

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A bright and silky tequila Aperol sour made with tequila, Aperol, fresh lemon, and egg white. Garnished with a dehydrated lemon round and a few drops of bitters.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course: Cocktail

Ingredients  

• 2 ounces blanco tequila
• 1 ounce Aperol
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 1 ounce egg white see notes
• ¾ ounce simple syrup
• Bitters and dehydrated lemon to garnish

Method

 

1. Add the tequila, Aperol, lemon juice, egg white, and Aperol to a cocktail shaker without ice. Shake hard for 30 seconds.
   2 ounces blanco tequila, 1 ounce Aperol, 1 ounce lemon juice, 1 ounce egg white, ¾ ounce simple syrup
   
2. Add ice to the shaker and shake until cold - about 10 seconds.
   
3. Strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon and a few drops of bitters - run a toothpick through the drops of bitters to create the heart effect.
   

Notes

I often say that egg white in a sour is optional, but in this case, I urge you not to skip it. Without it, this tastes a lot like an Aperol margarita - delicious, but not distinctly a sour. The egg white adds body, a slight creamy mouthfeel, and that gorgeous foam on top. A reasonable substitute is a cocktail foamer. 

Author: Kristen Stevens