The classic Aperol Spritz gets a holiday makeover with cranberry juice and festive garnishes that turn this Italian aperitivo into a sophisticated seasonal sipper. The cranberry adds just enough tartness and ruby color for December while keeping the drink true to its roots—light, bitter, refreshing. This is what you serve when your guests expect something better than another round of sugary cocktails.
What Is a Christmas Aperol Spritz?
Quick Answer: A Christmas Aperol Spritz is a festive variation of the classic Italian Aperol Spritz that adds cranberry juice to the traditional mix of Aperol, prosecco, and sparkling water. The cranberry brings seasonal color and tartness that complements Aperol’s bitter-orange profile without overwhelming it.
The Aperol Spritz dates back to the 1950s in Venice, though it didn’t become globally popular until Aperol’s marketing push in the early 2000s. The formula is simple—Aperol, prosecco, soda—and it became the drink of Italian summer. This Christmas version keeps that simplicity while adding just enough cranberry to feel right for winter gatherings without tasting like liquid Christmas decorations.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make a Christmas Aperol Spritz
How to Make a Christmas Aperol Spritz
- Fill a wine glass with ice. The wine glass is traditional for spritzes and gives you room for all the ingredients without overflowing.
- Pour in 2 ounces of Aperol and 1½ ounces of cranberry juice cocktail. Give it a quick stir to combine.
- Top with 3 ounces of prosecco, leaving a little room at the rim. Pour slowly so you don’t lose all the bubbles.
- Finish with 1 ounce of sparkling water. This is your last chance to adjust the drink—if it tastes too sweet or strong, add a little more soda.
- Garnish with fresh cranberries, an orange slice, and a rosemary sprig. Give the rosemary a light slap between your palms before adding it—this releases the oils and makes the aromatics more prominent.
Bartender’s Tips
- Chill Everything First: Cold ingredients mean your drink stays cold longer without getting watered down. Put the prosecco, cranberry juice, and sparkling water in the fridge a few hours before mixing.
- Adjust the Bitterness: If your guests find this too bitter, add another half-ounce of cranberry juice or an extra splash of sparkling water. Taste and adjust again if needed. Some people need a little more sweetness to appreciate Aperol.
- Make It a Batch: For parties, mix the Aperol and cranberry juice in a pitcher ahead of time and keep it chilled. When guests arrive, pour about 3½ ounces of the mix into each ice-filled glass, then top with prosecco and sparkling water. This keeps you from playing bartender all night.
- Try Pomegranate Instead: Swap the cranberry juice for pomegranate juice if you want something slightly less tart with deeper, more complex fruit notes. The color will be darker but equally festive.
- Skip the Rosemary if You Must: The rosemary adds holiday character, but if you don’t have it, the drink still works. A sage leaf makes an interesting substitute if you want to keep the herbal element.
How to Serve This Christmas Aperol Spritz
Serve in a wine glass filled with ice. A rocks glass or stemless wine glass works too.
This works best as a pre-dinner drink when guests arrive. The bitter-sweet profile stimulates the appetite, and the low alcohol content (around 8-9% ABV) means people can have two without getting sloppy. Pair with Italian antipasti—prosciutto, aged cheeses, olives.
More Cocktail Recipes
Try our Fall Aperol Spritz Recipe, Spritz Cocktails Category, or our Negroni for more Italian-inspired drinks.
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Christmas Aperol Spritz
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Aperol
- 1½ ounces cranberry juice cocktail
- 3 ounces prosecco
- 1 ounce sparkling water or club soda
- fresh cranberries for garnish
- orange slice for garnish
- rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a wine glass with ice. Pour in Aperol and cranberry juice.
- Top with prosecco, leaving a little room at the rim.
- Finish the drink with sparkling water.
- Garnish with cranberries, orange slice and rosemary sprig.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Mix the Aperol and cranberry juice in a pitcher and keep it chilled. When guests arrive, pour about 3½ ounces of the mix into each ice-filled glass, then top with prosecco and sparkling water. This keeps the bubbles intact and saves you from making individual drinks all night.
Add an extra half-ounce of cranberry juice or a larger splash of sparkling water. Taste and adjust until you find the right balance. Some people need a little more sweetness to appreciate the bitter-orange profile, and that’s completely fine.
Any dry sparkling wine works. Cava or a dry French sparkling wine will give you similar results. Just avoid anything too sweet—you want the wine to add effervescence and a little dryness, not more sugar.
A short rocks glass or stemless wine glass works fine. You just want something that holds enough ice and shows off the color. The traditional wine glass is nice but not essential.
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