This cherry spritz is bright and bubbly. It’s a simple sparkling cocktail with sweet cherry flavor, a splash of lemon, and plenty of fizz. The gorgeous red color makes it a showstopper for groups.
About this cherry spritz
The cherry spritz is a fruity sparkling cocktail made with cherry liqueur, fresh lemon juice, Prosecco, and soda water. It’s easy to make and comes together in under a minute, which makes it great for serving at parties when you don’t want to be stuck playing bartender all night.
A classic spritz (like an Aperol Spritz) typically uses a 3:2:1 ratio of Prosecco to aperitif to soda. But cherry liqueur is much sweeter than Aperol or Campari, and it doesn’t have that bitter edge to balance things out. So I’ve adjusted the ratios here and used less liqueur, more soda, and a splash of fresh lemon juice to add brightness and cut through the sweetness.
I use De Kuyper Cherry Liqueur for this. It’s easy to find and has a nice cherry flavor without being too artificial. Any sweet cherry liqueur will work, though. Just keep in mind that different brands vary in sweetness, so you might need to adjust the lemon juice accordingly.
Key ingredients and why
Method:
- In a large wine glass or spritz glass, add ice, the cherry liqueur and fresh lemon juice.
- Pour in the chilled prosecco and soda water. Stir gently to combine.
- Add fresh cherries and a sprig of mint or rosemary.
- Serve immediately while it’s cold and bubbly.
Tips
- Keep everything cold. Chill your Prosecco and soda water well before making this. Warm bubbles go flat fast.
- Stir gently. You want to combine the ingredients without knocking all the fizz out.
- Adjust the lemon to taste. If your cherry liqueur is very sweet, you might want a bit more lemon juice (up to 1/2 oz). Taste and adjust.
- Use a large wine glass. A big glass gives you room for ice, bubbles, and garnish. A spritz glass or copa glass also works well.
- Batch it for parties. Multiply the cherry liqueur and lemon juice by the number of servings and combine in a pitcher. Pour over ice in individual glasses and top with Prosecco and soda to order.
Variations
- Non-alcoholic version: Swap the cherry liqueur for cherry juice (about 2 oz) and use non-alcoholic sparkling wine or extra soda water in place of Prosecco.
- Cherry Aperol Spritz: Use half cherry liqueur and half Aperol for a version with more bitterness and complexity.
More spritz cocktails
Cherry Spritz
Ingredients
- 1 oz sweet cherry liqueur
- 1/2 oz lemon juice fresh
- 3 oz Prosecco
- 2 oz soda water
- Ice
- Garnish: Fresh cherries and/or a sprig of mint or rosemary
Instructions
- Fill a large wine glass with ice cubes.
- Pour in the cherry liqueur and lemon juice and stir gently.
- Add the Prosecco, then top with soda water. Stir lightly to combine without losing the bubbles.
- Garnish with fresh cherries or herb sprig.
Notes
- Cherry liqueur is sweeter than Aperol, so this recipe uses less liqueur and more soda than a classic spritz. The lemon juice helps balance the sweetness.
- De Kuyper Cherry Liqueur is a good, widely available option.Â
- Any dry sparkling wine works in place of Prosecco. Cava is a good budget-friendly option.
- For a non-alcoholic version, use cherry juice and non-alcoholic sparkling wine.
This looks amazing! What cherry liqueur do you use?
Hey 🙂 I used De Kuyper Cherry Liqueur 🙂