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Limoncello Spritz

The Aperol Spritz with a sun upgrade. Limoncello, prosecco, soda, fresh lemon. Bright, citrussy, properly Italian. Drinks like sunshine in a wine glass and adds zero pretension to the patio.

A Limoncello Spritz in a large stemmed wine glass, pale lemon-yellow sparkling drink over ice, fresh lemon wheel and mint sprig garnish, dark bar background.

Limoncello Spritz Cocktail Recipe

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Calories: 114kcal
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
The Limoncello Spritz is what Italians drink when the Aperol feels too serious. Prosecco, ice-cold limoncello, a splash of soda, a lemon wheel, a slap of mint. That is the whole drink. Bright, sweet-tart, bubbly, and built for the hottest afternoon you can find. It photographs beautifully and it drinks even better.
This is not a cocktail that requires skill. It requires the right glass (a big balloon wine glass), genuinely cold limoncello (keep it in the fridge, ideally the freezer), and a willingness to stop trying so hard. Pour, garnish, sit down.

Ingredients

  • 3 oz Prosecco Well chilled
  • 2 oz Limoncello Chilled from the fridge
  • 1 oz Soda Water Chilled
  • 1 Lemon Wheel For garnish
  • 1 Mint Sprig Fresh, for garnish

Instructions

Chill the Glass:

  • Pop a large wine glass or balloon glass in the freezer for a few minutes.

Build in the Glass:

  • Fill the chilled wine glass with clean ice cubes, right to the top.

Pour:

  • Add 2 oz of chilled limoncello, then 3 oz of Prosecco poured gently over the back of a bar spoon so you keep the bubbles alive.

Top:

  • Splash 1 oz of cold soda water over the top for the final lift.

Garnish:

  • Slide a fresh lemon wheel between the ice cubes. Slap a mint sprig between your palms to wake up the oils, then tuck it in next to the lemon. Serve immediately.

Notes

Limoncello goes in the freezer. Traditional Italian limoncello is served straight from the freezer as a digestivo. For a spritz you want it seriously cold, because the warmer it is, the sweeter it tastes. A bottle of limoncello will not freeze solid at normal freezer temperatures (the sugar and alcohol prevent it), so just leave it there.
Pick a proper limoncello. The cheap $10 bottles taste like lemon cleaning product. Spend $25-$30 on Pallini, Villa Massa, Don Ciccio, or any actual Italian brand and the drink transforms. If you can find one from the Amalfi Coast, even better.
Big glass, lots of ice. This is a dilution-friendly drink. A tall balloon wine glass filled with ice cubes is the right move: it keeps the whole thing cold right to the last sip, and the ice slowly waters down the limoncello's sweetness as you drink. Small glass and small ice and it is too sweet, too fast.
Slap the mint, do not just drop it. Mint has most of its aromatic oils on the leaf surface. Putting it in whole and intact wastes it. Slap the sprig between your palms once or twice (not hard enough to bruise the leaves) and the oils release, making the drink smell like a garden.
Limoncello Spritz vs Aperol Spritz. The Aperol Spritz is the orange, bitter, aperitivo classic. The Limoncello Spritz is its sunnier, sweeter cousin. Same Prosecco-plus-liqueur-plus-soda template, different flavour arc. If you find Aperol too bitter or herbal, you will probably prefer this one. If you find limoncello too sweet by itself, the soda and ice calm it right down.
When to drink it. Summer. Afternoon sun. Pre-dinner on a terrace. Italian holidays you are only pretending to be on. Never, ever in winter.

Estimated Nutrition:

Calories: 114kcal (6%)Carbohydrates: 7g (2%)Sugar: 7g (8%)
CourseBeverage, Cocktail, Drinks
CuisineBeverage, Cocktail, Drinks
KeywordBeverage Recipe, Cocktail Recipe, Drink Recipe

Where it came from

Limoncello traces to the Amalfi coast and has been a digestif there for at least 200 years. The Spritz format (sparkling wine + a bittersweet aperitivo + soda) is a modern Italian convention. Mashing them together happened naturally in southern Italian beach bars in the 2010s, and the drink crossed the Atlantic by 2018.

The summer 2023 European travel season turned it into a global menu staple. Now it’s on basically every Italian restaurant cocktail list.

What it tastes like

Sweet lemon up front from the Limoncello, dry sparkling wine in the middle, light fizz on the finish, fresh lemon zest aroma over the top. Brighter and more straightforwardly sweet than the Aperol Spritz – less bitter, more dessert-adjacent.

Lemons grow in Sicily for a reason. This drink puts them all to work.

The technique

Build in a wine glass over ice. 60ml limoncello, 90ml prosecco, splash of soda water, fresh lemon wheel garnish. Stir once, gently, with a bar spoon.

Cold ingredients matter. Both Limoncello and prosecco should be straight from the fridge or the freezer – room-temperature Limoncello is too sweet.

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Ingredient Spotlight

The bottles that make or break this drink.

Limoncello

What it is
Italian lemon liqueur, around 30% ABV, made by steeping lemon zest in alcohol then sweetening with sugar syrup. The good stuff comes from Sorrento or the Amalfi coast.
Why we use it here
Defining ingredient. Without Limoncello it is just lemon-flavoured prosecco.
Drink Lab pick
Pallini Limoncello (widely available, consistent quality). If you can find a small-producer Sorrento Limoncello, even better.
Substitute
You can’t really. The drink is named after the Limoncello.

Prosecco

What it is
Italian sparkling wine, made from Glera grapes. Brut or Extra Dry for this drink.
Why we use it here
Provides the fizz and the dryness. Stops the Limoncello from being syrupy.
Drink Lab pick
Whatever your bottle shop has under $15.
Substitute
Cava, Cremant, or any dry sparkling wine. Skip Asti or Moscato (too sweet).

Variations

Spritz family , what to make next.

Aperol Spritz

Aperol Spritz

Mother’s Day Spritz

Mother’s Day Spritz

Hibiscus Spritz

Hibiscus Spritz

Grapefruit Rosemary Spritz

Grapefruit Rosemary Spritz

Kombucha Spritz

Kombucha Spritz

What if I don’t have…

Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.

No Limoncello?

You’re making a different drink. Lemon syrup + vodka is the closest fake.

No prosecco?

Cava or Cremant. Avoid sweet sparkling wines.

No fresh lemon?

Skip the garnish – the limoncello carries the lemon.

No soda water?

Skip it. The drink works without.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.

What is in a Limoncello Spritz?
60ml Limoncello, 90ml prosecco, a splash of soda water, served over ice in a wine glass with a fresh lemon wheel. Built, stirred once.
Is a Limoncello Spritz strong?
Light. ABV around 8-10% in the glass.
What does a Limoncello Spritz taste like?
Sweet lemon, dry sparkling wine, light fizz, fresh lemon zest aroma. Brighter and sweeter than an Aperol Spritz.
Can you make a Limoncello Spritz without prosecco?
Yes – any dry sparkling wine works. Cava is the most common substitute.
What glass should you serve a Limoncello Spritz in?
A large wine glass, not a flute. The aromatics need surface area.
Can you make a non-alcoholic Limoncello Spritz?
Yes. Use a non-alcoholic limoncello (Lyre’s makes one) and a non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Same idea, no booze.
DL
From the Drink Lab catalogue

Drink Lab has been collecting cocktail recipes since 2013. Some we wrote ourselves, plenty came in from readers, and the rest got passed across a bar somewhere along the way.

Last updated April 26, 2026 · 1 min read

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