Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Amaretto Sour
A beautifully balanced, frothy cocktail that rescues the Amaretto Sour from its overly sweet 1980s reputation. Uses fresh lemon and egg white for a velvety texture.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Servings
- 1
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 1 serving
- Amaretto liqueur (high quality)
- Bourbon (cask proof, optional but highly recommended)
- fresh lemon juice
- simple syrup
- egg white (pasteurized)
- Angostura bitters
- Amarena cherry (for garnish)
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Jigger
- Strainer
- Coupe glass
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Glass
Chill a coupe glass or a rocks glass in the freezer.
- 2
Measure Amaretto
Pour 1.5 oz (45ml) of high-quality Amaretto into a cocktail shaker.
- 3
The Secret Ingredient
Add 0.75 oz (22ml) of Bourbon. (This cuts the cloying sweetness of the Amaretto and gives the drink much-needed structure).
- 4
Add Citrus
Add 1 oz (30ml) of freshly squeezed, strained lemon juice.
- 5
Add Syrup
Add a bar-spoon (just a dash) of simple syrup. (Adjust based on how sweet your Amaretto is).
- 6
Add Egg White
Add the white of one fresh egg (or 1 oz of pasteurized egg white) to the shaker.
- 7
Dry Shake
Seal the shaker without ice. Shake violently for 15 seconds. This emulsifies the egg white and creates the thick foam.
- 8
Wet Shake
Open the shaker, fill it with ice, and shake vigorously again for 10 seconds to chill and dilute.
- 9
Double Strain
Double strain (using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer) into your chilled glass. A thick white foam should settle on top.
- 10
Garnish
Place a few drops of Angostura bitters on the foam, and drop a rich, dark Amarena cherry into the glass. Serve.
Cooking Tips
- The 'dry shake' (shaking without ice first) is the absolute key to achieving a thick, meringue-like foam on top of the drink.
- Do not use cheap, artificially flavored Amaretto, as it will ruin the cocktail.
Variations
- Vegan Amaretto Sour: Substitute the egg white with aquafaba (chickpea water) for an identical foam.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- While popular in America, the addition of the overproof bourbon (the 'Morgenthaler method') elevates it to a world-class cocktail.
Nutrition Estimate
190 calories · 3g protein · 18g carbs · 0g fat · 0g fiber per serving
