Warm Amaretto Sour
A cosy warm amaretto sour, with almond-rich amaretto, fresh lemon and honey lengthened with hot water and finished with lemon and a cherry.
Ingredients
- 50 ml amaretto
- 20 ml fresh lemon juice
- 10 ml honey
- 90 ml hot water
- 1 lemon slice — for garnish
- 1 maraschino cherry — for garnish
Method
- Stir the honey with a splash of the hot water in a heatproof mug until dissolved.
- Add the amaretto and fresh lemon juice and stir to combine.
- Top up with the remaining hot, not boiling, water.
- Taste and adjust the lemon or honey to balance the sweetness.
- Garnish with a lemon slice and a maraschino cherry and serve warm.
How to serve
- Glassware
- Heatproof mug
- Serve temperature
- Warm, around 60°C
- Garnish
- Lemon slice and cherry
The amaretto sour is a sweet, almond-scented classic, and warming it through makes it feel like pudding in a mug. Lengthened with hot water and sharpened with plenty of fresh lemon, the liqueur’s marzipan richness softens into something comforting rather than cloying. It is an easy, no-fuss drink to put together when you want something a little indulgent.
Because amaretto is already sweet, the honey is there only to round the edges, so add it sparingly and let the lemon keep things lively.
Tips
Use freshly squeezed lemon juice; bottled juice tastes flat and will dull the drink. Taste before adding all the honey, as different amaretti vary in sweetness. If you prefer a longer, more spirit-led winter sour, a Hot Apple Gin works well built the same way with lemon and hot water.
Variations
A dash of Angostura bitters cuts through the sweetness beautifully and adds depth. For a nuttier, toastier profile, warm the amaretto gently with a cinnamon stick before building the drink. A float of bourbon turns it into a richer amaretto-and-whiskey warmer for colder nights.
Frequently asked questions
Is amaretto very sweet?
Amaretto is naturally sweet, so this recipe uses only a little honey and leans on fresh lemon to keep it balanced. Adjust both to taste as you build it.
Can I leave out the honey altogether?
Yes. Since amaretto is already sweet, some people prefer to skip the honey and simply balance the liqueur with lemon and hot water.
Does it have to be served warm?
This version is designed for cold nights, but the same measures shaken over ice and strained make a fine chilled amaretto sour instead.
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