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Home » Drinks & Cocktails » Aperol Margarita

September 22, 2020

Aperol Margarita

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orange cocktail in a rocks glass filled with crushed ice

Two beloved cocktails—Aperol Spritz and Margarita—come together to create the Aperol Margarita, a fun and refreshing cocktail that’s as delicious as it is stunning!

orange colored aperol margarita  in a rocks glass filled with crushed ice

Inspiration for the Aperol Margarita

This Aperol Margarita has a bit if a tiki flare to it thanks to it’s gorgeous color and mild almond flavor. It’s inspired by a drink called the Dead Man’s Handle from Miss Carousel in Houston. At Miss Carousel, the drink is made with tequila blanco, Aperol, lime juice, orgeat and Tajin. I stayed pretty close to the original version, but instead of orgeat (an almond syrup which proves to be harder to find than you might think) I use a quick almond simple syrup that’s to die for.

If you can find orgeat, by all means, use that! I just figured if it was a struggle for me to find it, it might be a struggle for you as well. Plus, the almond simple syrup is SO easy and made with pantry ingredients.

grid of step shots showing the process of making an aperol margarita
orange cocktail in a rocks glass filled with crushed ice

What you’ll need for this margarita

  • Aperol
  • Orgeat or homemade almond syrup (sugar, almond extract, orange blossom water)
  • Tequila Blanco
  • Limes
  • Crushed Ice
  • Tajín or margarita salt
  • Rocks glasses
  • Cocktail shaker
orange cocktail in a rocks glass filled with crushed ice

What is Aperol?

Aperol is an Italian apéritif that’s low in alcohol content and is both slightly sweet and slightly bitter with notes of both orange and rhubarb. It’s the main ingredient in the Aperol Spritz, but that’s not the only cocktail you can use it in!

5 cocktail recipes that use Aperol

  • Classic Aperol Spritz
  • Basil Daisy
  • Paper Plane
  • The Amen Corner (similar to a paper plane)
  • Waterproof Watch (twist on the negroni)

Not into the Aperol Spritz? You’re not alone.

Cocktail recipes you may also like…

  • Rhubarb Margarita
  • Chocolate Orange Negroni
  • Charred Jalapeño Margarita
  • Blood Orange & Ginger Boston Sour
orange-colored aperol margarita cocktail in a rocks glass filled with crushed ice

Make sure to tag me @ZESTFULKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM or tag #zestfulkitchen on social media if you make a recipe! 

And if you’re a cocktail lover like I am, be sure to follow along on Instagram where every Friday I share a new cocktail recipe!

Don’t forget, if you make this Aperol Margarita, leave a comment and rating below!

To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can click the button on any of the photos, or the red button on the bar below the recipe. Cheers!

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orange cocktail in a rocks glass filled with crushed ice

Aperol Margarita

  • Author: Lauren Grant
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cocktails 1x
  • Category: Drinks
  • Method: Stove top
  • Cuisine: Italian
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Description

Two beloved cocktails—Aperol Spritz and Margarita—come together to create a fun and refreshing cocktail that’s as delicious as it is stunning!


Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces blanco tequila
  • 1 ½ ounces Aperol
  • 1 ounces fresh lime juice
  • 1 ounces almond syrup (or orgeat)
  • Crushed ice
  • Tajín, for garnish

Almond Simple Syrup:

  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon orange blossom water

Instructions

Fill two rocks glasses or stemless tulip glasses with crushed ice. Add tequila, Aperol, lime juice, and almond syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, secure lid, and shake vigorously until thoroughly. Strain margaritas into prepared glasses. Finish with a light sprinkle of Tajin and enjoy!

For the syrup, bring sugar and water to a simmer in a small saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Off heat, stir in almond extract and orange water; let cool.


Equipment

shot glass

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rocks glasses

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cocktail shaker

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Notes

If you like your cocktails more tart than sweet, start with a little less of the syrup and adjust as needed by preference. 


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cocktail
  • Calories: 185
  • Sugar: 7g
  • Sodium: 0mg
  • Fat: 0g
  • Saturated Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 14g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 0g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: Aperol cocktail, aperol margarita

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below and tag @zestfulkitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #zestfulkitchen!

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Filed Under: Drinks & Cocktails, Recipes, Summer

About Lauren Grant

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

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I'm Lo, a professionally trained Culinary Food Scientist, Journalist, and former food magazine editor. I'm all
about cooking healthy-ish—aka healthy recipes that don't sacrifice on flavor. I'm here to help you find confidence in the kitchen and LOVE what you eat.

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