These Limoncello cocktails are delicious mixed drinks that you can easily prepare at home with Limoncello liqueur.
You can make them using store-bought Limoncello or make your own using authentic Italian homemade limoncello recipe!
Whether you're looking for refreshing Limoncello cocktails for summer parties or delicious Limoncello drinks you can easily make at home for holiday gatherings, you'll now have a great selection to choose from.
These cocktails are perfect to make for holidays any time of the year, but they’re an absolute must during hot summer season. You can make them for parties, BBQs and simply enjoy on your patio or on a balcony on a hot summer evening.
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What is Limoncello?
Limoncello is a lemon liqueur from Southern Italy, Campagna region to be precise. It’s also very popular all over the world for its unique citrus taste. It is very thirst-quenching and perfect for cooling off during hot summer days.
Italians usually store it in their freezer and drink it cold after meals for its digestive qualities. That’s why Limoncello is part of the digestive drinks family.
But its sweet flavor and citrus aromas also make it a perfect ingredient for many long drinks.
Over time, many bartenders and amateurs have invented cocktails with Limoncello that are now famous throughout Southern Italy and beyond.
Can You Make Limoncello At Home?
Of course! In fact, it’s super easy to make. In my step-by-step limoncello recipe you’ll find detailed instructions with pictures how to make limoncello from scratch.
There you’ll also find recipe calculations for different types of alcohol proof so as different sizes of alcohol bottles.
12 Limoncello Cocktails To Try
Many of these drinks are Limoncello variants of already famous cocktails, such as Mojito, Margarita, and Martini.
But they're all easy and quick to make.
For some of them you'll need a cocktail shaker, a muddler, and a filter but others don't require any special tools whatsoever.
For you convenience, I've divided them between those you can make in a few minutes without any special tools, and those that require simple bartender equipment.
Here goes a list of twelve Limoncello Cocktails that you can use to impress your guests and indulge yourself.
All ingredients indicated are for 1 serving.
Easy Limoncello Cocktails {Without Any Equipment}
You don't have to be an expert to make good drinks.
And if you’re all about simplicity and flavor here are four delicious limoncello cocktails that are super easy and quick to make.
All you have to do is fill your serving glass with ice, pour Limoncello and a few more simple ingredients.
If you’re looking for a little more sophistication skip the first section and see Limoncello drinks to prepare with a cocktail shaker further below.
Limoncello & Tonic
This is a super refreshing, tangy drink you won't be able to resist. It's also the easiest cocktail with limoncello that you can make at home is a variant of the more popular Gin Tonic.
It requires no special tools or mixing techniques. It can easily serve it in in a tumbler glass or tall water glass.
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Limoncello
- 3 parts tonic water
- 1-2 wedges of lemon juice
- ice
- fresh thyme or rosemary sprig or basil for garnishing
Method:
Fill tumbler glass with ice cubes. Pour in Limoncello liqueur, then tonic water.
Squeeze one or two wedges of lemon juice. Depending on your personal preference but keep in mind that you should feel lemon acidity and flavor well. That’s the characteristic of this cocktails.
Finally, take thyme sprig or rosemary sprig and rub it lightly with your hands. This will make them release their essential oils and aromas. Add them to your drink and mix everything with a spoon.
If you want to make your Limoncello Tonic Cocktails a little bit stronger you can add 1 to 2 parts of your favorite. Gin.
Limoncello Peach Mango Cocktail
This is my personal favorite. This Limoncello cocktail is pleasantly sweet and well balanced between citrus and fruity flavors. Peach and mango juice mix pairs magically with zesty Limoncello.
You can also try only peach or only mango juice and see how you like it.
Ingredients:
- 3 parts Limoncello
- 2 parts Peach Mango juice (use 3 parts for stronger cocktail)
- 1 lemon slice
- ice
- fresh mint leaves for garnishing
Method: In a tall glass add a lemon slice and fill ¾ with the ice.
Pour in Limoncello and peach mango juice. Mix well with a spoon, and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Limoncello Sunrise
Classic sunrise cocktails with a Limoncello twist is absolutely irresistable for all citrus cocktail lover.
You don't need any specail equipment to make it. It turns out super light so feel free to add extra part of Limoncello for a stronger taste.
Ingredients:
- 1 part Limoncello
- 3 parts fresh-squeezed orange juice
- splash of Grenadine
- ice
- orange slice and a maraschino cherryfor garnishing
Method: Add the ice to a tall glass. Pour in the Limoncello and orange juice. Add a splash of Grenadine. Garnish with a fresh orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
Limoncello Spritz
Limoncello Spritz is a Southern Italian spin of the world famous Venetian Spritz cocktail. Sparkling, citrucy and perfectly chilled it’s a perfect summer cocktail that you can easily make at home in 2 minutes flat.
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Limoncello
- 3 parts Prosecco
- 1 part Club Soda
- ice
- basil leaves or mint leaves and a slice of lemon to garnishing
Method:
Fill a glass of any kind with the ice cubes, then add the ingredients and stir lightly. Garnish with mint leaves (or any ingredient of your choice) and serve.
Simple, fresh, and super tasty.
Limoncello Drinks To Make In a Cocktail Shaker
The following cocktails with limoncello use simple ingredients but require basic cocktail shaker set.
You'll only need a muddler, a cocktail shaker, and a strainer.
Whatever your taste is, you'll certainly find a limoncello cocktail for you.
In the list of cocktail ideas below you'll find limoncello and vodka pairing as main alcohol ingredients, so as drinks made wiht limoncello and rum, limoncello and tequilla and of course gin lovers will find a perfect limoncello cocktail for them.
Strawberry Limoncello Caipiroska {Caipiroska Amalfitana}
Caipiroska is a drink that is well suited to be flavored with fruits or fruit syrups of any kind. Surely you have tasted strawberry or mango Caipiroska somewhere before. And what about some Caipiroska with limoncello?
Ingredients:
- ½ organic lemon
- 1 + ⅔ oz limoncello (50 ml)
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 5 or 6 strawberries
- coarsely crushed ice
- 2 tablespoon strawberry syrup (optional)
Method: Start by washing and cutting the lemon into small slices, which you'll add to a tumbler glass along with the sugar. Crush everything well with a muddler until you’ve squeezed all the juice out, set the glass aside.
Wash and pat dry the strawberries with a paper towel.
Remove the stem and cut them into small cubes. Add the cubes to the tumbler glass with the lemon juice and crush them vigorously. Press down firmly and then twist your wrist to make sure you crush the strawberries just right.
Finally, add crushed ice until the glass is full and pour in the limoncello. If you wish, you can add a little strawberry syrup to flavor your drink - but be careful not to cover up the taste of the limoncello!
Now, all you have to do is mix everything with a bar spoon and garnish with a few lemon slices or a strawberry. Enjoy!
Limoncello Cucumber Cooler
This Limoncello Cucumber Cooler is as refreshing as it sounds!
Due to fresh cucumber and limoncello paired with rum and club soda it’s thirst quenching must-sip for hot summer days.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ part limoncello
- 1 part rum
- 4–5 cucumber slices
- club soda
- ice
Method: Add limoncello, rum, and cucumbers to a cocktail shaker.
Muddle cucumber well. Shake and strain over ice.
Top with club soda and stir gently. Garnish with cucumber slice and lemon twist.
Amalfito Cocktail
How about a Mojito with limoncello or Limoncello Mojito if you would.
In Campagna region of Southern Italy it’s known as Amalfito cocktail inspired by a famous cuban counterpart.
Its name is a homage to the Coast of Amalfi, one of the birthplaces of limoncello.
Like Limoncello Spritz, this drink is perfect for hot summer afternoons.
Ingredients:
- 1 + ⅓ oz light rum (40 ml)
- ⅔ oz lime juice (20 ml)
- 1 oz limoncello (30 ml)
- soda water to taste
- 2 drops of Angostura bitter (optional)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 8 mint leaves
- ice
Method:
Place the mint leaves in a tumbler glass with brown sugar and lime juice.
Crush them very lightly with a muddler or pestle to extract the essential oils.
Add the white rum and limoncello, stir gently. Then add two drops of Angostura and ice. Finally, fill the glass with soda.
Limoncello Gin Cocktail
For all gin lovers out there, here’s another easy cocktail with limoncello. To make this one, you’ll need a Boston shaker (a two-piece cocktail shaker made with a mixing glass and a metal tin), a muddler, and a strainer.
Ingredients:
- 1 part limoncello
- 2 parts gin
- ½ part fresh lime juice
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme - plus more to garnish
- Splash of soda water - (optional)
- ice
Method: Add the fresh thyme to a cocktail shaker and muddle gently. Add the gin, limoncello, and fresh lime juice.
Fill with ice and stir thoroughly until cold. Strain into a glass filled with ice and top with bubble water, if desired.
Garnish with fresh thyme and lime or lemon wheels or wedges. that, pour in the Limoncello and Gin.
Raspberry Limoncello Cocktail
Raspberries and Limoncello are a match made in heaven. It's one of the most flavorful, refreshing and bright cocktails you can make with your favorite Limoncello liquore, vodka and splash of fresh lemon juice.
Ingredients:
- 1 part limoncello
- 1 part vodka
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 5 fresh raspberries
- club soda
- ice cubes
Method:
Place raspberries in a cocktail shaker or mixing glass and muddle. Fill shaker with ice. Add remaining ingredients and shake vigorously.
Strain into cocktail glass filled with ice.
Top with club soda and garnish with a lemon wedge and more raspberries.
Limoncello Cranberry Cosmo
The list would not be complete without this staple feminine drink. It looks fancy but, man it's strong. It's flavor is rich and complex but it's really easy to make.
It's chilled but you have to drink it slowly enjoying every sip.
Ingredients:
- 1 part limoncello
- 2 parts vodka
- 2 parts cranberry juice
- sugar for the rim
- ice
- Grenadine for sweeter cocktail (optional)
- Fresh cranberries and lemon slice for garnish
Method: Start by preparing a sugar rim. Using fresh lemon wedge rub the rim of your martini glass. Pour a good amount of sugar onto a flat plate then dip the lemon-rubbed rim into the sugar until it is well covered with sugar.
In a cocktail shake add ice, vodka, limoncello, and cranberry juice and shake virgorously. If you prefer a sweeter cosmo, add a splash of grenadine too. Strain into your sugar-rimmed glass, garnish by floating a fresh (or frozen) cranberries and a lemon twist.
Visit MightyMrs for detailed recipe and learn how to make an easy lemon twist for garnishing.
Limoncello Margarita
Margarita is the quintessential pre-dinner cocktail. It's usually made with tequila, lime juice, and triple sec. This time, we're replacing the latter with limoncello.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 3 oz tequila (30 ml)
- 3 oz of Limoncello (30 ml)
- 3 oz of fresh lemon juice (30 ml)
- 3 oz fresh lime juice (30 ml)
- 2 tablespoons agave or another sweetener of your choice
- Soda (optional)
- Lemon slices for garnish
Method: Combine lemon zest with salt in a flat small dish. Then, run a lemon wedge around the rim of a Martini glass. Margarita actually has its own kind of glasses, but not many people have them in their houses, so any long stem glass will do.
Dip the glass into the mix you just made. This way, the salt and lemon zest will stick to its rim forming the typical Margarita garnish.
After that, take a shaker and add ice, tequila, limoncello, lemon juice, lime juice, and agave in the quantities specified above.
Shake it all, then strain it into the Martini glass and, if you wish, top it off with some soda water. Finish garnishing with a lemon wedge, and enjoy your drink.
Save them for later!
Here you have it, 12 delicious Limoncello cocktails that every Limoncello lover with appreciate. They're all special: even those that are derived from other, more traditional drinks can give you a whole new perspective on your favorite drinks.
Cheers & Salute!
Blazing Seo
The very core of your writing whilst appearing reasonable in the beginning, did not really settle very well with me personally after some time. Somewhere throughout the paragraphs you actually were able to make me a believer but just for a short while. I nevertheless have a problem with your leaps in assumptions and you would do well to fill in all those gaps. If you actually can accomplish that, I will certainly be fascinated.
Annette Crocco
Want to try different limoncello, mixers