Limoncello Spritz {Easy, Authentic Limoncello & Prosecco Cocktail}

Limoncello Spritz is a Southern Italian spin on the world famous Venetian Spritz cocktail.

It is made with soda water, Limoncello and Prosecco sparkling white wine.

Limoncello Spritz is usually enjoyed as a pre-dinner, low alcohol drink and designed to quench thirst and spark appetite.

Sparkling, citrusy and perfectly chilled it’s a perfect summer cocktail that you can make with store-bought or your own homemade Limoncello.

But have you ever wondered, what a so famous Italian Spritz cocktail actually is?

What is a Spritz Cocktail

Spritz cocktail is one the most famous pre-dinner cocktails usually slowly sipped between 6 and 8 pm and accompanied with a few delicious snacks.

During summer time it’s also common to drink Spritz Cocktail at noon time, before lunch as it’s super thirst quenching and refreshing.

Conversely to what happens with any other cocktail, the ingredient that makes any Spritz a Spritz is not a spirit, but sparkling water (soda water).

The name “spritz” comes from the German verb spritzen (to spray) and was given by Austrian soldiers to the mixture of wine and water they used to drink when they were stationed in Venice, at the time the House of Habsburgs role on it.

This early Spritz Cocktail dates back the XVIII and the XIX centuries.

Adding a bitter aperitif is a trend spread in the Twenties of XX century. Although nobody knows who was the first to do it, that’s what gave birth to the number of Spritz recipes we know nowadays.

Regardless of the chosen aperitif, nowadays Spritz is – or should be – made by two parts of aperitif liquor and three parts of Prosecco, plus a spray (one part or so) of soda water.

The sparkling wine from Conegliano had probably replaced still wine in the area of Treviso in the postwar period and had then spread from there.

The availability of very cheap Prosecco makes it useless, today, to replace it with still wine, unless one wants to create a cocktail more similar to the one consumed during the Belle Epoque.

Spritz Veneziano – Authentic Venetian Spritz Cocktail

Most commonly used aperitif liquor is Aperol, a bitter originally produced in Padova by Barbieri family since 1880.

Nowadays it is the standard ingredient for “Spritz veneziano” according to the IBA (International Bartenders Association) recipe.

Select liquor, on the other hand, is the Venice-born aperitif, created by Pilli brothers in 1920, which is considered, by people living on the lagoon, the only right ingredient for a “real” Venetian Spritz.

In addition to these three historical aperitifs, Spritz can be made with other liqueurs, such as Cynar (artichoke-based aperitif, created in Italy, too) or any herbal-based “amaro”.

Campari is a less traditional ingredient, being this aperitif born in Novara, but it is far more common than Select and even more popular than Aperol in some areas, such as Northwesterly regions like Lombardy and Piedmont.

Spritz Cocktail Variations

In addition to three historical aperitifs (Aperol, Select and Campari) Spritz can be made with other liqueurs, such as Cynar (artichoke-based aperitif, created in Italy, too) or any herbal-based “amaro”.

Limoncello Spritz is less known but very popular summer cocktail in Southern Italy.

Due to its refreshing and thirst quenching qualities it’s one of the perfect drinks for hot season.

Limoncello Spritz Ingredients

Just as any Spritz cocktail Limoncello Spritz is made with Prosecco (sparkling wine) and club soda or soda water. Liqueur is the ingredient that defines the exact Spritz cocktail.

For Limoncello Spritz you need, obviously, Limoncello.

How To Make Limoncello Spritz

Fill glass with the ice cubes.

Pour in Limoncello and Prosecco. 

Top with soda water and stir.

Garnish with basil or mint leaves and serve.

Snacks To Serve With Limoncello Spritz

Aperitif, an Italian Happy Hour if you will, are hardly ever complicated. And that’s the beauty of it.

You can always have them ready in the pantry and serve even when you have unexpected guests for the happy hour.

Some of the most popular snacks:

1. Pretzel snacks
2. Salted peanuts or pistachios
3. Potato chips
4. Green olives
5. A few types of hard cheese
6. Cured meats.

If you’re preparing an aperitif in advance you can always add to the above traditional Ligurian Focaccia Bread or these delicious Mini Pizza Bites (made from scratch or with a store bought dough).

Love Limoncello Spritz?

Try also Limoncello Martini or one of these 12 Easy & Delicious Limoncello Cocktails you can make with minimal ingredients.

Looking for a non-alcoholic, thirst quenching citrus drink?
Try Limonata – delicious bubbly homemade lemonade!

Full Recipe

Cheers & Salute!