The Amaretto Sour is a delicious cocktail made with amaretto, citrus juice, and sweet & sour mix. Amaretto is an almond-flavored Italian liqueur that lends a sweet nuttiness to cocktails. In an Amaretto Sour, the amaretto is shaken with lemon juice and sweet & sour mix to create a refreshing, slightly tart drink.
If you enjoy the almond and citrus flavors in an Amaretto Sour, there are several other cocktails that have a similar taste profile. In this article, we will explore alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options that can satisfy your craving when you want something reminiscent of an Amaretto Sour. We will outline the key characteristics that define an Amaretto Sour, then suggest cocktails that mirror those traits using comparable ingredients. Read on to discover close cousins of the Amaretto Sour!
Defining Attributes of an Amaretto Sour
An Amaretto Sour is characterized primarily by these key qualities:
- Sweet, almond-like flavor from amaretto
- Citrus tartness from lemon juice
- Sweet/tart balance from sweet & sour mix
- Light golden color
- Frothy, fizzy texture when shaken
Any cocktails that feature almond liqueur, lemon or lime juice, a sweetener, and light mixing or shaking will mimic an Amaretto Sour in many respects. The sweet nutty amaretto is the star, but the lemon brightens it up with a zesty citrus bite. Let’s look at some options that can sub in for an Amaretto Sour using comparable ingredients.
Almond Joy Cocktail
The Almond Joy cocktail is made by substituting coconut rum for the standard amaretto. It has a similar almond-forward flavor as the amaretto, plus a touch of coconut sweetness.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz coconut rum
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
To make an Almond Joy cocktail, just shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel. The coconut rum provides plenty of sweet almond taste, while the lemon juice balances it out with bright acidity. It captures the amaretto flavor with a tropical twist.
Almond Chi Chi
The Almond Chi Chi swaps amaretto for malibu rum, another coconut-flavored liquor. Pineapple juice is also added to complement the tropical vibe.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz malibu rum
- 1 oz amaretto
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- 1 oz cream of coconut
Shake all ingredients with ice and pour into a glass. Garnish with pineapple wedge. The cream of coconut adds a silky texture, while pineapple juice provides a fruity sweetness. With the malibu rum and amaretto, it has layers of almond and coconut flavor.
Amaretto Colada
As you can tell, amaretto pairs deliciously with coconut! The Amaretto Colada highlights this combination by blending amaretto with coconut milk and rum for a creamy cocktail reminiscent of a Pina Colada.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz amaretto
- 1 oz white rum
- 3 oz coconut milk
- 1 oz pineapple juice
Blend all the ingredients with ice. Pour into a chilled glass and garnish with pineapple wedge. The coconut milk makes it rich and frothy like an Amaretto Sour. Pineapple juice contributes some fruity acidity to balance the sweetness.
Amaretto Stone Sour
A Stone Sour is typically made with whiskey and lemon juice. An Amaretto Stone Sour subs in amaretto to give it that signature almond character.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz amaretto
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- Orange slice for garnish
Shake the amaretto, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange slice. The lemon juice provides plenty of tartness to balance the amaretto’s sweetness.
Amaretto Fizz
For an Amaretto Sour with some fizz, try an Amaretto Fizz. This frothy cocktail adds sparkling wine to the standard Amaretto Sour recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz amaretto
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 2 oz sparkling wine
Build the amaretto, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a glass filled with ice. Top with sparkling wine and gently stir. The bubbles give it an effervescent texture, while retaining the Amaretto Sour’s signature flavors.
Amaretto Rickey
A Rickey is a lively cocktail made with liquor, lime juice, and soda water. An Amaretto Rickey naturally has a similar refreshing taste to the Amaretto Sour.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz amaretto
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- Soda water
- Lime wedge for garnish
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add amaretto and lime juice. Top with soda water and stir gently. Garnish with a lime wedge. The sweet amaretto and bitter lime make a well-balanced duo. The soda water gives it some fizzy effervescence.
Jamaican Sour
For an Amaretto Sour riff with some tropical island flair, try the Jamaican Sour made with rum and orgeat syrup.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz white rum
- 1 oz golden rum
- 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz orgeat syrup
- Orange twist for garnish
Orgeat syrup has a sweet almond taste, so it stands in for the amaretto nicely here. Shake everything except orange twist with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with the orange twist. Lime juice gives it some zing, while the blended rums offer depth.
Substitute with Frangelico
For an easy amaretto alternative, use frangelico in an Amaretto Sour instead. Frangelico is another nutty, almond-flavored liqueur from Italy. The two liquors have a very similar taste profile, so frangelico makes a seamless sub. Simply replace the amaretto with an equal amount of frangelico to yield a “Frangelico Sour” that drinks much like an Amaretto Sour.
Non-Alcoholic Amaretto Sour Alternatives
If you want to enjoy the flavors of an Amaretto Sour without the alcohol, try one of these refreshing non-alcoholic options:
Almond Cherry Italian Soda
Italian sodas are a delicious way to mimic cocktails by combining flavored syrups with soda water. For an Amaretto Sour mocktail, mix almond and cherry syrups with lemon juice and soda water. The almond and tart cherry create similar nutty, fruity flavors. Fizzy soda water gives it that light, frothy texture.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz almond syrup
- 1 oz tart cherry syrup
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 4 oz soda water
Build syrups and lemon juice over ice in a tall glass. Top with soda water and stir lightly to mix. Garnish with a cherry if desired.
Almond Milk Lemonade
For an incredibly simple Amaretto Sour alternative, mix almond milk with fresh lemon juice and sugar. The almond milk provides nutty richness, while the lemon adds zesty citrus flavor. Sweeten to taste with sugar. For an extra touch, rim the glass with toasted almonds.
Ingredients:
- 4 oz almond milk
- 2 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 oz sugar
- Toasted almonds for rimming (optional)
Add desired amount of sugar to almond milk and lemon juice over ice and stir to dissolve. Rim glass with toasted almonds if desired, then pour in mocktail. Garnish with a lemon wheel or cherries.
Almond Smoothie
Blend up dairy or non-dairy milk with almond butter, banana, lemon juice, and honey for a creamy almond smoothie. The almond butter adds nuttiness while banana provides sweetness and body. A touch of lemon brightens it up.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 1 banana
- 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp honey
Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Pour into a glass and top with toasted almond slices if desired. The smooth, blended texture mimics the frothy shaken quality of an Amaretto Sour.
Conclusion
With its sweet almond flavor and zesty citrus pop, the Amaretto Sour is a cocktail that’s easy to fall in love with. Luckily, there are many options for recreating those iconic flavors in new combinations using ingredients like coconut rum, orgeat, and nutty liqueurs. Blending nut milks or almond butter with citrus creates delicious non-alcoholic versions as well. The next time you have a hankering for an Amaretto Sour, try one of these alternatives to satisfy your craving. Cheers!