The Disaronno sour cocktail is a timeless favourite made with sweet Amaretto liqueur. In this version, a dash of bourbon creates a refined Disaronno cocktail with sweet almond notes and a refreshing citrus tang for the perfect balance of sweet & sour.
If you enjoy sours cocktails do give my rum sour a try. It's just as delicious as this cocktail.
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Why I enjoy this cocktail
- Quick & easy: Whip up this 5-ingredient Disaronno cocktail in just 5 minutes!
- Not too sweet: The inclusion of bourbon stops this Amaretto sour with Disaronno from being too sweet and adds a boozy kick to this easygoing drink.
- Not too sour: It's tangy with the tart lemon flavour balanced perfectly with the sweetness from the liqueur.
- Texture: The shaken egg white creates a velvety texture to this Disaronno cocktail.
- Good looking: The creamy foam top is impressive.
Jump to:
Often falling foul of being overly sweetened and ruined by pre-made sour mix, the Disaronno sour cocktail can get a bad press. But when made with quality ingredients, including a splash of mellow bourbon, and a cautious approach to added sweetener, it can be a true delight.
I'm not the first person to include bourbon in this classic Disaronno cocktail (credit to Jeffrey Morganthaler), but it's a welcome twist on the classic.
What is Disaronno?
Disaronno is a type of Amaretto which is an Italian liqueur renowned for having a sweet almond flavour reminiscent of marzipan. Despite those almond notes Disaronno is made from apricot kernels.
How do you drink Disaronno?
Italians often drink Disaronno after a meal as a digestif as it is quite sweet. It can be enjoyed straight (on its own), on the rocks (over ice) or mixed into coffees, hot chocolate and cocktails.
Can Disaronno be used in cooking?
Disaronno can also be the star ingredient in baking recipes such as Italian ricotta cheesecake or Italian tiramisu.
Lovers of this liqueur should take a peek at my recipes for Amaretto poached pears and Amaretto cherry jam.
Ingredients notes
Amaretto: Choose your Amaretto wisely. I prefer Disaronno for its superior flavour. Disaronno is 28% ABV but many alternatives are much lower (20%). This difference is especially important when it comes to this Amaretto sour recipe as it has been developed with a 28% Amaretto in mind.
Egg white: This creates a beautiful foamy top and enhances the cocktail's mouthfeel. If you are vegan or on an egg-free diet, you can omit it or use 30ml aquafaba (canned chickpea liquid) instead.
Citrus juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavour. I like to strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve to remove pips and pulp before adding to the shaker for a smoother drink.
Step by step instructions
- Step 1: Pour the Disaronno, bourbon (if using), lemon juice and egg white into a cocktail shaker. Do not add ice.
- Step 2: Secure the lid of the shaker and shake the cocktail hard for 30 seconds (the dry shake).
- Step 3: Now add the ice, put the lid back on and shake again for a further 30 seconds (the wet shake).
- Step 4: Strain your Disaronno cocktail into a glass, garnish with the cherries and serve immediately.
Expert tips
- Two ways to serve your Disaronno Amaretto sour:
- Opt for a sours glass (as pictured) if you do not want to serve it over ice.
- Alternatively, load a tumbler with large ice cubes and pour it in.
- Use plenty of ice: This is imperative to ensure your Disaronno cocktail is well chilled.
- Substitute cocktail shaker: If you do not own a cocktail shaker, use a large glass jar with a screwtop lid instead.
- Taste before pouring: Once it's mixed, take a sip of your Disaronno sour cocktail before pouring and adjust the flavours to suit your own requirements:
- If it's too sour, add a little sugar syrup.
- If it's too sweet, add a little more lemon and/ or bourbon.
Frequently asked questions
Sours cocktails usually include sugar syrup to soften the alcohol and citrus juice, but Amaretto's inherent sweetness renders it unnecessary for most people in this Disaronno cocktail.
If you have a very sweet tooth, it is, of course, perfectly acceptable to add sugar syrup to taste. Shake up the drink as instructed, taste it and then add in sugar syrup as required. Don't forget to reshake the cocktail if sugar syrup is added.
This cocktail is shaken twice to achieve the best texture and a creamy top using egg white. The dry shake (without ice) allows the protein in the egg white to build foam. Next, the wet shake (with ice) serves to chill & dilute the drink and strengthen the foam.
Yes! The texture of the drink will be less velvety but it will still taste delicious. Just shake all ingredients with ice, pour, and garnish with cherries.
To make the classic Disaronno amaretto sour recipe, follow the instructions above but use 60ml Amaretto, 30ml lemon juice and 20ml egg white.
I like to keep things simple by using a couple of maraschino cocktail cherries threaded onto a cocktail pick. Less is more here.
Serving suggestions
Wondering what to serve with your Disaronno sour cocktail? Try these:
More sour cocktails
The amaretto sour with Disaronno offers a relatively sweet flavour profile. If you are after a less sweet, more tangy sours cocktail, try one of these:
If you have tried this Disaronno sour recipe please give it a rating or leave a comment - I love to hear how you get along with my creations.
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📖 Recipe
Disaronno Sour
Equipment
- A cocktail shaker or a large jar with a screwtop lid
Ingredients
- 40 ml Disaronno Amaretto or alternative Amaretto liqueur with 28% abv, 2 parts
- 20 ml Bourbon 1 part
- 20 ml Lemon juice 1 part
- 20 ml Egg white 1 part
- 2 Maraschino cocktail cherries
- Ice
Instructions
- Pour the Disaronno, bourbon (if using), lemon juice and egg white into a cocktail shaker - do not add ice at this stage .40 ml Disaronno Amaretto, 20 ml Bourbon, 20 ml Lemon juice, 20 ml Egg white
- Secure the lid of the cocktail shaker and shake hard for 30 seconds (this is the dry shake).
- Now add the ice and put the lid back on.Ice
- Shake for a further 30 seconds (this is the wet shake).
- Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with the cherries and serve.2 Maraschino cocktail cherries
Notes
- Use an Amaretto with an abv level of 28% such as Disaronno. This cocktail recipe has been devised based on this type of Amaretto and using a weaker one may not yield the best balance of flavours.
- Decide what glass you would like to serve your Disaronno sure cocktail in:
- Opt for a sours glass (as pictured) if you do not want to serve it over ice.
- Alternatively, load a tumbler with large ice cubes and pour it in.
- Use plenty of ice in the cocktail shaker to ensure your drink is well chilled.
- If you do not own a cocktail shaker, use a large glass jar with a screwtop lid instead.
- Don't skip the dry shake - this enables the protein in the egg white to begin to form foam. Once ice has been added a second shake then serves to cool and dilute the drink and strengthen the foam
- Once it's mixed, take a sip of your Disaronno sour cocktail before pouring and adjust the flavours to suit your own requirements:
- If it's too sour, add a little sugar syrup.
- If it's too sweet, add a little more lemon and/ or bourbon.
- For a vegan/ egg-free version, simply leave out the egg white or use aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) in place of the egg white. Try adding 2 tablespoons
C McK says
Delicious!
Jane Coupland says
Thankyou 🙂
Sharon says
Simple and delicious. Great sipper drink. Boyfriend and I made tonight and loved the flavour!
Jane Saunders says
Thanks so much for your comment Sharon - I'm pleased you both enjoyed it!
Angela Everson says
Delicious! Didn't have the cherries on hand, but had everything else for a lovely after work cocktail.
I saved it to make again... thanks!!
Jane Saunders says
Excellent - thanks so much for the feedback. It's a particularly delicious drink.
Ryan Moffatt says
Hi there, I am going to make the Disaranno sour tomorrow for the first time. Just a question about measurements. I have a cocktail measure, would do you recommend per cocktail regarding Disaranno, whiskey & lemon juice. Also is it 1 egg white per cocktail or can I put 1 egg white in to shake for 2 cocktails? Hope to hear from you soon, thanks
Jane Saunders says
Hi Ryan, excellent - it's a great cocktail. The measurements are all in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but it's basically 2 parts Amaretto to 1 part each of bourbon, lemon, and egg white. Hope you love it!