Amaretto Stone Sour Cocktail Recipe with Ginger Beer
Entertaining season is upon us and nothing says celebration like a classic amaretto stone sour cocktail. With only a few simple ingredients this easy cocktail recipe is ready in minutes! This amaretto stone sour recipe combines sweet almond liqueur and sour flavors for the perfect blend. An amaretto cocktail is the ideal drink for the holidays, after a long day, for happy hour, or as a signature cocktail drink at a party or wedding. No matter when you decide to make it, you will love the sweet and nutty flavors of this old time classic with a new twist. Full recipe card below 😉
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What is a Amaretto Stone Sour?
Among the sour cocktails the amaretto sour is high on the food chain in the cocktail world. It rose to peak popularity in the United States in the 1970s and was a favorite drink among my mom and grandma. A classic amaretto sour is made from equal parts amaretto, lemon and lime juice, egg whites, and sometimes whiskey. Although I rarely see these made at a bar with egg whites and most places use lemon lime soda now. With the addition of orange juice this cocktail becomes an amaretto stone sour. Because there are different ways to make an amaretto sour, an ideal bartender should know the difference and ask you if you want a stone sour or if you want it with whiskey.
My version of this simple cocktail recipe came about one evening when I was craving an amaretto sour and didn’t have any lemon juice, limes, or soda but I had amaretto, OJ, and ginger beer. Since the key ingredients are similar in ginger beer, I gave it a try. Ironically it was really good and I didn’t have to make my own sour mix. Win win.
Ingredient List
This easy drink is a delightful cocktail with fresh citrus notes and nutty amaretto. It only uses three simple ingredients and takes a few minutes to make. It can be made for one person or a whole party. Here are my notes for you 😉
Orange Juice – While any brand of OJ will do, I don’t recommend Sunny Delight since it’s not really orange juice. I also prefer to make this with pulp free juice but that is up to you. Just know the texture will be a bit different if you use orange juice with pulp. I often buy a four pack of single serve juices so I always have some on hand for cocktails and don’t have to worry about wasting half a carton.
Amaretto – Amaretto liqueur is an Italian liqueur with sweet almond nutty flavors and a little bitter. It is often served as a dessert cordial, on the rocks, or in classic cocktails like a French connection.
Ginger Beer – If you are new to ginger beer let me first start by saying it is not actually beer and it is non-alcoholic. As I mentioned above, ginger beer is also not part of the original recipe of an amaretto stone sour, but makes an excellent substitute for the simple syrup sour mixture usually used in a traditional sour. I had an abundance of ginger beer left from my Moscow mule experiment and realized the Betty Buzz brand is a good match for sour mix making this an even easier cocktail to make.
Not all ginger beer tastes the same though, so make sure you check out my notes on all the brands where I breakdown the different flavors in my side by side ginger beer taste test. Ginger beer can be found in grocery stores and many liquor stores near club soda and other mixers.
Whiskey –  By definition, a true Amaretto stone sour should not contain whiskey or bourbon, but there are a handful of folks who lump this cocktail in with a whiskey sour. If you are one of them by all means, add a splash of of your favorite whiskey or bourbon. My husband happens to prefer his with a splash of Makers Mark. I can go either way, but prefer mine without the bourbon.
Mixing – This is a very easy drink to mix. Simply add all the ingredients to a glass and stir. It’s as simple as that! I do not recommend using a cocktail shaker here since the ginger beer is carbonated.
Ice – This cocktail is best served chilled. I usually refrigerate my ingredients prior to mixing but I recommend adding ice cubes too. When I make cocktails with ice I often use large ice molds or ice spheres because they don’t melt as fast and water down your drink.
Glasses – While you can serve this in any type of cocktail glass you want, an amaretto stone sour is typically served in a rocks glass.
Garnish – An amaretto stone sour pairs really well with orange and cherry flavors. I chose to garnish mine with a slice of orange, orange twists, and maraschino cherries.
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Amaretto Stone Sour Cocktail Recipe with Ginger Beer
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 Cocktail 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Entertaining season is upon us and nothing says celebration like a classic amaretto stone sour cocktail. With only a few simple ingredients this easy cocktail recipe is ready in minutes! This amaretto stone sour recipe combines sweet almond liqueur and sour flavors for the perfect blend. An amaretto cocktail is the ideal drink for the holidays, after a long day, for happy hour, or as a signature cocktail drink at a party or wedding. No matter when you decide to make it, you will love the sweet and nutty flavors of this old time classic with a new twist.
Ingredients
- 1 Large Ice Cube or a Handful of Ice
- 2 oz Orange Juice
- 2 oz Amaretto Liqueur
- 2 oz Ginger Beer
- Orange Slice for garnish
- Maraschino Cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Add a large ice cube or a handful of ice to a rocks glass.
- Pour 2 oz ounces of orange juice over ice.
- Add 2 oz of Amaretto to to the OJ.
- Add 2 oz of ginger beer to the glass and stir.
- Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Drinks
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Large Batch Option
Having a party and need a larger serving? You can also make this as a pitcher cocktail. Combine the above ingredients in equal ratios to the recipe above in a punch bowl or beverage dispenser. Only add ice to individual glasses not the large batch container. The ginger beer will lose it’s carbonation just like soda does, so this should be made when you are ready to serve and the ginger beer should be pre-chilled.
Mocktail Option
Maybe you don’t drink or have kiddos who want to join in the fun. No problem. Just substitute the amaretto liqueur for a few drops of amaretto syrup to replace the almond flavor of the amaretto. Add the ginger beer and orange juice as the recipe calls for as ginger beer is non-alcoholic.
When to Serve Amaretto Stone Sours
This simple recipe makes a delicious cocktail and is perfect for entertaining, holiday parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or lazy afternoons or evenings in. The citrus flavors and the sweet almond liqueur make this a perfect blend for any cocktail occasion.
Looking for more tasty cocktail recipes? Check out my fireball apple cider mimosa, blueberry lemon Moscow mule, cranberry Christmas cocktail, chocolate Godiva martini , or adult hot chocolate.
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