Easy Aperol Martini (with Aperol Martini Spritz Option)

This aperol martini is bold, boozy, and bitter! It is a sophisticated cocktail that wows your taste buds with herbal gin and citrusy aperol. Such a simple cocktail that is a gorgeous vibrant color. This aperol martini is the perfect cocktail recipe for a dinner party or new years eve!

Aperol spritzes have been all the rage lately, but have you heard of an aperol martini? This aperol martini recipe is for the true aperol lovers! It is a strong, spirit forward drink with a combination of aperol, gin, and vermouth. The aperol is really the star of the show with its signature bright orange color and bitter orange taste. It is definietly an aperol cocktail that deserves more love and attention!

Lovers of the negroni will also love this aperol martini! Similar to a classic negroni, this martini also has just three ingredients but just aperol in place of campari. Both are classic cocktails with bitter notes and vibrant color. If you're looking for new recipes to get you out of your cocktail comfort zones, you have to try this aperol martini!

If you love aperol cocktail recipes, you must try my orange aperol spritz, strawberry aperol spritz, or pomegranate aperol spritz.

ingredients 🧾

Aperol: You will need ½ an ounce of aperol. Aperol is an italian aperitif that has a bright bitter flavor and citrusy aroma. You can get a bottle of aperol at most grocery stores or any liquor store. It can usually be found in the liqueur section next to the campari.

Gin: You will need 2 ounces of your favorite gin. For nice drinks like a martini, pick a high quality gin like Hendricks or The Botanist. 

Vermouth: ½ an ounce of dry vermouth is used in this martini recipe. This is a key ingredient in any martini and really enhances the flavor of the gin.

Orange peel: A orange peel tops the aperol martini, making that first sip citrus forward at the nose and mouth. 

Orange bitters (optional): To add more citrus flavor, you can add a dash of orange bitters to the martini.

Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!

variations & substitutions 📖

Instead of gin, you can use another spirit. Everyone has a preference on what spirit they like better in their martini. Use whatever martini spirit is your favorite! Some popular options are vodka, dry gin, or regular gin.

Use sweet vermouth in place of dry vermouth. Although dry vermouth is most traditionally used in a martini, sweet vermouth is more commonly used in a negroni cocktail. Since this cocktail is a perfect marriage between those two cocktails, essentially an aperol negroni, sweet vermouth can also be used. Sweet vermouth will offer more rich and floral notes, whereas dry vermouth is more herbaceous and dry.

If you'd like a less strong cocktail, make this martini a martini spritz. After making the martini, pour the martini into a rocks glass. Add ice cubes and top with soda water, club soda, or tonic water. Add a ½ ounce of lemon juice, lime juice, fresh orange juice, or cranberry juice. Top with an orange slice.

tips & tricks 👩🏻‍🍳

Use a high quality gin. Since this martini recipe is only three ingredients, the quality of the ingredients used will shine through. It is worth it to invest and use in a high quality gin like Hendricks and The Botanist.

Stir the martini for long enough. I recommend stirring the martini for 60 seconds. This is the perfect amount of time to cool down the temperature of the martini without diluting the cocktail.

Use a fun martini glass & chill it! Martinis are always better when served in a pretty martini glass. The traditional stemmed martini glasses are always stunning, however for a modern take you can use ribbed martini glasses.

This aperol martini recipe only calls for ½ ounce of aperol so keep the remaining alcohol at your home bar for more aperol cocktail recipes, like my aperol martini, aperol margarita, and aperol paloma! Aperol is such a great versatile liqueuer and is used in so many cocktail recipes.

step by step instructions 🔪

Prior to making the martini, chill the glass. Either fill your glass with ice and remove the ice before pouring the martini or put the martini glass in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

serving suggestions 🍽️

Serve this aperol martini up in a martini glass topped with an orange peel.

Pair this martini with some fancy appetizers like fried goat cheese balls, brie bites with cranberry sauce, and black garlic bread.

faq’s ❓

other cocktail recipes

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recipe 📋