Recipe Review

The “Autumn Aperol Spritz” I’ll Be Sipping All Fall (It’s My New Favorite Cocktail!)

published Sep 12, 2024
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Autumn Aperol Spritz.
Credit: Ashia Aubourg

The beauty of delicious, refreshing, summery libations is that with a few ingredient swaps, you can bring them right with you into fall. While scrolling, I recently came across a mesmerizing video of an autumn Aperol spritz. I unabashedly replayed the video over a dozen times. The drink weaves together all of the components of the classic cocktail, but leans on cider, apples, and a few warm spices to make it appropriate for this season. I decided to try it to see if it’s worth the hype.  

Get the recipe: Autumn Aperol Spritz

How to Make an Autumn Aperol Spritz

First, make the ice cubes. Add diced apples, cinnamon sticks, and star anise to a large ice tray. Then pour water into them to cover, and put the tray in the freezer.

Garnish the rim of a cocktail glass with simple syrup, sugar, cinnamon, and edible glitter. To assemble the drink, add the spiced ice cube, then pour in Aperol and apple cider, and top it with Prosecco. 

Credit: Ashia Aubourg

My Honest Review of the Autumn Aperol Spritz

If you love a delicious and refreshingly crisp Aperol spritz, you should definitely try this recipe this fall. Because it uses such big cubes of ice, you don’t have to worry about them melting super quickly and watering down this drink. Instead, they slowly thaw, releasing hints of the star anise and cinnamon sticks (and the flavors of those spices aren’t overwhelming, either).

The most prep you have to do for this recipe is to make the spiced ice cubes, which took me less than five minutes. I can’t wait to host a fall-themed party this year and serve these drinks. They’re ideal because you can make it in advance and even keep a pitcher of the spritz for easy-to-access refills. Dare I say bye-bye to honey deuce, naming this cocktail the new drink of the season? If you’re searching for a new trendy drink, it’s definitely worth a try. 

Credit: Ashia Aubourg

Tips for Making an Autumn Aperol Spritz

  • Get creative with the liquid used in the ice. If you plan on taking your time sipping this festive cocktail to avoid it getting watered-down, try pouring apple cider, cranberry juice, or Aperol into the ice tray molds to make your cubes more potent. 
  • Add cranberries. Toss in some fresh cranberries to add a pop of color to this delicious cocktail. Mix them into the ice cube molds or stir them right in. 
  • Make a spicy rim. To infuse a hint of heat — especially on those chillier days — combine chili powder with salt and use that mixture to coat the rim