Hot Winter Spritz cocktail recipe

As the leaves turn golden, and the days get cooler and shorter, our attention shifts to cosier cocktails to ring in the winter months. Enter: the Hot Winter Spritz. Wait, Hot Winter Spritz? You’d better believe it. 

The uber-photogenic Aperol Spritz is the social media star of the cocktail world, so why wouldn’t we want to enjoy this all-star staple all year round? Made from Aperol, prosecco and a splash of soda water, the fiery-coloured OG version of the Spritz is easily updated to be sipped fireside instead. With the addition of a little heat, cloudy apple juice and some spiced elements, the Winter Spritz truly is hot hot hot.

An integral slice of Italian culture for more than 50 years, Aperol liqueur was created in the early 1900s by brothers Luigi and Silvo Barbieri. The Aperol Spritz shot to fame in the 1950s as a zestier amber alternative to the white-wine Spritzer, the rest, as they say, is history. Gracing countless Instagram feeds and sun-drenched tables across the azure coasts of the world, the Aperol Spritz has summertime l'ora dell'aperitivo (cocktail hour) down pat.

Now setting its sights on the cooler months, this wintery version boasts the same tasty traits – bitter and sweet oranges, rhubarb, quinine and gentian – but with a spicier, apple-infused edge. In short, this is the perfect companion to your cosy night in.

We think our balance of citrus, spice and spritz is pretty bang-on here, but as always, you rule your roost, so don’t be shy to mix things your way.

If you’re not a huge prosecco fan, a drier sparkling or dry white wine is an excellent alternative. If the cloves are a bit intense for your liking, leave them off the garnish and feel free to add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon powder to the orange slice instead.

Too nervous to stray too far from the OG Aperol Spritz you know and love? No sweat, you can keep your summer fling burning a little longer with just one fruity addition. Simply add a flirty dash of cranberry juice to the original recipe to lift the prosecco perfectly and complement the citrusy Aperol and orange peel. It’s also just as pretty as the original for all you Insta-spammers looking for wintery-inspo (#winwinwinter). 

On the flipside, if winter is indeed your jam, and fireside-in-cosy-socks is your happy place, go full log-cabin vibes by adding sugared rosemary as an extra garnish. If bubbles are your thing, you can also swap the cloudy apple juice for warm apple or pear cider (or both!) for that super-seasonal ‘something something’.