add some heat to this summer staple!
spicy cocktails have been trending for a while, and i can’t get enough of the heat! the spicy margarita, specifically, has dominated bar menus across the globe. it has become ubiquitous, which is convenient for those of us always seeking the heat. if you’re a spicy marg aficianado, i invite you to try my spicy aperol spritz. it’s sweet + spicy aka swicy, my favourite flavour combo as of late. sweet, bitter orange aperol spiked with thai chili is combined with crisp, bubbly prosecco to further elevate a summer classic. the best part: this recipe is painfully simple and no muddling is required.
what you’ll need…
- aperol
- thai chili
- prosecco
- club soda
- ice ice ice
- orange slices to garnish
- large wine glass
- empty bottle with cap
make your chili-infused aperol
as promised, we won’t be muddling anything. first, roll the chili pepper between your fingers to loosen the seeds inside. cut the top of the chili pepper off and roll between your fingers again to gently squeeze the seeds out of the pepper. if you leave too many seeds inside the pepper, your drink will be WAY too spicy! proceed with caution.
you can drop the chili pepper directly into your bottle of aperol for a large batch. or transfer a smaller amount of aperol to a separate bottle and add the pepper to create a small batch. refrigerate the bottle overnight to allow it to infuse and have the spritz ready for brunch!
serve it up!
to your large wine glass filled with ice, add 2 oz of the chili-infused aperol. add 3 oz of prosecco or any dry sparkling wine. top off with club soda and garnish with an orange wheel. serve outside on the patio with friends for best results. cheers!
spicy aperol spritz
Equipment
- large wine glass
- ice
Ingredients
for the chili-infused aperol
- 1 bottle aperol
- 1 thai chili pepper
for the cocktail
- 2 oz chili-infused aperol
- 3 oz prosecco
- splash club soda
- orange wheel garnish
Instructions
make the chili-infused aperol
- roll the thai chili between your fingers to dislodge some of the seeds from the pepper. cut the top off the pepper off and squeeze out some of the seeds. more seeds = more heat, so know your spice tolerance and remove the seeds as necessary.
- drop the pepper directly into the bottle of aperol and give it a shake. you can also make a smaller batch by transferring a portion of the bottle to a smaller container. refrigerate overnight to infuse.
for one cocktail
- fill a large wine glass with ice
- add 2 oz of chili-infused aperol
- add 3 oz of prosecco
- top with club soda and garnish with an orange wheel. cheers!