Yes, you can make an Aperol Spritz with lemonade. Swap the prosecco for 90 ml of ice-cold sparkling lemonade, pour 60 ml of Aperol over a glass packed with ice, then add an orange slice. The ratio becomes 3 parts sparkling lemonade, 2 parts orange bitter, 1 part soda water if you want to lighten it. The result is more citrus-forward and slightly sweeter than the classic, and the foam settles faster. Pick a real-fruit sparkling lemonade over a syrup soda: a can of Flirt Clementine sparkling lemonade, at around 100 calories, brings the orange colour and the acidity you need without burying the bitterness. The alcohol-free version is further down, with the same proportions.
Key points
- Ratio: 90 ml sparkling lemonade, 60 ml Aperol, 30 ml soda water (optional).
- No prosecco: yes, lemonade replaces the sparkling wine, the drink is less dry and less alcoholic.
- Glass: a wine glass packed with ice, never a flute.
- Alcohol-free: one can of Clementine sparkling lemonade, a splash of grapefruit for bitterness, an orange slice.
- Ready in: 2 minutes, no shaker.
The Aperol Spritz with lemonade recipe
Servings: 1 glass · Prep: 2 min · Total: 2 min
- 90 ml ice-cold sparkling lemonade (Flirt Clementine for the citrus profile)
- 60 ml Aperol
- 30 ml soda water, optional
- 1 orange slice
- 1 rosemary sprig, optional
- Plenty of ice
- Fill a large wine glass to the top with ice. The ice should reach the rim, otherwise the drink warms up in two minutes.
- Pour the Aperol over the ice.
- Top with the sparkling lemonade, slowly, down the side of the glass to keep the bubbles.
- Add the soda water if you want a drier, less sweet glass.
- Squeeze the orange slice over the rim, drop it in with the rosemary. Serve right away.
Does it actually work without prosecco?
Yes, as long as you know what the prosecco was doing. Sparkling wine brings three things: dryness, fine persistent bubbles, and roughly 11 % alcohol. Sparkling lemonade covers the bubbles and adds citrus, but it also adds sugar and no dryness at all. Three adjustments fix it:
- Cut the bitter to 45 ml if your lemonade is very sweet, the balance comes right back.
- Add a squeeze of lemon or grapefruit to recreate the dryness the prosecco gave you.
- Choose a real-fruit sparkling lemonade, not a syrup soda: syrup smothers the orange bitterness that gives a spritz its character.
It is also the version to make when someone is not drinking wine, when half a bottle of flat sparkling wine is sitting in the fridge, or simply when you want a lighter glass in the late afternoon.
Classic, lemonade or alcohol-free: the three versions compared
| Classic spritz | Lemonade spritz | Alcohol-free spritz | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparkling base | Prosecco, 90 ml | Sparkling lemonade, 90 ml | Sparkling lemonade, 355 ml |
| Orange bitter | 60 ml | 45 to 60 ml | None, replaced by a splash of grapefruit |
| Profile | Dry, bitter, wine-forward | Citrus, round, thirst-quenching | Fruity, light, properly fizzy |
| Alcohol | Yes | Yes, a little less | No |
| Who it is for | Italian aperitivo purists | Anyone who finds the classic too dry | Designated drivers, families, alcohol-free drinkers |
| Ready in | 2 min | 2 min | 1 min |
The alcohol-free version: the Clementine spritz
This is the version we serve most often, and not as a fallback: clementine sparkling lemonade already delivers the orange colour and the acidity of a spritz. All that is missing is the bitterness, and a splash of grapefruit takes care of it.
Servings: 1 glass · Prep: 1 min
- 1 can of Flirt Clementine sparkling lemonade (355 ml), ice-cold
- 30 ml fresh grapefruit juice, for the bitterness
- 1 squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 orange slice and 1 rosemary sprig
- Ice
Fill the wine glass with ice, pour in the grapefruit and lemon, top with the sparkling lemonade, stir once. Around 100 calories, real pressed fruit, zero alcohol: the glass holds its own at aperitivo hour instead of being the designated driver's consolation prize.
The pitcher for a crowd (6 glasses)
Servings: 6 glasses · Prep: 5 min
- 3 cans of Flirt Clementine sparkling lemonade (355 ml each), ice-cold
- 250 ml Aperol, or nothing at all for the alcohol-free version
- 1 orange, thinly sliced
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- Ice, added to the glasses and not to the pitcher
Stir the bitter and the citrus in the pitcher, keep it cold, and add the sparkling lemonade only when you are ready to serve. Fizz is the first thing to die in a pitcher made ahead: that is the one rule not to break.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make an Aperol Spritz with lemonade?
Yes. Replace the prosecco with an equal amount of ice-cold sparkling lemonade, roughly 90 ml for 60 ml of orange bitter. The glass is slightly sweeter and more citrus-forward than the classic, and it holds less alcohol.
Can you make an Aperol Spritz without prosecco?
Yes, and sparkling lemonade is the easiest swap. Prosecco was bringing dryness and fine bubbles: sparkling lemonade brings the bubbles and citrus, but not the dryness. Add a squeeze of lemon or grapefruit and cut the bitter to 45 ml to bring the balance back.
Can you use lemonade instead of soda water in an Aperol Spritz?
Yes. Soda water only lengthens the drink, and sparkling lemonade does the same while adding fruit flavour. If you use lemonade throughout, keep one part soda water so the glass does not turn too sweet.
What is the ratio for an Aperol Spritz with lemonade?
3 parts sparkling lemonade, 2 parts orange bitter, 1 part soda water. In practice: 90 ml, 60 ml, 30 ml, in a wine glass packed with ice.
Can you drink Aperol with lemonade?
Yes, Aperol and lemonade is a common pairing. The lemonade softens the bitterness and lengthens the drink, which makes it an easier entry point than the classic spritz for anyone who finds Aperol too bitter on its own.
Which lemonade should you use for a spritz?
A sparkling lemonade made with real fruit rather than a syrup soda, and not overly sweet. A clementine or lemon version works best: it extends the orange note of the bitter instead of covering it.
Can you make an alcohol-free spritz?
Yes. Fill a wine glass with ice, pour in a can of clementine sparkling lemonade, add 30 ml of grapefruit juice for bitterness and an orange slice. Same colour, same freshness, zero alcohol, around 100 calories.
Where can you buy Flirt sparkling lemonade in Canada?
Flirt ships across Canada and is stocked by selected retailers in Quebec and Ontario. Discover Clementine sparkling lemonade or see every flavour.
The alcoholic versions of this recipe are for readers of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly. Flirt sparkling lemonades themselves are always alcohol-free.
