Roasted Strawberry Aperol Spritz

For a jazzed-up take on a classic brunch cocktail, try this roasted strawberry Aperol spritz. The fruit adds a nice sweetness and an extra dose of fun to your next boozy brunch.

You may have noticed from this blog's namesake, but I have a thing for sparkling beverages, which most certainly includes a good Aperol spritz. I love how the bubbles feel like these miniature prickly dancers on your tongue, which is weird, because that probably doesn't sound pleasant. But it somehow sounds like an accurate description in my head and manages to be quite the delightful experience. Strange.

Anyway, with my love of bubbly and the abundance of fresh, seasonal fruit these days, it seems like a good time to play around with a jazzed-up Aperol spritz, so let’s say hello to this roasted strawberry Aperol spritz. Simply combine Prosecco, Aperol, roasted strawberry purée and strawberry-flavored sparkling water, and you’re on your way to a good time.

Roasting is one of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh strawberries, especially when incorporating into drinks. By roasting the strawberries, you deepen the flavor and carmelize the strawberries’ natural sugar. There’s nothing wrong with that as far as I’m concerned.

Now, I know I've shared by love of sweet beverages, such as this coconut margarita, but I also love bitter flavors, which we get with the Aperol. While I don't find Aperol spritzes overly bitter, if you find it has too much of a bite for your taste, I have a few ideas for you.

• Add more prosecco. This probably doubles as a good overall life tip.
• If you know from the start bitter drinks aren't your favorite, use a sweet sparkling wine instead of prosecco.
• Rather than sparkling strawberry water or club soda, use strawberry Fanta.

How to Serve

I structured this recipe to make a pitcher of spritz, so it’s perfect for sharing with a few friends. You can serve it in champagne flutes as pictured or in a white wine glass with or without ice.

The glass you choose comes down to preference. Because of the tall, skinny shape of the champagne flute, the purée naturally layers on top. If you’d rather the purée more evenly dispersed, I recommend serving it in a white wine glass. I tried both, and while I enjoy concentrated sips of fresh purée, white wine glasses might be more crowd-friendly.

Related: For another Aperol cocktail, you'll love my classic Aperol sour.

Perfect Pairing

Traditionally, an Aperol spritz is served as an aperitivo, which is a pre-meal snack meant to kickstart your appetite. With this in mind, you can’t go wrong with a cheese and charcuterie board.

Dried chorizo would play off the bitter Aperol nicely, and don’t forget to add some prosciutto and soppressata. For the cheese, I suggest a good Parmesan, an aged cheddar and a big ball of burrata drizzled with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Round that out with some crusty bread, an orange marmalade and mixed nuts for one tasty plate.

If a light sipper is just what you need for the summer months, I hope you give this roasted strawberry Aperol spritz a try.

Cheers!

Need More Brunch Cocktails?

• Honeyed strawberry-rhubarb mimosa
• Pineapple mimosa
• Baileys Irish coffee martini

If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating — or simply hit the five-star button in the recipe card. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.

📖 Recipe

Roasted Strawberry Aperol Spritz

For a jazzed-up take on your typical Aperol spritz, try this version with roasted strawberries. The fruit adds a nice sweetness and an extra dose of fun.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Cocktails

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 pitcher

Calories: 270kcal

Author: Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

• ▢
  Large baking sheet
• ▢
  Parchment paper
• ▢
  Pitcher

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pint fresh strawberries halved with tops removed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons sugar
• ▢ Splash of water
• ▢ 2 cups Aperol chilled
• ▢ 1 bottle prosecco chilled
• ▢ 1 cup strawberry-flavored sparkling water chilled

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, toss strawberries with vanilla and extract. Roast for about 25-30 minutes.
• Let cool and then puree in a blender or food processor with a splash of water until smooth. If you don't like too much pulp or excessive seeds, pour the puree into a fine-mesh sieve with a bowl underneath. Using a spoon, press the puree into the fine-mesh sieve to help separate the seeds and drain the strawberries into the bowl. If you don't mind pulp or seeds, you can skip this step and use the puree as is. As a point of reference, the photos use unstrained strawberry puree. Cover and refrigerate.
• In a pitcher, stir together the chilled roasted strawberry puree and Aperol. Once mixed, slowly pour in prosecco and stir to mix. Top with strawberry-flavored sparkling water. Serve in white wine glasses with or without ice. Alternatively, you can serve in Champagne flutes if you'd like the puree as a floater rather than more evenly distributed throughout the glass. Enjoy!

Notes

• Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1glass | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Sodium: 6mg | Sugar: 23g

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