Amaretto Sour

The Amaretto Sour has a sweet, citrusy, creamy flavor profile. The Amaretto Sour was reinvented by bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler, who transformed it from a syrupy punchline into a legitimate classic by adding bourbon for backbone and egg white for texture. His version balances the nutty sweetness of amaretto with citrus brightness and whiskey strength. It is proof that any cocktail can be elevated with the right technique.

A Amaretto Sour requires 6 ingredients: Bourbon Whiskey, Amaretto, Fresh Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Maraschino Cherry, Egg White.

A Amaretto Sour takes about 5 minutes to prepare and is considered medium difficulty.

A Amaretto Sour is traditionally served in a Rocks glass, garnished with Lemon peel and cherry.

Yes, you can make a mocktail version of the Amaretto Sour by substituting the spirits with non-alcoholic alternatives such as seedlip, non-alcoholic distilled spirits, or flavored syrups and juices that mimic the original flavor profile.

The original Amaretto Sour emerged in the 1970s as amaretto liqueur gained popularity in American bars, but it quickly became notorious for its overly sweet, one-dimensional profile. The turning point came in 2012 when Portland bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler published his revolutionary take on the drink, adding bourbon whiskey for structure and egg white for silky texture. His version wasn't just a tweak—it was a complete reimagining that proved how classic cocktail principles could resurrect even the most scorned drinks. Morgenthaler's approach honored the original's Italian-American roots while applying modern craft cocktail techniques. The addition of bourbon created the backbone the drink desperately needed, while the egg white provided the luxurious mouthfeel that elevated it from bar rail mixer to craft cocktail worthy of serious consideration. This transformation sparked a broader movement among bartenders to revisit and rehabilitate maligned vintage cocktails, proving that innovation often means looking backward with fresh eyes.