Autumn Spritz with Aperol and Rosemary

My Autumn Spritz with Aperol and Rosemary is Thanksgiving in a glass! An herbal note and sweet apple cider upgrade this take on an Aperol Spritz to make a decidedly Fall cocktail. So elegant and festive! Read on to see how I make my Autumn Spritz with Aperol and Rosemary!

Autumn Spritz with Aperol and Rosemary

An interesting autumnal cocktail is a must for Thanksgiving. Even if you’re planning to serve wine at dinner, it’s lovely to offer something festive to guests early on in the meal. It just gets everyone in the holiday spirit!

It’s so much more fun if it’s a unique cocktail that really embodies the feel of Fall. And my Autumn Spritz with Aperol and Rosemary is the key! I mean look at that color–to me it just immediately reminds me of leaves changing color and a fire in the fireplace, and I’m there.

Also, who said that Aperol Spritz is just for Summer? Not this girl.

The festive part here is definitely both the rosemary simple syrup and the prosecco. Rosemary feels like the poster child for Thanksgiving, giving that immediate earthy, piney scent that reminds me of every Thanksgiving past. Add in the sound of a bottle of Prosecco being popped, and it’s definitely the holidays.

My Autumn Spritz with Aperol and Rosemary is also perfect for hosting because you mix the drink in the cup! No need for a shaker and all that–just swish them together as everyone asks (and as long as your ingredients last!).

If you’re having a slightly larger group (think 10-12), it would be fun to set the ingredients for this cocktail out for an Autumn Spritz Bar! Just make a sign that lets guests know it’s 2 parts Aperol, 2 parts apple cider, 1 part rosemary syrup, and 3 parts prosecco with a splash of sparkling water. This is a very forgiving cocktail–if they get more or less of any of the ingredients, it’s all good.

I’m building toward a full Romantic Thanksgiving Dinner Menu to share, and this spritz will be perfect for cocktail hour! Paired with my Baked Brie, Mini Corn Muffins, and maybe some store bought cheese, olives, and nuts, cocktail hour is going to be easy, elegant, and memorable!

This Autumn Spritz is also perfect to help transition from winter to spring. I often serve it as the cocktail alongside my Romantic Winter Dinner for 2 Menu which is incredibly cozy with a skillet bake and a skillet cake. It’s also lovely alongside the white chicken chili with brie in my What to Serve for a Casual Dinner Party Menu.

Here’s how I make my Autumn Spritz with Aperol and Rosemary!

How I Make My Autumn Spritz with Aperol and Rosemary

My Autumn Spritz is so easy to make in the glass as your guests arrive! The only thing you’ll need to do in advance is to make the Rosemary Simple Syrup. As its name suggests, it’s simple! Just heat up equal parts water and sugar and a couple sprigs of rosemary in a small saucepan. As it heats, stir the mixture occasionally to melt the sugar. Once the syrup is boiling, let it go for 30 seconds and then turn off the heat. Let it cool and then strain out the rosemary sprigs. Chill the syrup in the fridge until cocktail time!

This syrup is so yummy–it smells like Thanksgiving with its piney rosemary. It’s perfect in this cocktail but sometimes I literally just put a bit in a champagne flute and top with prosecco for a unique treat.

When you’re ready to serve cocktails, fill a wine glass with ice. Add the Aperol, apple cider, and rosemary syrup. Give it a stir and then top it off with the prosecco. Add a small pour of sparkling water to finish off the drink! Thanksgiving in a glass.

I like to garnish this drink with rosemary sprigs as it gives a lovely essence to the drink. You could also easily garnish with a wedge of lime or lemon if you’d like a citrusy note. A cinnamon stick could be interesting as a garnish as well.

That’s it! Elegant and sophisticated, my Autumn Spritz with Aperol and Rosemary is the perfect welcome cocktail. It’s a gorgeous way to kick off the holiday season and your Romantic Thanksgiving Dinner!

Romance Recipe Pairing

I’m pairing my Autumn Spritz with a lovely Fall romance called If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia. This story about a woman who takes over her mother’s bed and breakfast and the hot single dad baker that lives next door feels like Fall in a book, so it will be the perfect pairing with this cocktail!