Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase as a result of clicking one of these links. There is no additional cost to you.

An Amaretto Sour is a classic cocktail for a good reason. It's extremely simple to make with only two ingredients, and it's deliciously tart. You'll want to sip one all the time.

Sometimes life can feel so complicated. You have dreams of being all blissed out and high vibe, but you live in a modern world with bills and traffic and jobs and sometimes it's just a lot. My mantra is always simplify, simplify, simplify. When we're feeling calm and expansive, we may have the energy for recipes that take hours or have 10 ingredients. When life knocks us down with a rogue wave of stress (hello 6 planets in retrograde) simplicity is what gets us through.

So while a bartender will have a huge array of ingredients and tools available, our home bar might not be so well stocked. And while I certainly don't recommend relying on alcohol to solve your problems, sometimes a lovely cocktail that's absolutely stress-free to prepare but still really delicious is exactly what you need to unwind and let go of the stress of the day. Enter the Amaretto Sour.

What makes an Amaretto Sour so awesome?

This drink is both sweet and tart, but also refreshing. Somehow it feels appropriate in all seasons. But what makes it so awesome is that it has only two ingredients. Sure, a snobby mixologist might argue that it doesn't really qualify as a cocktail, but I don't care what they think. I just want to enjoy my drink.

You can make it a little extra special with a maraschino cherry and some orange peel if you have it. It does elevate the experience some, but it's definitely not a requirement. You can also make 10 drinks as easily as you make one because it's a simple ratio. So these are perfect for a party. Just mix up a pitcher, have some ice on hand, and pour generously for all your friends.

Amaretto Sour in a rocks glass with cherry and orange peel

Magical Properties of Almonds

Amaretto is an almond liqueur, so call on the energy of this little nut when working with this ingredient. According to The Hearth Witch's Compendium by Anna Franklin, almonds are ruled by Mercury and the sun, the element of air, and the zodiac sign Gemini. Call on almond energy for bold communication. They can also be used to call in regeneration, fertility, love, luck, and money. What kind of almond energy do you need most today?

For more on the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make this drink. As you can see, it's not much. The full details are in the recipe card below.

Amaretto - whatever your favorite brand is
Lemon juice - bottled is fine
Optional garnishes - maraschino cherry, orange peel

Amaretto Sour in a rocks glass with garnish

Tips for making an Amaretto Sour

This recipe is so easy, it hardly needs a recipe card, though of course, it's there for you. All you need to do is fill a glass with ice, add three parts (a tablespoon, for example) amaretto and two parts lemon juice, then give it a stir. Done.

If you're just making one drink, you could use fresh lemon juice if you want to, but bottled is totally fine. It's good enough for Nigella, so it's good enough for me.

If you want to make it a bit special, you could use a vegetable peeler to remove just the orange part of the orange peel (the white part is quite bitter) and add that, along with a maraschino cherry, as garnish. If you give the orange peel a squeeze, you'll see some of the essential oil released. It will smell amazing and instantly make you happy. But this drink is great even without the garnish.

And because it's a simple ratio, you can make one small glass or a whole pitcher just as easily. This makes an Amaretto Sour the perfect party cocktail. Switch that tablespoon to a cup measure, and you and all your friends will be feeling very merry in no time.