Amaretto Sour

Cheers to your new favorite cocktail: the refreshing Amaretto Sour. If you love a Whiskey Sour but wish it was a hint nuttier (thank you, amaretto), this is the perfect, classic drink for you. Or, if you're a tiramisu fanatic — which often includes amaretto — you're bound to love this bourbon cocktail.   

Amaretto — the star of the show — is an Italian liqueur that's traditionally made with apricot kernels (aka, apricot pits) or peach stones, which have a slightly bitter, nutty taste that's cut with sugar. Italian for "a little bitter," amaretto can also be made with sweet almonds and, depending on the brand, flavored with spices like allspice or cardamom, brown sugar, or a burnt syrup.  

Apricot kernels, peach stones, and almonds are all kernels of drupe fruits. They contain benzaldehyde, which provide the liqueur's almond-like flavor. Though amaretto can be drunk by itself, it has an extremely sweet, nearly cloying taste, which is why it's delicious paired with acidic ingredients, like in this cocktail! Lemon juice cuts through the liqueur while egg white adds body and a delicious foamy cap. (Though you can skip the egg white if you're squeamish, or substitute in pasteurized egg white.) 

This bourbon Amaretto Sour is served straight up, but a nice big ice cube would work well — it will keep the drink cool without watering it down too fast. For a vegan-friendly version of this cocktail, substitute the egg white with aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas).

For two servings, simply double the proportions. More than that won't fit in a shaker, so stick to two drinks at a time.

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!