Strawberry-Infused Aperol Is My New Favorite Party Trick

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Infusing Aperol with strawberries overnight creates a dessert-like cocktail for sweet sipping.

The Retropolitan
Photo:

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Chill Time:
1 day
Total Time:
1 day 15 mins
Yield:
1 drink

This recipe will help you prepare for cocktail hour as well as dessert. Developed by the bar team at The Betty, a restaurant at the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel in Atlanta, The Retropolitan is a strawberry-and-lime-flavored cocktail with bright fruit notes and enough acidity to keep it in balance. Its flavor is reminiscent of grown up fruit punch and you won’t want to put it down. 

Like many great cocktails, this recipe starts with Aperol, the sweet, citrusy Italian liqueur known best for its bright orange color and starring role in an Aperol Spritz. Sliced strawberries take a dip in Aperol overnight for a quick infusion which yields peachy-colored strawberry-infused Aperol for use in the cocktail as well as boozy strawberries. (When spooned over lemon sorbet, these make for a quick yet impressive dessert.) Citrusy Aperol with sweet, fresh strawberries makes for a delicious combination. 

Freshly squeezed lime juice and Cointreau, a slightly sweet orange liqueur, bring a hit of citrus flavor and aroma to help balance the more fruity liqueur and simple syrup. When it comes to spirits, The Retropolitan leans on vodka’s simplicity to let the other ingredients shine. While vodka can sometimes be cast off as boring, it plays a really key role in maintaining balance in cocktails like this when there are so many flavorful ingredients playing off one another at once. 

Frequently asked questions

What does Aperol taste like?

On its own, Aperol is a citrusy aperitif with slightly bitter finishing notes. In this cocktail, Aperol is infused with fresh strawberries combining the bright orange notes with sweet strawberry flavor. 

Should I refrigerate my Aperol?

Since Aperol has a lower alcohol level, it’s best to store the bottle in the refrigerator once opened to help it last longer. 

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

A 24-hour infusion of the strawberries into the Aperol, or even just overnight if you are serving this cocktail for lunch, will provide ample berry flavor without being too overpowering. After 24 hours, the strawberries begin to break down and become less appealing as a topping for sorbet or ice cream for dessert. Alternatively, you could make a quick coulis by blending the saturated strawberries and cooking them down briefly — pour it over top of a simple cheesecake, yogurt, or even pancakes.

Make ahead

Store leftover infused Aperol in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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Ingredients

Strawberry-Infused Aperol

  • 1 cup (8 ounces) Aperol

  • 1/2 cup ripe strawberries, stemmed and quartered

Retropolitan

  • 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) vodka (such as Boyd & Blair)

  • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) strawberry-infused Aperol

  • 1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) orange liqueur (such as Cointreau)

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

  • 1 teaspoon simple syrup

  • Mint sprig and fresh strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Make the strawberry-infused Aperol

  1. Combine Aperol and strawberries in an airtight container, and refrigerate for 24 hours. Strain Aperol and set aside. Reserve liqueur-soaked strawberries for another use, if desired.

Make the Retropolitan

  1. Combine vodka, strawberry-infused Aperol, orange liqueur, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Place lid on shaker; shake until mixture is cold, about 15 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a mint sprig and fresh strawberries.

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