Strawberry-Infused Aperol Is My New Favorite Party Trick

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.