Apricot is an elusive flavor. Unless you're browsing a California-style boutique grocery store, you may not even find anything apricot flavored on the shelf. That's enough bad news. The good news is the liquor store is bursting with apricot flavors to bring your craving to your life. So stir up an apricot cocktail and soak in that tangy flavor.
Apricot Brandy Cocktails
One way to add apricot flavor to your drinks is to use apricot-flavored brandy.
Apricot Sour
Apricot brandy cocktails capitalize on the affinity between both apricot and brandy. So start things off with a traditional sour with apricot brandy as the star instead of whiskey. If you want a familiar flavor, you can add equal parts apricot brandy and bourbon, or even add a splash of ginger liqueur for an apricot bourbon ginger sour.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces apricot brandy
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- Ice
- Orange peel and cocktail cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, apricot brandy, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange peel and cocktail cherry.
Boston Cocktail
It may seem outlandish to combine gin with apricot brandy, but after the first sip, you'll be convinced.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces gin
- 1 ounce apricot brandy
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce grenadine
- Ice
- Orange slice and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, apricot brandy, lemon juice, and grenadine.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with orange slice and cherry.
Apricot Sidecar
With a little flick of the wrist, this sidecar-style cocktail appears by swapping out the cognac and tagging in apricot brandy.
Ingredients
- Orange wedge and sugar for garnish
- 1¾ ounces apricot brandy
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Orange twist for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the martini glass or coupe with the orange wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, apricot brandy, orange liqueur, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with orange twist.
Apricot Liqueur Cocktails
Apricot liqueur adds fresh stone fruit flavors to tasty, easy to make cocktails.
Apricot Julep
The classic julep gets a fresh, tasty spin with just a splash of apricot liqueur to liven things up.
Ingredients
- 4-6 fresh mint leaves
- 1½ ounces bourbon
- ¾ ounce apricot liqueur
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- Cracked ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass or julep cup, muddle mint leaves with simple syrup.
- Add crushed ice and bourbon.
- Stir to mix and frost glass.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
Apricot Martini
Brush your cosmo to the side in favor of its tasty cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces lemon vodka
- ¾ ounce apricot liqueur
- ½ ounce apricot nectar
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Apricot slice for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, lemon vodka, apricot liqueur, apricot nectar, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with apricot slice.
Stone Sour
The stone sour separates itself from the traditional apricot sour thanks to the addition of fresh orange juice.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce bourbon
- 1 ounce apricot liqueur
- 1 ounce orange juice
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Apricot slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, bourbon, apricot liqueur, orange juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with apricot slice.
Apricot Fizz
This fizzy cocktail is easy to make and even easier to enjoy.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces apricot liqueur
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Orange ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, apricot liqueur, lemon juice, and orange liqueur.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with orange ribbon.
Apricot Bellini
A little bubble never hurt anybody -- so go ahead and add a splash and a half of that tasty goodness.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce apricot liqueur
- ¾ ounce apricot nectar
- Ice
- Prosecco to top off
- Apricot slice for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a Champagne flute or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, apricot liqueur, and apricot nectar.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Top off with prosecco.
- Garnish with apricot slice.
Charlie Chaplin Cocktail
Nothing beats a cocktail that's both tasty and with an easy-to-remember ratio of equal parts. It's time to familiarize yourself with this under-the-radar cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 ounces gin
- 1 ounce apricot liqueur
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Lime wedge and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, apricot liqueur, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lime wedge and cherry.
Baltimore Bang
This apricot cocktail skews toward a traditional whiskey cocktail, making it a boozy sip.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces bourbon
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce apricot liqueur
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Orange slice and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, bourbon, lemon juice, apricot liqueur, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange slice and cherry.
Cocktails With Apricot Nectar
Apricot nectar also adds tasty apricot flavor to your mixed drinks.
Apricot Old-Fashioned
For those who aren't quite ready to jump into the world of apricot, this flavored old-fashioned makes for an excellent start.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- ¾ ounce apricot nectar
- ½ ounce apricot liqueur
- 4-5 dashes orange bitters
- 2-3 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, bourbon, apricot nectar, apricot liqueur, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
Apricot Margarita
Flip your traditional margarita on the head with this stone fruit version.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and sugar for rim
- 2 ounces silver tequila
- 1 ounce apricot nectar or juice
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce agave
- Ice
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, apricot nectar, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
Taking a Bite of Apricot Cocktails
Don't shy away from that bottle of apricot liqueur or even that bottle of apricot brandy. Take a leap into the unknown with apricot flavors, or see just how transformative that bottle of brandy can be as a star in an apricot cocktail.
