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The Amaretto Stone Sour is a classic crowd-pleasing cocktail that expands the Amaretto Sour template by adding orange juice to the foundational mix of Amaretto Di Saronno and lemon juice. The orange juice softens and sweetens the sour, adding a fruit dimension that makes the cocktail more approachable and sessionable — it is essentially an amaretto sour that has been tamed by orange juice into a longer, lighter, more refreshing drink.

Stone Sour vs. Amaretto Sour

The "Stone Sour" is a classic cocktail category — a sour (spirit + lemon juice + sweet element) to which orange juice has been added. The original Stone Sour is made with whiskey, lemon juice, and orange juice. Adding amaretto to this template creates the Amaretto Stone Sour: the almond liqueur acts as both the spirit base and the sweet element, while the orange juice fills the traditional fruit role. The resulting cocktail is lighter and more forgiving than the straight Amaretto Sour — the orange juice dilutes both the acidity and the amaretto's intensity, producing a drink that is easy to enjoy over ice for longer periods. It is sometimes called "A.S.S." in bar shorthand. For the purer, more intense version, see the Amaretto Sour. For more lemon-and-amaretto explorations, browse the full Amaretto Di Saronno collection.

Flavor Profile

The Amaretto Stone Sour is sweet-tart, fruity, and refreshing — a cocktail that feels summery and approachable. Amaretto's almond sweetness provides the spine; lemon juice delivers tartness; orange juice adds brightness and a round citrus sweetness that bridges the amaretto and lemon. The overall impression is of an orange-almond sour — bright, fruity, and smooth, with more sweetness and less intensity than the pure Amaretto Sour. It is an excellent introductory cocktail for those new to amaretto, and a reliable crowd-pleaser at parties where diverse palates need to be satisfied. The Amaretto Cranberry and the Amaretto Sunrise are related fruity-amaretto cocktails worth comparing.

How to Make and Serve

Shake amaretto, lemon juice, and orange juice with ice and strain over ice in a rocks glass or serve up in a sour glass. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry — the classic "flag" garnish. Some recipes add a small splash of grenadine for color and added sweetness. The classic ratio is 2 oz amaretto, 0.5 oz lemon juice, and 2 oz orange juice, though variations exist. Liquor.com's Amaretto Stone Sour recipe provides technique tips. See MixDrinkEnjoy's cocktail techniques guide for shaking guidance.