Olive Garden Amaretto Sour Copycat Recipe

That Olive Garden amaretto sour is one of those cocktails people order once and then spend months trying to recreate at home.

This copycat nails the balance: sweet almond-forward amaretto, tart lemon, and a frothy egg white top that makes it look like it came from a proper bar.

Why I Love This Recipe

The foam from the egg white is the thing that sets this apart from a standard sour. It gives the drink a silky, almost creamy texture that makes every sip feel intentional.

It comes together in under 5 minutes, and the ratio of sweet to tart is just right without being cloying. The lemon keeps the amaretto from sitting too heavy on the palate.

This is the version I keep coming back to for a low-effort cocktail that actually impresses people.

Recipe Ingredients

• 2 oz amaretto – DiSaronno is the classic choice and what Olive Garden uses; other brands work but tend to be sweeter
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice – Bottled juice goes flat and thin; fresh makes a real difference here
• ½ oz simple syrup – Adjusts the sweetness; reduce to ¼ oz if your amaretto is already very sweet
• 1 egg white – Creates the signature foam on top; use pasteurized if you prefer
• 3 to 4 ice cubes (for shaking) – You want a small amount of hard ice to chill fast without over-diluting
• 1 large ice cube or ice sphere (for serving) – Large format ice melts slowly and keeps the drink cold without watering it down
• 1 Luxardo maraschino cherry – Garnish; the real ones have a syrupy depth that regular maraschino cherries lack
• 1 thin lemon wheel or half-wheel – Garnish

Variations / Substitutions

• No egg white – Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) works at the same 1 oz ratio and gives similar foam without any animal product.
• Bourbon addition – Add ½ oz of bourbon to the shaker for a New York Sour-style riff; it adds a dry, oaky edge that cuts the sweetness.
• No simple syrup – Skip it entirely if your amaretto is already on the sweet side; taste the amaretto first and decide.
• More tart – Increase lemon juice to 1¼ oz for a sharper, drier finish that leans more classic sour.
• Non-alcoholic – Substitute the amaretto with 2 oz of almond syrup diluted with a splash of water; you lose the warmth but keep the flavor profile.

If you enjoy sours, Disaronno Whiskey Sour is worth making next.

How To Make Amaretto Sour

Step 1: Dry Shake the Egg White

Add the 1 egg white, 2 oz amaretto, 1 oz fresh lemon juice, and ½ oz simple syrup to a cocktail shaker without any ice. Seal the shaker tightly and shake hard for 15 to 20 seconds.

This dry shake is the step most people skip, and it is the reason the foam comes out thick rather than thin and bubbly. You are building protein structure in the egg white before cold temperature tightens it. After 20 seconds the mixture will feel slightly creamy and look noticeably frothy when you open the lid to check.

If your shaker leaks without ice to create a seal, use a Hawthorne strainer lid and hold it firmly. A little messiness here is fine.

Step 2: Shake with Ice

Add the 3 to 4 ice cubes to the shaker with the frothy mixture. Seal it again and shake hard for another 10 to 12 seconds.

You are chilling the drink down fast, and the ice will also knock a bit more air into the foam. When you stop shaking, the outside of the shaker should feel genuinely cold, close to painfully so. That is the signal the drink is ready.

Do not shake longer than 15 seconds at this stage. Over-shaking dilutes the drink more than it chills it.

Step 3: Strain into Your Glass

Place the large ice cube or ice sphere in a rocks glass. Strain the cocktail through a fine-mesh strainer held over the Hawthorne strainer on the shaker, pouring slowly over the back of a bar spoon to float the foam on top.

The double strain (both strainers at once) removes any small ice chips that would tear through the foam layer. Pour at an angle, then let the foam settle for about 10 seconds. You want a clean white cap sitting visibly above the amber liquid.

Step 4: Garnish and Serve

Lay the 1 thin lemon wheel on the rim of the glass and drop the 1 Luxardo maraschino cherry directly onto the foam so it sits on top rather than sinking. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• Choose your amaretto carefully. DiSaronno is drier and more bitter-almond forward than many budget amarettos. If you use a sweeter brand, pull back the simple syrup to ¼ oz.
• Room temperature egg whites foam better. If you have 5 extra minutes, let the egg come to room temperature before cracking it. Cold egg whites take noticeably longer to build foam.
• Taste before you pour. Before the second shake, open the shaker carefully and taste the mixture. If it is too sweet, add a few more drops of lemon juice. If it is too sharp, add another ¼ oz simple syrup.
• No cocktail shaker? A mason jar with a tight lid works fine. It will not be as aerating as a proper shaker, but you can still get decent foam with a longer dry shake.

Cook times by glass size:

Glass Size	Dry Shake	Wet Shake
Single (1 serving)	15 to 20 sec	10 to 12 sec
Double batch (2 servings)	20 to 25 sec	12 to 15 sec

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this without egg white and still get foam?

Yes. Use 1 oz of aquafaba instead. It does not foam quite as stiff, but you will still get a visible frothy layer if you dry shake for the full 20 seconds.

Can I batch this for a party ahead of time?

Mix the amaretto, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a pitcher and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Add the egg white per drink, per order, since pre-mixed egg white breaks down and loses its foaming ability.

Why does my foam disappear quickly?

The dry shake was probably too short. Egg white needs at least 15 seconds of vigorous shaking without ice to build enough structure to hold up in the glass.

What if I cannot find Luxardo cherries?

A high-quality dark cherry preserved in syrup works as a swap. Avoid standard neon maraschino cherries; they are very sweet and will pull the drink in the wrong direction flavor-wise.