How to Serve Limoncello

Co-authored by Tom Blake

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 References

Limoncello, a popular Italian liquor, has a sweet and refreshing flavor that makes it pleasant to drink in the summer and after dinner. It doesn’t have lemon juice in it but instead gets its flavor from lemon peel, so it is more bittersweet than sour. It tastes best when chilled and can be added into all sorts of cocktails, including those that use wine, vodka, or gin in their recipes.

Ingredients

Mixing Limoncello and Prosecco

6 frozen raspberries
1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of limoncello
5 fluid ounces (150 mL) of Prosecco
Brandied cherry or mint sprig garnish

Makes 1 serving

Making a Limoncello Martini

Sugar
Lemon wedge
1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of limoncello
1.5 fluid ounces (44 mL) of vodka
1 tablespoon (15 mL) of lemon juice
Lemon slice garnish

Makes 1 serving

Mixing a Limoncello and Gin Cocktail

Sprig of fresh thyme
1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of gin
³⁄₄ fluid ounce (22 mL) of limoncello
¹⁄₄ fluid ounce (7.4 mL) of lemon juice
4 fluid ounces (120 mL) of club soda
Lemon wheel garnish

Makes 1 serving

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Drinking Plain Limoncello

1
Keep the limoncello chilled in the refrigerator. Limoncello is best served cold. Chilling limoncello at least 1 hour in advance of drinking it brings out its flavor and makes it more refreshing in warmer weather. Limoncello can also be stored in the freezer, since it won’t freeze solid.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Limoncello doesn’t have to be chilled. Because it has a high alcohol and sugar content, it is safe to drink at room temperature. However, chilling it is standard.
2
Chill a serving glass by filling it with ice. Fill a shot glass or cordial glass to the rim with ice. Crushed ice works better than ice cubes since it covers more of the glass’ surface area. Leave the ice in the glass for a few minutes, then dump it out when you’re ready to pour the limoncello.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Using a warm glass is fine if you don’t have time to chill anything, but a cold glass helps draw out the limoncello's flavor. At the very least, mitigate a warm glass by chilling the limoncello in advance.
- Another way to chill a glass is by filling a bucket with ice. Place the glass upside down in the ice for up to 30 minutes.
- Alternatively, freeze the glass for up to 4 hours. As long as the glass is empty, it won’t break. Frozen glasses stay colder for much longer than ice-filled glasses.
Advertisement
3
Pour the limoncello into a shot glass. Limoncello is commonly served in stemmed shot glasses or cordial glasses. These elegant glasses match well with the Italian liqueur, but any regular shot glass you have available serves as an acceptable alternative. Limoncello is also served in ceramic shot glasses in some regions in Italy.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Stemmed glasses are more effective at keeping limoncello cool, but they’re easier to break. They also hold the same amount of liquor as any ordinary shot glass, so they’re hardly necessary.
4
Serve the limoncello before or after a meal. Limoncello is considered to be a digestive aid. It is often served alongside desserts at the end of a meal. It’s the kind of drink you sip slowly as you relax. It is a great way to clean your palate after a heavy meal, but it’s drinkable at any time of the day.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Limoncello is typically served plain without ice. Try adding ice to it if it tastes too warm or your glass warms up.
- You may enjoy serving limoncello as a shot rather than at a specific time. Don't be afraid to enjoy it however you like.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Mixing Limoncello and Prosecco

1
Leave a champagne glass in the freezer for up to 4 hours. Chill the glass before you intend on serving the limoncello. If you don’t have a champagne flute, try using a wine glass. The cold glasses will keep your drink cold and bring out its maximum flavor.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- This drink isn’t usually prepared with ice, so if you plan on using ice to chill the glasses, pour it out before opening the limoncello.
2
Add raspberries or other fruit to the cold glass. Use various fruit to transform a limoncello Prosecco cocktail into something unique. For example, put about 6 frozen raspberries into the glass to balance out the lemon flavor of the limoncello and grape flavor from the Prosecco. You don’t need to crush the fruit.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Prosecco has a dry but sweet flavor similar to green apples and melons. Some fruit that goes well with it includes blueberries, raspberries, and lemons.
3
Stir limoncello and Prosecco together in the glass. Combine about 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of limoncello with 5 fluid ounces (150 mL) of Prosecco. Use a cocktail mixing spoon to stir them together. Change the amount of limoncello or Prosecco as desired.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- For instance, include more limoncello to make the cocktail taste tart, or use a higher ratio of Prosecco to make the lemon flavor more subtle.
- To serve a bunch of cocktails at once, mix the liquor in a pitcher. Whisk together about 3 cups (710 mL) of Prosecco with 1 cup (240 mL) of limoncello.^{[8]
  X
  Research source}
4
Garnish the glass with cherries or fresh mint. The garnish doesn’t add anything to the cocktail’s flavor, but it improves its appearance. Purchase a jar of brandied cherries and stick 1 on the rim of the glass. Place a sprig of fresh mint for a green contrast to the yellow cocktail and red fruit.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- The garnish is open to interpretation. Add a lemon slice, for instance, to represent the limoncello.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making a Limoncello Martini

1
Chill a martini glass in the refrigerator until it is cold to the touch. Leave it in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 4 hours if you have the time. Otherwise, quickly chill it a little to enhance the flavor of the limoncello.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- A martini isn’t served with ice, so make sure either the glass or the liquor are well-chilled for the best results.
2
Roll the edge of the glass in sugar to coat it. The sugar won’t stick to the glass without some help. Spread lemon juice around the outside edge of the rim by holding a lemon wedge against it. Then, spread some white sugar out on a flat surface and roll the rim over it.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- You may have seen a bartender dip a glass in sugar. This works, but it also causes a lot of sugar to drop into the glass. This can ruin your drink because the extra sugar will affect the sweetness of your martini.
3
Combine vodka, limoncello, and lemon juice in an ice-filled shaker. Fill the shaker up with as much ice as possible, then add the liquor. Combine about 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of limoncello with 1.5 fluid ounces (44 mL) of vodka and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of lemon juice. Shake the ingredients until they’re cold and well-mixed.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- Any type of vodka works, but try flavored vodka to give the cocktail flavor. Citrus-flavored vodka emphasizes the tart flavor of the limoncello, for instance.
- Other mix-ins are optional. For example, use lemonade in place of the lemon juice and add half-and-half to make a lemon meringue martini.^{[13]
  X
  Research source} If you choose to use carbonated lemonade, do not shake your martini. Shaking carbonated drinks can cause your shaker to explode.
4
Strain the liquor into the martini glass. Hold a metal cocktail strainer over the shaker if it doesn’t have a built-in strainer. Use your finger to keep it in place as you tip the shaker over. It will hold the ice in place as the liquid ingredients pour out.^{[14]
X
Research source}
5
Garnish the martini glass with a lemon wheel. Cut a lemon into wheel-shaped slices. Use a paring knife to cut a small triangle out of the wheel, then rest it on the rim. It doesn’t add any flavor, but it looks nice and represents the taste of good limoncello.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Mixing a Limoncello and Gin Cocktail

1
Chill a rocks glass with ice as you prepare the cocktail. Fill the glass to the brim with ice. You will end up serving the drink over ice, so adding clean ice now is a quick way to prepare the glass. Alternatively, leave the glass in the freezer for up to 4 hours to get it cold without having to worry about melting ice.
- If you aren’t sure what a rocks glass looks like, it’s the short, rounded glass often used for whiskey and similar shots. A standard rocks glass holds 6 to 8 fluid ounces (180 to 240 mL) of liquor.
2
Muddle thyme or other herbs if desired. Place the fresh herbs in a mixing glass or cocktail shaker. Then, press a muddler against them and twist it 3 or 4 times until the herbs smell fragrant. Herbs, including thyme and basil, add unique flavors to the mixture, but they can be left out if you don’t have them.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- Grill the thyme to further customize the drink. Heat a grill to about 500 °F (260 °C), a medium-high setting. Hold the thyme against the grill for about 15 seconds until it looks lightly charred and smells fragrant.
- If you don’t have a muddler, use another blunt object, such as the end of a wooden spoon.
3
Pour gin, limoncello and citrus juice into the mixer. For a standard recipe, combine about 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of your favorite gin with ³⁄₄ fluid ounce (22 mL) of limoncello. Pour them directly into the mixing glass with the herbs if you are using any. Then, add ¹⁄₄ fluid ounce (7.4 mL) of fresh lemon juice to make the drink a little more tart, like lemonade.^{[16]
X
Research source}
- Adjust the ratios of liquor to suit your taste. For instance, tone down the limoncello by reducing it to ¹⁄₂ fluid ounce (15 mL) and increasing the amount of gin.
- Instead of lemon juice, try using lime juice to give the cocktail a broader citrus flavor. Leave the juice out if you prefer your drink to be less tart.
4
Fill the glass with ice and mix the liquids together. If you’re using a mixing glass, pick up a cocktail mixing spoon and swirl the ice in the glass. For a cocktail shaker, cap it and shake it until everything is well-mixed.^{[17]
X
Research source}
- Plan on serving the cocktail in a chilled glass so you have a way to pour the ingredients out immediately. The ice will melt over time, watering down the drink and ruining its flavor.
5
Strain the liquor into a rocks glass filled with ice. Set the chilled rocks glass on a flat surface and fill it with fresh ice cubes. You will need a metal cocktail strainer. Hold the strainer over the mixing glass or shaker with your finger as you pour the gin and limoncello mixture into the glass.^{[18]
X
Research source}
- Some cocktail shakers have built-in strainers. The strainer looks like a small grate with holes and is located underneath the lid. You don’t need to do anything special to use them.
6
Mix 4 fluid ounces (120 mL) of club soda into the cocktail. Pour the club soda directly into the rocks glass to give the cocktail some bubbles and fizz. Use a cocktail mixing spoon to swirl the liquids until the club soda mixes in evenly with the limoncello and gin.^{[19]
X
Research source}
- A limoncello-gin drink, or limoncello Collins, is typically served with the club soda. If you don’t have any, leave it out. The cocktail will taste a little heavier, but including ingredients like muddled herbs makes up for it.
7
Garnish the glass with lemon wheels before serving it. Cut up a fresh lemon into slices about 1 in (2.5 cm) thick. Remove a small triangle out of a lemon slice, enough to wedge it in place on the glass. Add a few more if desired to emphasize the tart taste of the limoncello in the mixture.^{[20]
X
Research source}
- Use other garnishes that reflect your cocktail. For instance, add a fresh sprig of thyme if you muddled grilled thyme earlier.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I drink limoncello with a plain mixer (7-Up, soda water, etc.)?

Community Answer

You sure can. The only liquors that this won't work with are cream-based. If you want to preserve the taste of the limoncello and just reduce the alcohol kick, I would recommend using plain soda water.

Warnings

Limoncello has a high amount of alcohol in it. It isn’t meant to be swallowed quickly. In addition, adding a lot of other high-alcohol liquors, such as vodka, can make a cocktail overwhelming.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1