Best Liqueurs For Extraordinary Mother’s Day Cocktails

A special cocktail made with a French or Italian liqueur can make any Mother's Day gathering more festive, whether you plan to meet for brunch, lunch, dinner, or just spend time together.

The Aperol Spritz, a cocktail made with Aperol liqueur, Prosecco, and sparkling water, is among the most popular cocktails worldwide. However, unique cocktails can be made with other liqueurs to add spark to her special day.

Each liqueur below can be mixed to create tasty, simple drinks with vibrant colors, low alcohol content, and often with festive bubbles. These cocktails are easy to prepare, light and refreshing, and versatile enough for any Mother’s Day pairing.

Of course, liqueurs aren’t only for cocktails. They can be enjoyed sipped neat or poured over ice. Some moms might even appreciate an attractive bottle of liqueur as a gift to cherish the pleasant memories of the day.

All are available from local stores or online retailers. Unlike a bottle of wine, liqueurs are poured more sparingly, so they tend to last longer.

Juliette Liqueur

This relatively new peach liqueur is produced in small batches in southwest France near Bordeaux. It is made with a special variety of hand-picked, sweet, juicy heirloom peaches (Peches de Vigne) that can only be harvested in July.

The Juliette Signature Cocktail is made with one ounce of Juliette Liqueur and five ounces of Brut Champagne. Color: Rose Glow

Where To Find Juliette

St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur

St-Germain is a natural French liqueur made with fresh elderflowers handpicked in the spring in the Savoie region of France. Each elegant Art Deco-design bottle contains up to 1,000 blossoms and is numbered with the year the petals were collected.

The St-Germain Spritz is the liqueur’s most iconic cocktail. It is made with 1-½ ounces of St-Germain, two ounces of Prosecco, and two ounces of soda water. Garnish with a lemon peel.

St-Germain Liqueur US/ENStore Locator | St-Germain Near Me | St-Germain US

Gabriel Boudier Creme de Cassis

This elegant blackcurrant liqueur is produced in Dijon, France. Its deep berry color adds a sweet, fruity flavor to any cocktail.

A Kir Royale mixes a splash of the liqueur with a flute filled with Champagne (approximately ⅕ Creme de Cassis to ⅘ Champagne (depending on taste). You can also make the drink with more affordable bubbly Prosecco or Cava. If still white wine is used, the cocktail is called a Kir. Garnish with a raspberry. Color: Dusky Pink or Blush Pink

Available at Total Wine

Italicus

Dubbed “The Drink of Kings,“ Italicus was created in 2016 by iconic winemaker Giuseppe Gallo from an old family recipe that revives the forgotten Rosolio category. It is a clear but complex Calabrian (Italy) bergamot liqueur with citrus and bitter herbal notes that was first reintroduced at The Savoy in London.

An Italicus Spritz is made with one part Italicus and two parts Prosecco, poured over ice in a wine glass. Garnish with three green olives. Color: Greenish or Aquamarine

Available from Curiada

SAVOIA Americano Rosso

Crafted and bottled in a historical artisanal distillery in Turin (Italy), Savoia Americana is made with artemisia, bitter orange and gentian root alongside a complex blend of more than 20 hand-selected botanicals. It offers a balanced bittersweet taste with a refreshing finish.

The Savoia Spritz is made with equal parts of Savoia Americano Rosso and dry Prosecco, poured over ice. Garnish with grapes. Color: Ruby Red

Available from Curiada

Disaronno Orginale

Celebrating its 500th anniversary, Disaronno Originale is a sweet, almond-tasting amaretto liqueur available in more than 160 countries. It is produced in Saronno, Lombardy (Italy), and craftsmen in Murano (Venice) created its faceted glass bottle.

The Disarrono Fizz (also called a Disarrono Spritz) is made with 1.5 ounces of Disarrono, five ounces of Sparkling water, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Garnish with lemon zest. Color: Rich Amber

Disaronno Product Locator

Disaronno Velvet

If she likes the taste of Disarrono Originale, she’ll enjoy the smooth, velvety taste of Disaronno Velvet. Because it’s so refreshing, it’s particularly popular during the warm weather months.

The Disaronno Velvet Batida is made with one part Velvet and one part Coconut water served over crushed ice. Color: Snow White

Disaronno Product Locator

Pallini Limoncello

Pallini Limoncello is a natural liqueur crafted by the Pallini family since 1865. It is made from prized Amalfi lemons that are hand-picked and infused immediately to preserve their freshness and flavor. The liqueur is GMO-free, gluten-free, and Kosher.

The Pallini Spritz is made with two parts Pallini Limoncello, three parts Prosecco, and one part sparkling water added to a large wine glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange or lemon slice. Color: Lemon Yellow

**Cocktail Alternatives For Moms Who Prefer Something Stronger

G.D. Vajra Barolo Chinato

Not properly a liqueur, this Barolo Chinato is an aromatized wine produced by the Vajra family in Cuneo, a province in Piedmont (Italy). Barolo DOCG wine is infused with a secret recipe of spices and herbs. The practice of flavoring wine has a rich history from Egypt, Persia and ancient Rome.

The wine is used as an ingredient in cocktails, including a classic Negroni, and it also makes a perfect digestive on its own or accompanied by dark chocolate. Color: Deep Red

Available From Eataly Wines

Pio Cesare Vermouth

Pio Cesare, a fourth-generation winemaker in Piedmont (Italy), has reintroduced his family recipe from the 1950s to produce this aromatic wine. Made in small batches, it uses a mixture of 26 aromatic herbs, such as marjoram leaves, gentian roots, orange zest, and others, added to Pio Cesare’s white whites. The recipe is completed with burnt sugar, giving Vermouth its light color and distinctive aroma and taste.

The winemaker suggests drinking Pio Cesare Vermouth the old “Piemontese Style,” sipping it with a slice of lemon zest. Color: Amber

Available at Wine.com