Hugo spritz (elderflower prosecco cocktail)
- Published: 16 May 25
- Updated: 26 May 25
Learn how to make a classic Italian hugo spritz cocktail, a refreshing mix of prosecco and elderflower cordial with a splash of soda water.
- Easy summer prosecco cocktail: This simple recipe is part of the family of Italian spritzes, which combine sparkling wine, an aperitif and soda water in an easily-memorised 3-2-1 ratio. The hugo spritz uses elderflower – making it a great choice for those who prefer sweeter, floral flavours to the bitter aromatics of traditional aperitifs, such as Aperol and Campari. We suggest adding a shot of gin, too, to enhance the floral flavour, and squeezing over a wedge of lime to balance the sweetness and add a zesty touch.
- Famous Italian aperitif: The hugo spritz is a relatively new invention, created by a bartender in mountainous northern Italy in the early 2000s, and its popularity quickly spread into Austria and beyond. The original recipe calls for elderflower syrup, which readily-available elderflower cordial is a great substitute for in the UK; you can also make your own elderflower cordial in the summer months.
- Scale it up: The drink can easily be batch-made to serve a crowd. Fill a jug half-full with ice and multiply the ingredients to serve four or six. Top up with prosecco and soda water at the last minute for the freshest, fizziest results.
Love elderflower? Try this elderflower G&T next. Or browse all our favourite spritzes, including sweet strawberry and limoncello cocktails.
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Serves 1 -
Hands-on time 5 min
delicious. tips
We suggest pepping up your hugo spritz with a generous measure of gin but you can simply leave yours with elderflower cordial and icy cold prosecco if you’d prefer, for a more traditional drink.
Ensure the prosecco and soda water are very chilled for the best results.
Roll the limes on your worktop before slicing into wedges. This breaks down the segments inside, making releasing the juice easier when you squeeze the wedge over the glass.
Before adding the mint leaves, lightly crush them in your hands to release their aroma. For professional-style drink making, drop the leaves into a bowl of ice water beforehand to pep them up for garnishing.
How to jazz up your hugo spritz
Cucumber: Strips or wedges of cucumber dial up the fresh, clean character of the drink.
Summer berries: Add a sweet note with seasonal raspberries or sliced strawberries; lightly crush them to release their juices or use as a garnish.
Flavoured gin: Try using rhubarb, raspberry or another fruity-flavoured gin to complement the elderflower and lime.This is not a drink that lends itself to being made ahead of time, as it relies on the soda water and prosecco being fridge-cold and fizzy and the mint leaves being fresh and vibrant. Luckily, it can be stirred together very quickly and it made in the glass it will be served in, which also saves on time.
Opt for a brut (dry) or extra brut (very dry) prosecco, rather than bottles labelled ‘dry’ (which are actually on the sweeter side) or demi-sec (the sweetest variety). The elderflower cordial is already high in sugar, so a drier wine is needed to balance the drink.