Amaretto is an almond-flavored liqueur that may be found in cocktails, desserts, coffee beverages, and other dishes.

Perhaps you’ve run out of amaretto, need a non-alcoholic substitute, or want to change up the taste of your dish! Whatever your purpose for looking for an amaretto substitution, one of the options on this list is guaranteed to please!

What Kind of Alcohol is Amaretto?

Amaretto is an almond-flavored liquor from Italy. Some people are surprised to learn that Amaretto is not necessarily produced from almonds. Amaretto may be manufactured using almonds, apricot kernels, or peach stones, depending on the brand.

Amaretto may be served as a standalone beverage or in a variety of drink and cuisine preparations. Amaretto is a popular and adaptable component in cocktails, coffee beverages, sweets, and even certain savory meat and fish dishes.

Amaretto has an alcohol concentration that ranges between 21% and 28% by volume (ABV).

What Does it Taste Like?

In Italian, amaretto means “a little bitter.” This sweet, rich Italian liqueur has a harsh aftertaste.

Amaretto’s unique, sweet almondy taste lends itself well to drinks and baked products. The Amaretto Sour drink and amaretto biscuits are two of the most popular applications for amaretto.

Recommended Amaretto Substitutes

There are various reasons why you may want to replace the amaretto in your drink or dish with another component.

Maybe you ran out of amaretto. Perhaps you dislike the almond taste or would like a non-alcoholic option.

Whatever your reason for requiring an amaretto alternative, there are several solutions available. Some amaretto substitutes are more suited to beverages, while others are better suited to food items, but you will find a suitable equivalent on this list.

Alcoholic Substitutes

If you’re seeking for an amaretto replacement for mixed cocktails, you should look for something with a comparable alcohol concentration.

Many other liqueurs may be used in place of amaretto in mixed cocktails or any other recipe that calls for amaretto.

Hazelnut Liqueur

Because it is created from nuts, hazelnut liqueur is an excellent substitute for amaretto. Amaretto’s taste and color are also shared by hazelnut liqueur.

Because hazelnut liqueur has a comparable ABV to amaretto, it won’t alter the alcohol amount of your recipe.

Amaretto is somewhat sweeter than hazelnut liqueur. Because of its sweetness, it is an excellent amaretto substitution for desserts, mixed beverages, and even coffee drinks.

The hazelnut taste is unique from amaretto’s almondy flavor, although this liqueur is one of the closest amaretto substitutes available. If you like the taste of hazelnuts, this is an excellent replacement.

Coffee Liqueur

Coffee liqueur is an excellent substitute for amaretto. If you like coffee, you’ll like the taste this substitute adds to your favorite dishes.

Although coffee liqueur lacks the nutty taste of amaretto, the coffee flavor complements brownies, pastries, tiramisu, and coffee beverages. Coffee liqueur has an ABV of roughly 20%, making it just slightly less alcoholic than amaretto.

One thing to keep in mind is that coffee liqueur contains caffeine. You may appreciate the additional caffeine, particularly if you want to mix the liqueur with your coffee!

If you are caffeine sensitive, you should select a different amaretto option.

Chocolate Liqueur

Are you a chocoholic seeking for an alternative for amaretto? Chocolate liqueur is the answer!

This luscious syrup, also known as crme de cacao, complements chocolate pastries wonderfully, but it also works well in many mixed cocktails and coffee drinks.

Chocolate liqueur has an alcohol concentration that ranges between 20% and 25%, making it about the same as amaretto.

Chocolate liqueur is also excellent on its own! It may be taken on its own as an after-dinner drink or as a digestif in Italy.

Coconut Liqueur

Coconut liqueur is another liqueur that may be used interchangeably with amaretto. This tasty syrup adds an exotic touch to whatever drink or food it’s added to.

The coconut taste is distinct from the almondy flavor of amaretto, but the sweetness is comparable. The ABV of coconut liqueur is roughly 21%, which is extremely comparable to the ABV of amaretto.

Coconut liqueur works well as an amaretto alternative in baked products and desserts. Just keep in mind that the taste of sweets cooked with coconut liqueur will change significantly from that of sweets baked with amaretto.

If you want your cocktail to have a more tropical flavor, use coconut liqueur instead of amaretto.

Cherry Liqueur

Try using cherry liqueur for amaretto for an entirely different taste that is fruity rather than nutty. This alternative is ideal for individuals who dislike the taste of amaretto since cherry liqueur has a drastically different flavor than amaretto.

Cherry liqueur, like most other liqueurs, has a comparable ABV to amaretto, at roughly 24%. As a result, although the taste of your drink may vary substantially, the alcohol concentration will remain same.

Cherry liqueur is an excellent amaretto replacement for mixed cocktails with other fruits.

Other liqueurs, such as coffee or chocolate, may clash with more fruity tastes, so cherry liqueur is a perfect alternative.

Non-Alcoholic Substitutes

You may be looking for an amaretto alternative because you want to eliminate alcohol entirely. Fortunately, several non-alcoholic components may be used in lieu of amaretto.

These non-alcoholic components, unlike other liqueur replacements, all include almonds. So, if the almond taste is more important to you than the alcohol level, they may be better selections for your recipe.

Almond Syrup

In most circumstances, almond syrup is the finest non-alcoholic substitute for amaretto. Because they both have a unique almond taste, almond syrup is an ideal option for baked goods or beverages that need a sweet, almondy flavor.

Almond syrup may be used in place of amaretto at a 1:1 ratio. However, be aware that almond syrup contains far more sugar than amaretto.

If you use almond syrup as an amaretto alternative, you may want to reduce the quantity of sugar in your recipe.

Almond Extract

Almond extract is created from almond essential oils. It’s sweet, nutty, and fragrant, making it an excellent non-alcoholic alternative to amaretto. Almond extract has a taste and scent that is quite similar to amaretto.

Almond extract is widely used in baked products and is an excellent substitute for amaretto in cakes, cookies, and sweets.

Because almond extract is concentrated, a little amount goes a long way. Use just a teaspoon to a teaspoon of almond extract for every two tablespoons of amaretto called for in a recipe.

Marzipan

This amaretto substitute may surprise you since it is the only non-liquid option on our list! The consistency of marzipan and amaretto is very different. However, marzipans sweet, almondy flavor is akin to amaretto.

Marzipan is a sweet confection consisting mostly of almond flour and sugar. It is a wonderful substitute for all of your confectionery requirements since it is pleasantly sweet.

By dissolving marzipan in hot water, you may make a syrup. This syrup may then be used in place of amaretto in most recipes.

When adding marzipan to hot coffee, there is no need to dissolve it beforehand.Simply put a piece in and it will dissolve, imparting a wonderful almondy taste to your beverage.

Amaretto Substitute Tiramisu?

If you’re cooking tiramisu and the recipe asks for amaretto, you have a few alternatives if you don’t have the almond-flavored liqueur on hand.

Tiramisu is traditionally prepared with Marsala wine and dark rum. As a result, one or both of these alcohols will function nicely as a substitute for amaretto in a tiramisu recipe.

Chocolate liqueur or coffee liqueur are two more excellent tiramisu substitutes. Because tiramisu already includes espresso, coffee liqueur complements the meal perfectly if you want to add more coffee taste.

If you want a non-alcoholic alternative, almond syrup will give sweetness and almond taste to your food without adding alcohol.

Is Disaronno The Same as Amaretto?

Disaronno is an amaretto-flavored liqueur. Disaronno has a 28% alcohol by volume and a distinctive dark amber hue.

Disaronno is a liqueur produced from apricot kernel oil, absolute alcohol, caramelized sugar, and a variety of spices and fruits.

The product was known as Amaretto di Saronno (Amaretto from Saronno) until 2001, when it was relaunched as Disaronno Originale.

Be advised that the Disaronno brand also produces non-amaretto items. If you desire amaretto, be sure you get Disaronno Originale.