Paper Plane Cocktail

With a perfect balance of bitter, sour, and earthy notes, the Paper Plane Cocktail is a new classic that’s only been around since 2007. Make this gorgeous sunset-hued aperitivo drink at home using just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes. One sip and you’ll feel like the hippest folks on the block!

Jump to:

• About This Recipe
• Paper Plane Ingredients & Substitutions
• Equipment
• How To Make A Paper Plane Cocktail
• Optional Variations
• Expert Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Amaro Drink Recipes
• Paper Plane Cocktail

About This Recipe

Despite having taken the bartending world by storm, the history of this magnificent amaro drink is quite short. In fact, it didn’t make its debut until 2007! Originally created by award-winning bartender Sam Ross for the swanky Chicago Wicker Park speakeasy – The Violet Hour – the Paper Plane was designed as a modern take of the Last Word cocktail and named after M.I.A.’s homonymous hit song. 

While the inspirational Last Word was made from equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice, the Paper Plane drink is a lemony aperol bourbon amaro cocktail. 

At first glance, the two might seem worlds apart since they are made with different spirits; however, after sipping the two side-by-side you’d be hard-pressed not to see the resemblance. Both are made using the same template of a 1:1:1:1 ratio of ingredients using a single primary spirit buoyed by bittersweet liqueurs and a bright burst of fresh citrus. 

With a brightly cheerful hue and a grown-up palate of bittersweet, earthy, and sour flavors, you’ll definitely want to keep this Paper Plane cocktail recipe in your happy hour rotation. Best of all, you only need 4 ingredients and a single measurement to pull it off, making it easy enough to shake up from memory.

Paper Plane Ingredients & Substitutions

Making Mixologist-level cocktails at home isn’t difficult, but does require the right ingredients. Make sure to reach for high-quality bottles and fresh fruit to make this Paper Airplane drink really sing:

• Amaro Nonino - One of many Italian Amaris, this bittersweet, golden-hued liqueur is made from a grappa base laced with botanicals, orange peel, and herbs.
• Aperol - While this bitter aperitif is made with many ingredients, it is primarily flavored with gentian root and rhubarb. It also has a relatively high sugar content and a low ABV of just 11%, making it more approachable for people who are new to bitter cocktail territory.
• Bourbon - Ross, the creator of the original Paper Plane recipe, suggests using a heftier bourbon with an ABV in the 43-46% range for added body.
• Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice - If you truly want to emulate the flavors of a cocktail bar, make sure you follow the cardinal rule: only use freshly squeezed citrus. The bottled kind is flavored with essential oils which gives them a ruddy, bitter taste rather than the bright acidity we crave.

Equipment

You don’t need much to make this fancy Paper Plane drink recipe at home. Here’s what to grab:

• Cocktail Shaker - If you don’t have a proper one, try using a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid.
• Cocktail Strainer - Some styles of cocktail shakers have them built right in. If not, you can also swap in your mesh strainer from the kitchen.
• Aperitivo Drink Glasses - This bourbon aperol amaro drink is very intentionally potent and should be served up. Serve in an appropriately sized glass (e.g. mini martini glasses, coupes, or sherry glasses) for the full luxurious effect.

How To Make A Paper Plane Cocktail

It seriously couldn’t be easier to pull off this newfangled classic at home. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Shake. Add equal amounts of all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds.

Step 2: Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Step 3: Garnish & Serve. A wide strip of orange or lemon zest and/or a small, hand-folded paper plane for an excellent garnishe. Cheers!

Optional Variations

Once you try the cocktail Paper Plane, you’ll understand why it’s considered a modern classic. That said, there are a few variations worth considering, depending on what is already on your bar cart:

• Paper Kamikaze - Swap in dark rum for the bourbon.
• Extra Bitter Paper Plane - Swap in Campari for the Aperol. In fact, this was what Ross used for the original Paper Plane, but then decided that Aperol had a better balance.
• Budget Version - Swap in Grand Marnier and a few dashes of Angostura bitters for the Amaro Nonino.

Expert Tips

• Shake vigorously to aerate, but be careful not to dilute. You’re aiming for about 45 seconds of hard shaking before you strain.
• Use high-quality ingredients. Use fresh lemon juice and the best amaro and bourbon brands you can afford.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Amaro Drink Recipes

• Rye and Cynar Cocktail
• Aperol Negroni Sour Cocktail
• Amaro Spritz

As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try this Paper Plane cocktail recipe, please share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!

Looking for more treats and beverages to whip up? Head on over to my recipe page for more new delicious ideas to create in your kitchen!