Name: Hugo Spritz Cocktail Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 sprig fresh mint (plus more for garnish); 1 to 2 Tbsp elderflower liqueur (½ to 1 ounce); ½ cup Prosecco (4 ounces); 2 Tbsp sparkling water (1 ounce); ½ cup ice cubes; lemon or lime slices (for garnish)

Hugo Spritz Cocktail

By Sarah Bond, BS Nutrition, MS Sensory Science, Updated Jul 20, 2026

4.74 from 52 ratings

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5 minutes

Serves 1 serving

19 Comments

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These Hugo Spritz cocktails are a delightfully refreshing summer spritzer with fresh mint, lime, elderflower liqueur, Prosecco, and sparkling water! With dozens of 5-star reviews, you’ll be making this foolproof cocktail all summer.

Hugo spritz cocktail in a glass with slices of lime and fresh mint leaves.

I first encountered the Hugo Spritz while on a ski trip in the Dolomites of Northern Italy years ago. And while winter isn’t the classic season for enjoying this refreshing spritzer, I couldn’t get enough of it.

I began practicing making them at home, and by the time summer rolled around, I had perfected the Hugo Spritz recipe! With just a few minutes of work, you’ll have a refreshing summery cocktail as good as the stuff on the Amalfi coast! Let’s do this. It’s:

Ready in five minutes with no cocktail shaker or special equipment
One of the most visually impressive cocktails you can put in front of guests for almost no effort
Easily scaled up for a crowd by making in a pitcher or ice cube tray (see tutorial below!)

Reader rating

★★★★★

“Was recently introduced to this refreshing cocktail in Venice, Italy. Your recipe tastes just like it and takes me back to sunny days in Italy.” —Lisa

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Hugo (Cocktail) Ingredients

This is just an overview–jump to the recipe card for all measurements.

Elderflower liqueur: The defining ingredient of a Hugo spritz! St-Germain is the most widely available brand and a reliable choice. No St-Germain? Elderflower syrup or cordial works as a non-alcoholic substitute. Use about half the amount since it’s more concentrated and sweeter than liqueur.
Prosecco: Use a dry or extra-dry Prosecco rather than a sweet one, since the elderflower liqueur already brings sweetness and a sweet Prosecco can tip the balance too far.
Fresh mint: Muddled rather than torn, which releases the oils more completely.
Sparkling water: A splash is all you need!
Ice: Added last so it doesn’t dilute the drink while you’re assembling.
Lemon or lime slices: A slight squeeze before dropping them in adds a faint citrus note that brightens the whole drink.

How To Make A Hugo Spritz Cocktail A Mocktail

Swap the Prosecco for a sparkling water, and replace the elderflower liqueur with elderflower cordial. Because cordial is sweeter and more concentrated than liqueur, start with about a teaspoon and adjust to taste.

Ice Cube Variation

This is the version to make when you’re hosting. Freeze the cocktail into ice cubes ahead of time, then all anyone has to do is drop a few in a glass and top with Prosecco. As they melt, they release elderflower and lime into the drink rather than diluting it.

1 cup elderflower liqueur
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup water
A bunch of mint and lime slices
Prosecco to serve

Stir: Stir together elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and water.
Freeze: Add a bunch of mint leaves and lime slices to an ice cube tray. Pour in elderflower mixture. Freeze for at least eight hours or until firm (if you’re able to, make the temperature of your freezer as cold as possible).
Serve: Add a few ice cubes to each serving glass and top with Prosecco!

Close-up of a hand holding an ice cube tray with large cubes containing slices of lime and mint leaves, perfect for adding a refreshing twist to your next Hugo cocktail, on a wooden surface.

A pair of tongs holds a large ice cube with mint leaves inside above a glass filled with a light-colored Hugo beverage.

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Hugo Spritz Cocktail Recipe

4.74 from 52 ratings

By: Sarah Bond

Prep: 5

Total: 5

Servings: serving

This Hugo Spritz recipe is a refreshing cocktail made from elderflower, mint, lime, and Prosecco. You'll be making this foolproof drink all summer!

Ingredients

▢ 1 sprig fresh mint, plus more for garnish
▢ 1 to 2 Tbsp elderflower liqueur, ½ to 1 ounce
▢ ½ cup Prosecco, 4 ounces
▢ 2 Tbsp sparkling water, 1 ounce
▢ ½ cup ice cubes
▢ lemon or lime slices, for garnish

Instructions

Muddle: Add 1 sprig fresh mint and 1 to 2 Tbsp elderflower liqueur to a wine glass. Briefly muddle or stir to release the mint oils.
Assemble: Pour in ½ cup Prosecco and 2 Tbsp sparkling water. Top with ½ cup ice cubes and garnish with slices of lemon or lime and a bunch of fresh mint.

Notes

Does not store well. Serve immediately after assembling.

How to make a Hugo spritz without St-Germain: St-Germain is the most widely available elderflower liqueur, but it’s not your only option.

Other elderflower liqueurs: Brands like Belvoir, Thatcher’s, and Giffard all make elderflower liqueurs that work as direct swaps in the same quantity. The flavor varies slightly between brands but the drink stays true to the original.
Elderflower cordial: This is the non-alcoholic route and it works well. Cordial is more concentrated than liqueur, so use about half the amount, starting with one teaspoon and adjusting to taste.