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Home » Recipes » Cocktails

Blood Orange Old Fashioned

Published: Nov 17, 2022 by Lexi

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Finished blood orange old fashioned in glasses with orange garnish.

This Blood Orange Old Fashioned cocktail is a modern and slightly sweeter take on a classic. With notes of citrusy blood orange and rich brown sugar, this easy cocktail is perfectly tangy, refreshing, and looks stunning on any holiday table.

Finished blood orange old fashioned in glasses with orange garnish.
How gorgeous is the bright orange color on these old fashioned cocktails?!

I love a classic old fashioned, but this winter-inspired version is a bit sweeter than the classic, making it a great option for everyone to enjoy at the holidays.

Blood oranges are one of our favorite winter produce items, and this is a perfect use if you have a few in the fridge! Give this recipe a try for Thanksgiving or Christmas – we're pretty sure the whole family will want seconds.

Jump to:
  • Why We Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Instructions
  • Tips and FAQs
  • More Fall Cocktail Recipes to Enjoy
  • 📖 Recipe

Why We Love This Recipe

  • Quick and easy: It only takes a few minutes (and a few basic ingredients) to whip up one of these beautiful drinks.
  • Unique flavor profile: This cocktail features a unique and unexpected combination of flavors from strong whiskey, sweet and tangy blood orange juice, and rich brown sugar simple syrup. It's something different and proves to be a perfectly balanced drink.
  • Perfect for entertaining: You can measure and mix all of the ingredients and store in the fridge until the day of your event, making your holiday occasion super easy to pull off! Plus, this stunning cocktail will impress all of your guests (everyone goes crazy for the dehydrated orange slices)!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make these blood orange old fashioned cocktails:

Blood orange old fashioned ingredients including whiskey and bitters.
Freshly squeezed or store bought blood orange juice both work well in this recipe.

Ingredient Notes

  • Blood orange juice: Blood oranges are typically available in most grocery stores from around November-April. It's typically best to use freshly squeezed, but we also love using this store-bought blood orange juice when we can find it! If you can't find any blood oranges, feel free to sub with Cara Cara or another variety of orange.
  • Bourbon / whiskey: Bourbon is typically the preferred spirit for an old fashioned, but regular whiskey will do just fine. Since you're mixing it with blood orange juice and simple syrup, you don't have to break the bank with super expensive bourbon – something less expensive will do.
  • Brown sugar simple syrup: Our recipe for this easy simple syrup (that comes together in 15 minutes) adds extra rich flavor to this cocktail. You can also substitute with pure maple syrup or regular simple syrup.
  • Bitters: A traditional Old Fashioned is made with angostura bitters, which add an intense spiced, herbal note to the drink. All you need is a few drops! We particularly love these bitters – they have so many unique flavors that add a ton of depth to cocktails. We used orange bitters in ours for extra orange flavor.

Instructions

(1) Add whiskey or bourbon, blood orange juice, brown sugar simple syrup, and 2 dashes of bitters to a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake well for at least 10 seconds.

Left: cocktail shaker full of ice. Right: ingredients in the cocktail shaker.
Shake until the entire cocktail shaker is cold to the touch.

(2) Strain the cocktail into a glass with a large ice cube. Enjoy garnished with a dehydrated blood orange slice or a blood orange peel.

Left: pouring the cocktail into the glass. Right: adding a orange garnish on top.
A large ice cube melts slower so you don't water down your drink.

Tips and FAQs

  • Ice cubes: we suggest using a large square or circular ice cube for this cocktail instead of crushed or regular ice. The larger the ice cube, the more surface area and the slower it will melt, which will prevent this drink from getting watered down.
  • Storage: you can make a few batches of this blood orange old fashioned and store in a pitcher in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Just make sure to stir well again before pouring to make sure the syrup is evenly incorporated.
  • Garnishes: We love to garnish this cocktail with a blood orange peel or dehydrated or fresh blood orange slice. For fun holiday flair, you could also garnish with a sprig of thyme or rosemary.
  • Bourbon or whiskey? Bourbon is more traditional for an old fashioned, as the drink allegedly originated in Kentucky, a state famous for its bourbon. We suggest using bourbon in this Blood Orange Old Fashioned, but it will still be great with any whiskey variety.
  • Make ahead: you can make the brown sugar simple syrup up to a few weeks before serving this cocktail. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also squeeze the blood orange juice up to a day ahead of time for extra quick assembly.
Backlit view of blood orange old fashioned cocktail on pink backdrop.
Serve this cocktail for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
What's the difference between bourbon and whiskey?

Bourbon is a type of whiskey that must be made in the US, is distilled from at least 51% corn, and aged in new white oak-charred barrels. Other types of whiskey can be made from grains like corn and rye, and they do not have the same strict rules as bourbon. Bourbon is the most popular variety of American whiskey and generally has a sweeter flavor profile compared to other whiskies.

What does blood orange taste like?

Blood oranges are typically a bit more floral and tart tasting than a regular navel orange, with notes of cherry and raspberry. We think they tend to have a richer and more distinct flavor, which really takes this cocktail to the next level.

Overhead of the finished blood orange old fashioned cocktails.
A dehydrated (or fresh) blood orange slice makes for a pretty and simple garnish.

More Fall Cocktail Recipes to Enjoy

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    Cranberry Gin Cocktail
  • Close up of finished espresso martinis with pumpkins in background.
    Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
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Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

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Close up of the finished blood orange old fashioned cocktails.

Blood Orange Old Fashioned


  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This Blood Orange Old Fashioned cocktail is a modern and slightly sweeter take on a classic. With notes of citrusy blood orange and rich brown sugar, this easy cocktail is perfectly tangy, refreshing, and looks stunning on any holiday table.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Blood Orange Old Fashioned:

  • 1 ½ ounces bourbon or whiskey
  • 2 ounces blood orange juice (freshly squeezed)
  • ½ ounce brown sugar simple syrup (can use maple syrup or regular simple syrup)
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Blood orange peel or dehydrated blood orange slice for garnish (optional)

Brown sugar simple syrup:

  • ⅔ cup light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

Simple syrup:

  1. Add both types of sugar and water to a small pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
  2. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. 
  3. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. 

Cocktail:

  1. Add whiskey or bourbon, blood orange juice, brown sugar simple syrup, and 2 dashes of bitters to a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake well for at least 10 seconds.
  2. Strain the cocktail into a glass with a large ice cube. Enjoy garnished with a dehydrated blood orange slice or a blood orange peel.

Notes

Brown sugar simple syrup: Our recipe for this easy simple syrup (that comes together in 15 minutes) adds extra rich flavor to this cocktail. You can also substitute with pure maple syrup or regular simple syrup. 

Ice cubes: we suggest using a large square or circular ice cube for this cocktail instead of crushed or regular ice. The larger the ice cube, the more surface area and the slower it will melt, which will prevent this drink from getting watered down.

Storage: you can make a few batches of this cocktail and store in a pitcher in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Just make sure to stir well again before pouring to make sure the syrup is evenly incorporated.

Make ahead: you can make the brown sugar simple syrup up to a few weeks before serving this cocktail. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also squeeze the blood orange juice up to a day ahead of time for extra quick assembly. 

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Cocktails
  • Method: Shaker
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 165
  • Sugar: 13.6 g
  • Sodium: 0.1 mg
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14.9 g
  • Fiber: 0.3 g
  • Protein: 0.5 g

Keywords: blood orange old fashioned

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Lexi and Beth toasting with wine.

Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

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