5 minutes

Blood Orange Honey Old Fashioned

This blood orange honey old fashioned is a twist on the classic cocktail, with a unique flavor that is all its own. Super simple to make, with a beautiful color from the blood oranges, this is sure to become your new favorite cocktail!

The classic old fashioned cocktail is kind of a big deal where I’m from. You could go so far as to say the old fashioned is Wisconsin’s signature drink. A traditional old fashioned contains a sugar cube, bitters, maraschino cherries, an orange slice, and a generous pour of your favorite bourbon or whiskey. In my family, it’s made with brandy and garnished with green olives. A little weird, but give it a try some time and I promise you will not be disappointed.

This blood orange old fashioned cocktail is a fun twist on the classic. I replaced the sugar cube with a generous drizzle of honey, and the oranges and cherries with fresh squeezed blood orange juice. Stir those up in your rocks glass with your old fashioned alcohol of choice, and top with sparkling water for a refreshing and delicious drink. I loved the natural flavors of this simple cocktail, and while it certainly reminds me of the original, this drink really stands on its own.

For other fun cocktails, try my apple cider martini, baileys peppermint espresso martini, or cranberry mimosa.

A top down view of three old fashioned cocktails on a marble background, with cut blood oranges and sprigs of thyme as garnish.

You Will Love This

  • I love using honey in cocktails – no need to make a simple syrup, and no sugar grains in your drink!
  • Blood oranges make this cocktail a beautiful vibrant color, perfect for a special occasion!

Ingredients

Ingredients for a blood orange honey old fashioned on a marble background.

To make a blood orange honey old fashioned, you need the following ingredients (exact measurements are in the recipe card below):

  • Honey: Using honey instead of sugar adds a more natural, sweet and fruity flavor. Honey is sweeter than white sugar, and I find this cocktail is sweet enough for me even without the maraschino cherries in the traditional version.
  • Blood Oranges: Blood oranges are more sweet and floral than regular oranges, and they are just so pretty! You need 1-2 oranges for juice and garnish for this recipe.
  • Angostura bitters: Aromatic bitters are made with herbs and botanicals. Their purpose is to add a fresh smell and flavor to cocktails. I have heard bitters in cocktail making compared to salt in cooking – they add so much and help bring out all the other flavors in the drink. Don’t leave them out! You can substitute orange bitters if you have those on hand.
  • Brandy: You could substitute whiskey or bourbon if you prefer.
  • Cointreau
  • Sparkling water or lemon-lime soda
  • Ice

Instructions

Step One: Drizzle the honey into the bottom of a double old-fashioned glass.

An empty rocks glass on a marble background with a honey spoon drizzling in honey.

Step Two: Add freshly squeezed blood orange juice and stir well to combine it with the honey.

A rocks glass on a marble background with blood orange juice being poured in.

Step Three: Add the bitters, brandy and Cointreau to the glass, and stir.

A rocks glass on a marble background with clear alcohol being poured into blood orange juice.

Step Four: Add a big ice cube or two, and top the drink off with sparkling water. For a sweeter cocktail, top your drink off with lemon-lime soda like Sprite.

A rocks glass on a marble background with sparkling water being poured into a pink cocktail with a large ice cube.

Step Five: Garnish your cocktail with an orange wedge or orange twist if you’re feeling fancy. I added a sprig of thyme to mine.

A rocks glass containing a pink blood orange old fashioned cocktail, garnished with a wedge of blood orange.

Blood Orange Honey Old Fashioned

This blood orange honey old fashioned is a twist on the classic cocktail, with a unique flavor that is all its own. Super simple to make, with a beautiful color from the blood oranges, this is sure to become your new favorite cocktail!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving
Calories 151 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 ounce blood orange juice
  • 3 dashes bitters
  • 1 ounce brandy
  • 1/2 ounce Cointreau
  • 3-4 ounces sparkling water or soda

Instructions
 

  • Drizzle the honey into the bottom of a double old-fashioned glass.
  • Add freshly squeezed blood orange juice and stir well to combine it with the honey.
  • Add the bitters, brandy and Cointreau to the glass, and stir well.
  • dd a big ice cube or two, and top the drink off with sparkling water. For a sweeter cocktail, top your drink off with lemon-lime soda like Sprite.
  • Garnish your cocktail with an orange wedge or orange twist if you're feeling fancy. I added a sprig of thyme to mine.

Nutrition

Calories: 151kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 0.04gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 28IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.1mg
Keyword blood orange old fashioned, honey old fashioned, old fashioned cocktail
Loved this recipe?Leave a rating below!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating