This blood orange cocktail is so easy: a sunny twist on your favorite G&T! Botanical gin meshes perfectly with the bright citrus.
Here’s arguably the easiest blood orange cocktail out there: the Blood Orange Gin and Tonic! There’s nothing better than a cocktail you can mix up right in the glass, right? Much as we love a good blood orange margarita or blood orange martini…this one’s even easier to make. Here the botanicals from the gin mesh perfectly with the bright citrus of the blood orange. It makes for a sunny twist on your favorite G&T! Here’s how to make it!
How to make this blood orange cocktail
You need only three ingredients for this mashup of blood orange with the classic Gin and Tonic. The great thing about a G&T is that it’s ultra simple: you don’t even need to dirty a cocktail shaker! (That’s our kind of quick and dirty drink.) Here’s what’s in this blood orange cocktail:
- Blood orange juice
- Gin
- Tonic water
Simply stir together the ingredients in the cocktail glass, then add the tonic water. Simple as that! Speaking of the tonic water…
Tip: Pour the tonic water over a spoon!
Here’s a little tip for the tonic water that we also use in our World’s Best Gin and Tonic. When you add the tonic water, pour it over a spoon into the drink. This is known to make it more bubbly. Of course, we don’t have any scientific proof of this! But why not intensify those bubbles? It’s not required, but it takes no time at all and makes you feel fancy.
It’s best with fresh squeezed juice…or use bottled in a pinch!
This blood orange cocktail is at its absolute best during blood orange season, when you can use fresh juice squeezed from the fruit! The season is approximately December through April, depending on where you live. But if you want to make this drink any time of the year, you can also use bottled blood orange juice! Try to find 100% juice if you can, which is unsweetened.
The gin to use for this blood orange cocktail
Here’s our mantra: the better the gin, the better the drink! Some cocktails can cover over sub-par gin, but not here. You’re only using 3 ingredients in this blood orange cocktail, so it’s good to have at least a mid-priced gin. Here are a few tips on the specific gin variety:
- Every bottle of gin tastes a little different and has different botanical flavors. Experiment to find your favorite!
- We like Malfy gin, so that’s what we used here. We also love locally-distilled gin, so if you can find it in your city it’s a great way to support local.
- Steer away from Tanqueray gin: in our personal opinion, it gives a strong floral quality.
More blood orange cocktails
Want some more ideas for a drinks outside of this G&T? We’ve got your back. Here are some great blood orange cocktails:
Try this tasty Blood Orange Margarita! Combining the citrus with tequila and lime makes a brilliant bright orange red drink that’s perfectly balanced and sweet tart. In all of our 15+ margarita recipes, this one’s a favorite.
Here’s a zingy blood orange cocktail that makes the most of this unique citrus fruit: a Blood Orange Martini! This drink matches the floral citrus from the blood orange with the tang of lime juice, making a balanced, drinkable flavor.
Here's a unique blood orange cocktail: the Blood and Sand! It’s similar to a Manhattan or Martinez, but with with Scotch, blood orange juice and cherry liqueur. Instead of spicy and boozy like most Scotch cocktails, it’s the exact opposite! It’s light and semi-sweet, with a balanced and cherry-forward flavor.
Another blood orange cocktail? A fusion of the best of Italian and Mexican cuisines in margarita form! This Mediterranean version of the classic cocktail swaps out orange liqueur for amaretto, and the almond essence adds a distinctly Italian vibe.
Last up in our blood orange cocktails: the Garibaldi! This Italian cocktail has so much going for it: first of all, it's got only two ingredients! There’s a little textural little flair with a foamy topping. The flavor comes out balanced and refreshing, with bitter, sweet and tangy notes all intermingling in the perfect sip.
When to serve this blood orange cocktail
This citrus G&T is bubbly and refreshing! It’s great for serving as a:
- Happy hour drink
- Dinner party drink
- Signature cocktail
- Winter drink
- Before dinner drink (aperitif)
- Cocktail hour drink
Blood Orange Cocktail
(6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This blood orange cocktail is so easy: a sunny twist on your favorite G&T! Botanical gin meshes perfectly with the bright citrus.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) gin
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) blood orange juice
- 4 ounces (1/2 cup) tonic water
- Ice (try clear ice)
- For the garnish: Mint sprig, blood orange slice
Instructions
- Add gin, blood orange juice, and ice and stir.
- Pour the tonic water onto a bar spoon into the glass (to increase the bubbles). Stir once. Add the garnishes and serve.
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktails
Keywords: Blood orange cocktail
About the Authors
Sonja Overhiser
Cookbook Author and writer
Sonja Overhiser is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best healthy cookbooks of 2018. She’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the food blog A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja seeks to inspire adventurous eating to make the world a better place one bite at a time.
Alex Overhiser
Cookbook Author and photographer
Alex Overhiser is an acclaimed food photographer and author based in Indianapolis. He’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Alex is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious.
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