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These popular blood orange cocktails are delicious crowd-pleasers! These drink recipes pair the vibrant fruit with gin, vodka, tequila, and more.
If there was a contest for the most beautiful fruit, the blood orange is right up there! Its fiery red color is eye-catching, and the subtly sweet orange flavor with hints of cherry and raspberry is absolutely delicious.
Blood oranges have a short season (usually December through March, depending on where you live), which makes me want to use them in everything while I can! Over the years, I’ve tried a long list of cocktail recipes pairing it with everything from gin to Campari. Here’s a list of the most popular blood orange cocktails I’ve made, from the blood orange margarita to the Blood and Sand, a 1930’s classic!
Blood Orange Cocktail Recipes
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 margarita recipes, this one’s a favorite.
Ingredients: Blood orange juice, tequila, Cointreau, lime, simple syrup
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.
Ingredients: Blood orange juice, vodka, lime juice, Cointreau, simple syrup
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 margarita or martini…this one’s even easier to make.
Ingredients: Blood orange juice, gin, tonic water
Here's a unique 1930's 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.
Ingredients: Blended Scotch, cherry liqueur or cherry brandy (like Cherry Heering), sweet vermouth, blood orange juice
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.
Ingredients: Tequila, blood orange juice, amaretto, lime juice
Next 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.
Ingredients: Blood orange juice, Campari
Everything’s better with bubbles, right? Try this Blood Orange Mimosa! Blood orange juice gives the glass a fiery red color and crisp flavor. It’s bubbly, it’s refreshing, and it’s downright fun. (Note: Replace the orange juice with blood orange juice in the linked recipe.)
Ingredients: Blood orange juice, Prosecco or champagne
Last up in our blood orange cocktails: the Golden Dream! One sip and you’ll be instantly intrigued: in fact, it tastes like a boozy Creamsicle! It’s creamy with a strong orange flavor: and the finish isn’t too sweet, with subtle notes of herbs, licorice and vanilla. (Note: Replace the orange juice with blood orange juice in the linked recipe.)
Ingredients: Galliano, Triple Sec or Cointreau, blood orange juice, heavy cream
What Makes Blood Oranges Special for Cocktails
Blood oranges belong to a family of pigmented citrus varieties. The deep red color comes from something called anthocyanins, the same antioxidant found in blueberries and cherries,
In terms of flavor, they’re less acidic than navel oranges, and they have a berry-like sweetness that makes interesting in cocktails. You don’t have to add as much sweetener to balance a blood orange drink as you would with straight lime or lemon juice.
Freshly squeezed blood orange juice tastes best here, but if all you can find is store-bought it makes a great substitute, especially if you want to make a blood orange margarita out of season.
How to Choose Blood Oranges
Blood oranges are typically in season from December through March, with peak availability in January and February. Look for fruit that feels heavy for its size and has a slight give when you press it. Moro is a type of blood orange that is typically more deep-red in color. Another variety called Tarocco is sweeter and less acidic but often lighter (these types are not always marked at the store).
Store blood oranges at room temperature for up to 1 week, or refrigerate for up 3 weeks.
More Ways to Use Blood Oranges
Want to use this vibrant fruit outside of these blood orange cocktails? Here are a few fun ways to use this unique citrus fruit:
- Try them cut into rounds in this beautiful Citrus Salad
- Bake them into a cornmeal cake in this Upside Down Orange Cake
- Freeze the juice into a delicious Blood Orange Granita
- Make a tasty mocktail out of Blood Orange Rosemary Water
Blood Orange Margarita
This blood orange margarita is the perfect way to use this vibrant fruit! Add tequila and lime for a stunning citrus cocktail.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) tequila blanco or reposado*
- 2 ounces (¼ cup) blood orange juice
- ¾ ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) Cointreau
- ¾ ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) fresh lime juice
- Kosher salt, flaky sea salt, or Himalayan pink sea salt, for the rim (optional)
- Ice, for serving (try clear ice)
Instructions
- Cut a notch in a lime wedge, then run the lime around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of salt (or for a festive look, use Margarita Salt).
- Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. Shake until cold. Strain the margarita into the glass with the salted rim. Fill the glass with ice, garnish with a blood orange slice, if desired.
Notes
*To make a pitcher of 8 servings, mix together in a pitcher: 1 ½ cups tequila, 2 cups blood orange juice, ¾ cup Cointreau, and ¾ cup lime juice. Add three handfuls of ice and stir until cold. Pour into individual glasses.
Let us know if you have any questions!