Blood Orange Gin and Tonic

When blood oranges arrive in the winter time, I have the perfect excuse for this fresh take on a classic gin and tonic. My Blood Orange Gin and Tonic will make a soup night at home feel like a bistro-inspired supper.

I love a bright, fresh cocktail in the middle of winter. It somehow creates its own moment and lets the cold of the world just stay away. I’m inside, and it’s warm, cozy, and bright.

Blood oranges are a perfect winter fruit to have fun with at cocktail time during those cold, dreary winter months. For me, it’s the color. It’s so vibrant and inviting. Hard to resist that jewel tone in cocktail form.

For these Blood Orange Gin & Tonics, I kept things simple. They are meant as an accompaniment to my Cozy Couples Soup Night Menu, and I wanted the drinks to be both fresh but also unbothered. The bistro-inspired menu includes a roasted cherry tomato soup and a savory mushroom toast on the side. I loved making my Blood Orange Rosemary Martinis last year, so it felt natural to keep the blood orange but mix up the G&T for this menu.

The results are nothing short of impressive. Simple ingredients, but this drink still has freshness and depth. You can of course play with the simple syrup if you want something even fancier–the rosemary simple syrup from my martinis would be perfect here. Or you could try a thyme simple syrup as well. But I love the straightforwardness of these drinks and was happy to keep the syrup, well, simple.

This is the kind of drink I always recommend keeping the ingredients at the ready in the kitchen. Because you can easily mix this in the glass, you are going to want to be ready when it’s time for a second round. So juice an extra blood orange and make some extra simple syrup so that you can keep these Blood Orange Gin & Tonics coming!

Tips and Variations

• I love serving this in a simple highball or coupe glass with lots of ice, especially alongside cozy food like soup or toasts.
• A small herb garnish, like a sprig of thyme or rosemary, instantly makes the drinks feel special without any extra effort.
• If you don’t have blood oranges, try a variation with cara cara!
• You can always play with the sweetness of this cocktail. You can omit the simple syrup altogether if you prefer.
• As mentioned earlier, the syrup is also a place to play with flavor. An herbal syrup like thyme, rosemary, sage would all be lovely here.
• A blood orange slice would also make a beautiful garnish.

Looking for the full menu?

These Blood Orange Gin and Tonics were designed as part of my Cozy Couples Soup Night at Home Menu. That menu features a delicious roasted cherry tomato soup and crispy mushroom toast on the side. Click here for all the details. And check out my other recipes here for more romantic menu inspiration!