This vibrant blood orange cocktail is a tangy partnership of fresh blood orange juice and gin. Boldly coloured, with a smooth finish, this easy-drinking blood orange drink is citrus forward with delicate herbal undertones.
If you enjoy citrus-based cocktails try a rum sour or a negroni sour.

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Why You'll Love this Blood Orange Drink
- Flavour: It's fresh, bright, & citrusy with herbal undertones supplied by homemade rosmary syrup.
- Colour: This gin-based blood orange sour is beautifully bold in colour. It is a libation to catch the eye.
- Seasonal Ingredients: Blood oranges are in season for such a short period so it's great to make the most of them.
- Customisable: Vary the sweetness, drop the herbal element, switch the spirit, serve it with or without the egg white foam.
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I've also made great use of this fruit in blood orange drizzle muffins and to pair with a cinnamon chocolate mousse cake.
Ingredients Notes

- Blood oranges: If in season, fresh blood oranges are the best option for this drink. Blood oranges are typically slightly sweeter and less acidic than ordinary oranges. If they are out of season you can make this drink with regular oranges and it will still be delicious.
- Gin: This blood orange cocktail have been devised using London Dry gin. My favourites include Opihr, King Soho and Hendricks.
- Simple syrup: Use rosemary simple syrup to introduce a herbal element to this vibrant blood orange sour cocktail. Alternatively, use simple syrup for a simpler version of this recipe.
- Campari: A small splash of Campari adds a bittersweet edge to this drink to balance out the flavours.
- Egg white: To give this blood orange gin drink an air of old fashioned grandeur, I couldn't resist adding an egg white foam. It ransforms the liquid into something creamy and silky to sip on and creates a pretty foam top.
How to Make a Blood Orange Cocktail (Step-by-Step)

- Step 1: Cut the oranges in half and juice them. Strain the liquid through a fine meshed sieve to remove all flesh and pith.

- Step 2: Measure the ingredients into the base of a cocktail shaker.

- Step 3: Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. (This is the dry shake).

- Step 4: Add a large handful of ice to the shaker. Secure the lid again.

- Step 5: Shake hard for a further 30-40 seconds until well-chilled. (This is the wet shake).

- Step 6: Strain the tdrink into your cocktail glasses then garnish and serve immediately.
Garnishes
Obvious garnishes for this blood orange sour include a sprig of fresh rosemary and some zest. You could laso go with a wheel of fresh blood orange.
Expert Tips
- Use freshly squeezed juice: This gives the best flavour. Cartoned juice can be a bit too overpowering.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness before serving:
- Add more syrup to make your drink sweeter.
- Increase the Campari to tone down sweetness and make it more bittersweet.
- Do the double shake: It is essential to perform the dry shake (without ice) and wet shake (with ice) to create a smooth foam top and silky texture to your blood orange cocktail.
Variations
- Sparkling blood orange drink: Omit the egg white and instead top your glass with 75ml Prosecco or other dry sparkling wine.
- Vodka blood orange sour: Replace the gin with vodka.
- Tequila blood orange drink: Swap the gin for tequila.
- Blood orange mocktail: Omit the Campari and swap the gin for an alcohol-free spirit such as Lyres non-alcoholic dry London spirit.
- Swap the herb: Replace the rosemary syrup with fresh mint syrup or thyme syrup.

More zesty cocktails
Have you made this blood orange gin sour? If so, I'd love to know if you enjoyed it - drop me a line in the comment section.
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📖 Recipe

Blood Orange Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 Blood oranges
- 80 ml Gin
- 20 ml Rosemary syrup
- 5 ml Campari
- 1 Egg white (use a large egg)
- Handful of ice
- Sprig fresh rosemary - for garnish
Instructions
- Cut the oranges in half and juice them. Strain the liquid through a fine meshed sieve to remove all flesh and pith. Measure 100ml for the cocktails and set the rest aside for other uses.
- Put all of the liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
- Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds (this is the dry shake).
- Add a large handful of ice to the shaker and secure the lid again.
- Shake hard for a further 30-40 seconds until well-chilled (this is the wet shake).
- Strain the drink into 2 cocktail glasses and garnish with rosemary sprigs if using
- Serve immediately
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed juice: This gives the best flavour. Cartoned juice can be a bit too overpowering.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness before serving:
- Add more syrup to make your drink sweeter
- Increase the Campari to tone down sweetness and make it more bittersweet.
- Do the double shake: It is essential to perform the dry shake (without ice) and wet shake (with ice) to create a smooth foam top and silky texture and to ensure your blood orange cocktail is adequately chilled & diluted.
- Sparkling blood orange drink: Omit the egg white and instead top your glass with 75ml Prosecco or other dry sparkling wine.
- Vodka blood orange sour: Replace the gin with vodka.
- Tequila blood orange drink: Swap the gin for tequila.
- Blood orange mocktail: Omit the Campari and swap the gin for an alcohol-free spirit such as Lyres non-alcoholic dry London spirit.
- Swap the herb: Replace the rosemary syrup with fresh mint syrup or thyme syrup.












Dini @ The Flavor Bender says
I absolutely LOVE cocktails with egg white foam!! This looks so refreshing and delicious Jane! I am going loony for blood oranges! So many of your gorgeous recipes are on my to-make list 🙂
Jane Saunders says
Ah, thankyou Dini. ~You've made my day (it's a Bank Holiday so doubly happy 🙂 🙂 )
Jennifer A Stewart says
First off, love blood oranges and the fact that they are now alcoholic. Second, where are you finding purple sprouting broccoli? I want some of that! Third, rethinking the whole rhubarb thing...
Jane Saunders says
haha - alcoholic blood oranges. I like that thought, Jennifer. I've been spotting the purple sprouting broccoli in our supermarkets. Maybe we're ahead of you seasonally? I keep trying to get rhubarb into a cocktail - I'll shout you if I manage it as that should twist your arm.
Debra @ Bowl Me Over says
Delicious drink! Wanted to let you know I'm featuring your yummy concoction on #FoodieFriDIY tonight, cheers!
Jane Saunders says
Wow, thankyou so much Debra. That's made my Good Friday extra GOOD!
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant says
This is such a stunner Jane. I love everything about it. Also today is #nationalcocktailday so promote the heck out of it!!
Jane Saunders says
Cheers, Christine. It's one of my favourites right now.
Julie at Hostess At Heart says
I'm a gin girl and this drink looks amazing! Blood oranges are going on my grocery list!
Jane Saunders says
Excellent decision Julie - your shopping list just got fun.
Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table says
What a beautiful drink! I need to whip this up tonight - love ALL of these ingredients! Cheers 🙂
Jane Saunders says
Hi Kathryn - thanks for dropping in. Hope you enjoyed it.
Liz @ Ready to Yumble says
This looks lovely AND delicious! I've always been wary of egg foams, but now I'm determined to give it a shot!
Jane Saunders says
Thankyou, Liz - you so should give it a go. First time around I was expecting a weird, gloopy consistency due to the egg white, but what it does is totally transform the liquid into something wonderfully smooth - like drinking velvet and no icky streaks of white to be seen. I add it whenever I can get away with it.
Meghan | Fox and Briar says
Oh my goodness I love everything about this cocktail. I actually have some blood oranges sitting in my fridge right now waiting to be turned into a cocktail. Plus gin, campari, rosemary syrup!?! You are killing me. I have actually never used egg whites in a cocktail, it always seems intimidating, so the instructions here are really helpful. AND your photos, OMG! Love, love, love.
Jane Saunders says
Thankyou Meghan. I did particularly enjoy shooting this one... and drinking it afterwards, obviously. Do try the egg white - seeing as you have the blood orange I think destiny is calling you 🙂
Joanne Higginson says
I can honestly say that this is one delicious cocktail.
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Jo 🙂