This old fashioned cocktail recipe really hits the spot! It’s got a lovely depth of warm flavors, complemented beautifully by the zesty aroma of the burnt orange. Not a drink you gulp down, but rather savor every sip!
The Old Fashioned can be a little intimidating because of its age, staggering taste of bourbon whiskey and just the simple fact that it’s known to be the original cocktail.
In other terms, it’s the old fashioned way of mixing a cocktail. The Old Fashioned is typically made with bourbon whiskey, bitters, sugar, and either orange or lemon rind.
The cocktail has an acquired taste, but if made right, it can warm the soul. There are several versions, so I’ve decided to give it my own twist, something that I would want to sit down with after a long day of work (ahem, bringing out the old mustache, tall hat man in me, where’s my cigar?).
So I created the Burnt Orange Old Fashioned but stayed true to the basic and classic ingredients of the original cocktail. I garnished it with a burnt orange peel too, giving it a rustic, lumberjack look ; )
How To Make This Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe – Step By Step
- In a small saucepan, brown the sugar and orange juice. Don’t cook it too long or it will become very thick.
- Rub an orange peel around the edge of the glass you’ll be serving the drink it, so it gives a beautiful orange aroma.
- Add one sliced orange rind, 1 teaspoon burnt orange sugar and muddle the orange rind and sugar together.
- Add 2 dashes bitters and stir, then add in 2 ounces bourbon whiskey, stir again.
- You can add a splash of club soda if you like it served that way, or just leave it a true Old Fashioned.
- Place a few orange rinds on a cooking sheet and broil on low until the edges become slightly burnt.
- Add a giant ice cube to the cocktail and garnish with burnt orange. Go back into time and enjoy it!
What is an Old Fashioned Cocktail?
The Old Fashioned is a cocktail made by muddling sugar with bitters, then adding alcohol, popularly whiskey but sometimes brandy, and finally a twist of citrus rind.
It is traditionally served in a short, round, tumbler-like glass, which is called an Old Fashioned glass after the drink.
The first mention in print of “old fashioned cocktails” was in the Chicago Daily Tribune in February of 1880.
However, the Pendennis Club, a gentlemen’s club founded in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky, claims the Old Fashioned cocktail was invented there.
The recipe was said to have been invented by a bartender at that club in honor of Colonel James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller, who brought it to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City.
So now you know, give this burnt orange old fashioned recipe a try!
Muddling!
Muddling is a staple technique for all mixologists and it’s used in this old fashioned cocktail recipe. To muddle means to press the ingredients against the side of the glass with a muddler.
However, one must take care not to over-muddle when working with delicate herbs such as mint and basil.
Here are some tips on how to muddle!
- Choose a sturdy mixing glass, a pint glass, or a shaker tin. If you choose a thin-walled glass, you risk breaking or chipping the glass with your muddler.
- Place the orange peel into the glass with the other ingredients.
- Place the muddler in the glass. Press down with it lightly on the leaves and give a few gentle twists. .
- When your kitchen smells of orange, you’re done!
If you don’t have a muddler, a small, flat wooden tool is ideal, such as the end of a wooden spoon.
Burnt Orange
This old fashioned cocktail recipe includes burnt oranges. So why burn them? Burning a citrus peel involves expressing the oils from the skin of the citrus over a drink. The addition of the flame singes the natural oils, adds a hint of smoke and a lovely orange aroma. Many use the technique to enhance the flavor of a drink, but it can also be employed for simple aesthetic allure!
Top Tips For This Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
- Do not overcook your sugar mix or it will become too thick.
- Make sure to rub the orange peel around the edge of the drink, for a lovely aroma.
- You can add a dash of club soda if you want to lighten the cocktail a touch.
- Serve over one large ice cube.
Check Out These Other Delicious Cocktail Recipes
Peachy Grapefruit Salty Dog Cocktail
How To Make A Manhattan Cocktail
Classic Rob Roy Cocktail by Kitchnn
Sazerac Cocktail Classic With Rye Whiskey by The Spruce Eats
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Burnt Orange Old Fashioned Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon whiskey
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice, fresh-squeezed
- Orange rinds
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan, brown the sugar and orange juice. Don’t cook it too long or it will become very thick.
- Rub an orange peel around the edge of the glass you’ll be serving the drink it, so it gives a beautiful orange aroma.
- Add one slice orange rind, 1 teaspoon burnt orange sugar and muddle the orange rind and sugar together.
- Add 2 dashes bitters and stir, then add in 2 ounces bourbon whiskey, stir again.
- You can add a splash of club soda if you like it served that way, or just leave it a true Old Fashioned.
- Place a few orange rinds on a cooking sheet and broil on low until the edges become a slightly burnt.
- Add a giant ice cube to the cocktail and garnish with a burnt orange. Go back into time and enjoy!
Zan says
Can you please make me one of these tonight? ; ) jk You probably need it more than I do. I’ll make you one! xoxo Hubby