This Blood Orange Martini is the perfect way to enjoy fresh fruity flavor in the winter and spring! Sweet, tart, and bursting with citrus, this recipe covers all our bases for the perfect martini. Lemon drop, who? The orange drop martini just hit the scene!
Why You’ll Love This Blood Orange Martini Recipe
You’ve heard of lemon drop martinis, but what about orange drop martinis?! Let’s make that a thing! The winter and early spring seasons are the best time of year to sink your teeth into a juicy blood orange, so I like to make the most of it. I work it into my savory dishes, sweet treats, and – like today’s recipe – cocktails!
This sweet-tart martini is full of fresh citrus flavor that’ll pucker your cheeks for a moment but then soothe it away with a burst of sweetness. It’s a delightfully refreshing cocktail that’s fruity and fresh while remaining grounded in its season. You can enjoy it all year long – especially if you don’t care about specifically using blood oranges – but it’s perfection in the winter and spring.
I used a store-bought simple syrup for this recipe, but if you want to deepen the flavor even further you can use my homemade simple syrup recipe to make an orange version. Simple touches like that can make all the difference, especially when you want to enjoy as much of the flavor as possible!
Be sure to give this martini a try and let me know what you think in the comments below. I’d love to hear if you put your own twist on the recipe!
Ingredients
One of the many wonderful things about making martinis is that they don’t require many ingredients! Here are the few simple things you’ll need to pick up to make your blood orange martini.
- Vodka
- Cointreau
- Blood orange juice (freshly squeezed or storebought)
- Lime juice
- Simple syrup
How To Make a Blood Orange Martini
Step 1: Add Ingredients
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add vodka, Cointreau, blood orange juice, lime juice, and simple syrup.
Step 2: Shake + Strain
Shake for 20-30 seconds, or until the shaker is very cold. Strain the martini into a glass and garnish with a blood orange wedge. Enjoy!
FAQs
Blood oranges are slightly less acidic and a little more sweet than regular oranges. They have a rich flavor with tons of nutrients, but if you can’t get your hands on a blood orange you can just use a regular one.
This variation of orange has a relatively short harvesting season, so they’re typically only available for a few months December through April.
Keep your oranges on the countertop at room temperature for up to a week, or store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Serving Suggestions
Feel free to enjoy your martini with whatever food you want, but I often like to build a recipe around the flavors of my cocktails so everything feels themed and intentional. Here’s an example of what I would serve with a blood orange martini.
- Appetizers: For starters, I’d go with relatively neutral apps like homemade hot pretzels with smoked gouda beer cheese or a classic olive oil and balsamic dip with crusty sourdough bread.
- Main Course: Here’s where I’d start to tie in the citrus flavors of our delicious beverage, and my blood orange salmon fillet with ginger garlic stir fry is the perfect option! You could also choose a different citrus base so the flavors are different but still complementary. Something like my air fryer lemon pepper salmon or creamy lemon pasta would work.
- Dessert: And last but certainly not least, tie your meal up with a bow and serve your guests a decadent chocolate orange cake!
More Orange Cocktails To Try
- Blood Orange Margaritas
- Cara Cara Orange Margaritas
- Spiced Honey Orange Cocktail
- Blood Orange Sangria
- Strawberry Pineapple Orange Sangria
If you make this Blood Orange Martini, be sure to tag me on Pinterest and Instagram!
I seriously love seeing what you guys are making and sharing your creations with the College Housewife community!
Blood Orange Martini
ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz cointreau
- 2 oz blood orange juice
- ½ oz lime juice
- 1 tsp simple syrup
instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, cointreau, blood orange juice, lime juice and simple syrup.
- Shake the shaker for 20-30 seconds or until very cold. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a blood orange wedge.
notes
Nutrition
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