Just a little bit of blood

I have to make a confession. I am obsessed with blood oranges. Whenever winter comes around, I get a little spark. Blood oranges are these delicious dark colored oranges with an extra sweetness and just taste fantastic. They are to die for. I love to make them in cocktails or just really open them up and look at them.

One of my favorite ways to add blood oranges to cocktails is through spicy margaritas. Blood oranges add an extra sweetness and tanginess to the spicy flavor. In this pic, I used Habanero infused tequila but you can use whatever tequila you like. I would switch up the sweetness of the citron liqueur you use. Using a blood orange liqueur or an orange liqueur adds an extra punch to the orange taste.

Bloody Margarita

Ingredients

2 1/2 oz Habanero tequila

1 oz Blood Orange liqueur

1 oz Blood Orange juice

1 oz Lime juice

1/2 oz Simple syrup

Ice

Garnish: salt rim

Recipe: In a shaker with ice, pour all ingredients. Shake until cold (about thirty seconds). Add crushed ice to margarita glass. Pour from shaker into the glass. To salt the rim, prior to adding crushed ice, take the squeezed lime around the rim of the margarita glass and dip into salt (use a plate or if you really like margs, I would suggest buying a salt rim dish).

Blood oranges can also be used in a martinis as a fresh twist. I like to use blood orange in gin martinis because I prefer gin and also the floral notes of gin really pair well with the sweetness of a blood orange. It's a great winter cocktail and something you can enjoy after work or sitting by the fire (preferably both).

As Good as Blood Martini

Ingredients

2 oz Rosemary infused Gin

1 oz Blood Orange liqueur

1 oz Blood Orange juice

3/4 oz Rose liqueur

Garnish: Blood Orange peel

Recipe: In a shaker with ice, pour all ingredients. Shake until cold (about 20 seconds). Pour into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a blood orange peel.

Pro Tip: To infuse gin, simply place several rosemary sprigs (preferably fresh, dried will take longer to infuse) in a bottle and then pour three to four ounces of gin. Give a little shake and then leave for at least 24 hours. The longer that the rosemary sits, the more of a taste you will get.

Of course, I am a bourbon girl so my last twist is a blood orange twist on a classic bourbon old fashioned. I love how the strong hit of bourbon is tampered by the sweetness of the blood orange. It is a great winter twist on the classic cocktail. Totally perfect cocktail for after a long day or a hard day. I love to make the simple but strong cocktail and then just sip. It helps to have a large ice cube.

Bloody Old fashioned

Ingredients

2 oz Bourbon

1 oz Blood Orange liqueur

1/2 oz Blood Orange juice

3 dashes of Angostura bitters

1 Sugar cube

Garnish: blood orange slice

Recipe: In a mixing glass, pour bourbon, blood orange juice and blood orange liqueur. Stir. In an old fashioned glass, muddle sugar cube and bitters. Then add blood orange slices and ice. Pour from mixing glass into the old fashioned glass.

I hope these cocktail ideas encourage you to try some blood oranges and get creative. It's a delicious winter fruit and changes up your orange cocktail game. Enjoy!