Mimosa, meet old fashioned! I love slinging up fresh new cocktails, and this is one of the most unique and delicious drinks I’ve come across. For someone who’s not a big fan of beer or wine, cocktails are my go-to choice for drinks. This orange old fashioned one reminds me of a mimosa but with a deep, smoky undertone. It’s perfect for those cooler nights.
This old fashioned is made with a high-quality bourbon, rosemary-infused maple syrup, and orange juice as its three main components. I like to top it off with a splash of flavored sparkling water for some good bubbly action. In addition to the orange juice and bourbon combination, what’s also unique about this drink is the brûléed oranges. Sounds super fancy, huh? All it is is orange slices, sprinkled with sugar, seared in a skillet. Super simple, but sounds fancy AF.
Tips for Serving
For additional wow factor, I top each glass with fresh rosemary and light it when serving. It gives you that amazing whiff of rosemary before you drink and adds more depth to the experience. Plus, doesn’t it just look cool? I’ve read that some cocktail connoisseurs will light the rosemary on the side and immediately cover it in a glass to keep the smoky aromas contained. Then, when they are ready to serve, they’ll uncover it so their guests get a whiff of the fragrant rosemary smells. I haven’t tried that yet, but I think that’ll definitely be on my list of tricks for my next mini gathering.
I love serving these in the wide-base whiskey glasses like the ones available here on Amazon!
Brûléed Orange & Rosemary Old Fashioned
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Drinks
- Cuisine: American
Description
A cozy cocktail for winter nights. Old Fashioned with caramelized orange slices, fresh orange juice and rosemary-infused maple syrup.
Ingredients
Rosemary Maple Syrup
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Bruleed Oranges
- 2–4 thin orange slices
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Old Fashioned
- 4 oz bourbon
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- 1/4 cup rosemary maple syrup
- sparkling water (for topping off (optional))
- fresh rosemary (for serving)
- bruleed oranges (for serving)
Instructions
- Rosemary Maple Syrup. Heat maple syrup and rosemary in a saucepan on medium until infused, approximately 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Bruleed Oranges. Sprinkle sugar over one side of each orange slice. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium heat. Sear oranges sugar-side down until dark brown and caramelized, 2-3 minutes.
- Mix Old Fashioned. In a cocktail shaker with ice, add bourbon, orange juice, orange bitters, and 2 tbsp of rosemary syrup. Shake to combine. Taste & add more rosemary syrup as desired. Strain and pour into two glasses (over ice if preferred). Top each with sparkling water (optional). Garnish each glass with a bruleed orange and sprig of rosemary.
Keywords: cocktail ideas, cocktails, featured, happy hour, happy hour ideas, holidays, old fashioned
For more holiday recipe ideas, check out the holidays category on my site for reimagined classics like a rich Homemade Hot Chocolate, Cinnamon Rolls with browned butter icing or Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole!
