This blood orange simple syrup recipe is the perfect way to enjoy citrus season. It celebrates the sweet, floral, and tangy flavor of blood oranges while also putting their striking color in full focus.
I first made simple syrup when I was in baking and pastry school in the early 2000’s. Since then though, I’ve uncovered the glory of making homemade syrups to level up my beverage game.
This recipe was inspired by my fresh lemon syrup and my key lime syrup. Both put the sweet-tart flavor of citrus in front and center. This syrup is also perfect to use in making seasonal cocktails and mocktails, like a homemade blood orange Italian soda, a blood orange old fashioned, or a blood orange mule.
why this blood orange syrup recipe works:
🍊 bright & bold. Blood oranges are known for their sweet-tart flavor and their intense gorgeous color. They are reddish orange in color, which brings a bold hue to any drink you add this syrup to.
💥 flavor packed. Citrus simple syrups are perfect for adding intense flavor to any beverage, from morning to happy hour. Add a bit of this syrup to your morning Iced Americano, or serve up a pitcher of Blood Orange Margaritas!
⏱️ easy to make. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal preparation time, you can whip up this flavorful syrup in no time. No complicated techniques or lengthy cooking processes required. The most complex tool you’ll need is a Microplane zester.
🛒 ingredients
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
1: Wash, scrub, and dry your oranges to clean off the wax, dirt or pests. Zest your oranges using a microplane grater, a peeler, or a small pairing knife.
2: Slice and juice the oranges. Blood oranges are smaller than regular oranges, so it will take about 8-10 oranges to get 1 cup of juice.
3: Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir the sugar water mix until dissolved.
4: Once the sugar dissolves, add in the blood orange juice and allow the mix to simmer at a low heat for 15-20 minutes.
5: Leave the saucepan on the burner, but turn the heat off, and add in the orange zest or peel. Allow the mix to infuse for 15-30 minutes.
6: Add in the lemon juice.
7: Strain the mix through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the zest.
8: Store your finished syrup in an clean container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Hint: If you can’t get 1/2 cup of juice from your oranges, you can substitute tangerines or cara cara oranges.
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💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
Simple syrups are best used in beverages because of their thin consistency. This allows them to easily mix into hot and cold drinks, without pooling at the bottom of the glass like thicker syrups tend to do. They are also a bit too thin to use for topping foods like pancakes or ice cream.
cocktails
You can use this zesty syrup in any of your favorite cocktail recipe, from gimlets to old fashioneds. The citrus flavor plays well with nearly any type of liquor, from gin to bourbon.
- blood orange mule – use this syrup to make a striking variation on a classic Moscow mule.
- blood orange daiquiri – daiquiris are one of my favorite cocktails to use simple syrups in. They’re simple and straightforward to make, while also letting the flavor of the syrup shine.
- blood orange liqueur – blood orange liqueur is called arancello in Italy, and it’s very similar to limoncello! I love using this syrup to flavor the liqueur to give it a double-dose of orange flavor.
non-alcoholic drinks
Zero-proof doesn’t mean zero flavor thanks to this syrup! You can create some stunning alcohol-free options using this simple syrup like:
- blood orange soda – homemade sodas are super simple to make, and this recipe for a homemade blood orange soda is perfect for any gathering, but particularly fun around Halloween time.
- blood orange mule mocktail – use this syrup in place of classic demerara syrup in this easy Moscow mule mocktail recipe for a blood orange twist!
- blood orange iced tea – add this simple syrup to your iced tea for a pop of citrus flavor!
- blood orange lemonade – this syrup is also fantastic in lemonade! You can use 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 blood orange juice, and use this simple syrup in place of the sugar!
cooking, baking, and gifting:
While simple syrups are best used in beverages, not topping ice cream or pancakes, you can use them on food and baked goods. I even love adding syrups to my homemade salad dressings, and this one works perfectly in place of honey in my orange vinaigrette dressing!
- keep cakes moist – use this syrup to keep the layers of a cake moist between frosting. It also adds a punch of flavor! You can glaze loaf cakes too, and this would work especially well on a citrus loaf cake.
- pies, tarts, and pastries – you can use this syrup to glaze storebought pies, tarts, or pastries to add a layer of flavor for a semi-homemade treat.
- gifting – show up to your next party invitation with a bottle of homemade simple syrup and watch the reaction of your friends and fellow party goers! There’s just something fun about experimenting with the fun flavors of a homemade simple syrup infusion!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- bitter – if your syrup is bitter, you may have accidentally grated some of the pith or rind from the oranges, instead of only the zest or orange peels. Add a 1/2 tsp of kosher salt to balance out the flavor.
- too thick – if you allow your syrup to cook for longer, it will be thicker, like a rich syrup, and the flavor will be more intense. It will also be considerably sweeter and may not mix as easily into beverages with just a spoon. Thicker syrups are great for using on food and desserts, though!
⚖️ scaling tips
It’s super easy to make a double batch of this syrup, just make sure to use a large enough pot to make it! All you need to do is double each of the ingredients, and you’ve got plenty of syrup to use or share!
🔆 top tip
When you are grating the zest off of your blood oranges, be sure to only get the zest and not the pitch. All of the essential oils from the oranges are only in the zest, and the pith can add a bitter taste to your finished syrup.
♻️ substitutions & variations
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- use other oranges – blood oranges are highly seasonal and usually they’re only available in peak citrus season. If you can’t find enough blood oranges to get 1 cup of juice, you can use a variety of more conventional oranges to make a mixed orange juice. Be sure to get the zest from the blood oranges though to really amp up the flavor.
- use a different sugar – you can use a darker, less refined, or other natural sweetener like brown sugar, turbinado sugar, or even coconut sugar. If you use a darker sugar, your syrup will have a more caramelized or toasty flavor, and it will be darker in color.
- honey, agave, or maple syrup – you can use a liquid sweetener like maple syrup, agave or honey in this syrup, but use about 1/8th less than you would granulated sugar. Honey makes wonderful simple syrups, and orange blossom honey would be a great way to play up the orange flavor.
- herbs & spices – try adding in herbs or spices like thyme, basil, or even cinnamon, star anise, or vanilla while infusing your syrup! This is a really fun way to totally customize the flavor of your syrup.
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
Check out this post for a complete list of my favorite tools to use when making homemade simple syrups.
optional tools
🫙 storage tips
Store your finished syrup in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze your syrup for longer-term storage.
💬 q+a
Are blood oranges sweeter than regular oranges?
Blood oranges tend to be higher in sugar than traditional oranges. Because of this they tend to be sweeter and less acidic in taste.
How many blood oranges do you need for one cup of juice?
Blood oranges tend to be smaller than conventional juicing oranges like navel oranges or Valencia oranges. To get one cup of juice, you’ll need about 10 oranges.
Can you buy blood oranges year round?
Unfortunately, no. Blood oranges are one of the more highly seasonal varieties of orange. They are only available in peak citrus season. Usually this runs from about December to April.
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Blood Orange Simple Syrup (Fresh Juice and Zest)
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Equipment
- 1 1.5-quart saucepan non-reactive metal, such as stainless steel or cast iron
- 1 citrus juicer electric or manual
- 1 microplane zester
- 1 fine mesh strainer non-reactive metal, such as stainless steel
- 1 measuring glass heat-proof
- 1 spatula or spoon silicone
- 1 airtight storage container
- 1 cutting board
- 1 pairing knife
Ingredients
- 220 g Blood Orange Juice 1 cup, from about 8-10 medium-sized oranges (measuring about 2-3 inches around)
- 8 g Blood Orange Zest 2 TBSP, from 4-6 oranges
- 200 g Granulated Sugar 1 cup
- 120 g Filtered Water 1/2 cup
- ½ Lemon 1 TBSP freshly squeezed juice
Instructions
- Wash your blood oranges with warm water and scrub them to remove any wax or residue. Alternatively, you can blanch them by submerging them in boiling water for 15-30 seconds, then plunging them in cold water.*
- Zest 4 to 6 blood oranges to get 8 g of zest (2 TBSP).
- Juice 8 to 10 oranges to get 220 g juice (1 cup).
- Pour 120 g water (1/2 cup) into a 1.5 quart saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Once the water is hot, add in 200 g of sugar (1 cup).
- Stir until dissolved.
- Add in blood orange juice and allow the syrup to infuse at medium-low heat for up to 15 minutes. Don’t let it simmer at too high of a heat or you can alter the taste.
- Turn the heat off and add in the 8 g of blood orange zest (2 TBSP) and lemon juice. Allow the zest to continue to infuse while the syrup cools.
- Strain the zest and juice pulp out of the syrup by pouring it through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth.
- Pour the syrup into an airtight storage bottle and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze it for longer-term storage.
Notes
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
