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This homemade blood orange liqueur recipe is made with real blood oranges (one of Sicily’s greatest exports, imo) and a homemade blood orange simple syrup, so it packs a 1-2 punch of blood orange flavor!

A glass of homemade blood orange liqueur, also called arancello rossa, sits in a cocktail glass next to a small pile of oranges. There is a bottle of the liqueur in the background.

It’s also called arancello rossa or Sicilian blood orange liqueur. It’s bright, flavorful, and almost makes you completely forget about it’s zingy cousin, limoncello. If you’re a fan of citrus cocktails, buckle up!

As someone who’s been making drinks at home for over a decade, I’ve got more than a few favorite tricks for creating the best-tasting cocktails. One of my favorite things to make at home is simple syrups, the other is homemade liquor infusions and liqueurs. Liqueurs can take your bespoke beverages to the next level and they’re shockingly easy to make! You can use this arancello rossa liqueur in a Sicilian margarita, a blood orange spritz, and a spiked blood orange soda, to name a few drinks. 😏 It pairs wonderfully with classic Italian-flavored party foods, too, like a melty baked burrata dip or herb-marinated mozzarella!

why this blood orange liqueur recipe works:

🍊 bursting with flavor. Most other liqueur recipes will have you use a plain simple syrup in the recipe, but I’m a maximalist. This recipe uses a blood orange syrup to provide a double dose of citrus flavor.

🙌 straightforward. Homemade liqueurs are super simple to make, the biggest thing they take is time for infusing. Unlike home infused liquors which can max out at around a week of infusion time, liqueurs almost always benefit from extra infusion time.

🤌 unique & unexpected. Chances are you’ve heard of limoncello, but fewer people have heard of arancello, which is the orange flavored version of the liqueur. This version is appropriately called “arancello rossa,” because it is red-orange in color, after the blood oranges!

🛒 ingredients

A labeled ingredient shot of the ingredients used to make homemade blood orange liqueur.
  • blood oranges – these super seasonal oranges are available from December to April, sometimes extending from November to May. They are sometimes called raspberry oranges because they taste similar to a cross between the floral berry and an orange. They vary in color from pinkish orange to true blood red. They’re native to southern Italy, and a few other places in the Mediterranean, and they are totally worth the wait each year during citrus season!
  • 100-proof vodka – I like using 100-proof vodka in infusions because it’s higher than 80 proof, but not as high as everclear. I find that everclear is just too strong, making it very easy to over-extract flavors, leaving you with bitter infusions. Some folks like to use a combination of 100-proof vodka and grain alcohol like everclear to make their own blend of high-proof liqueur, but I have found it’s easier to control the flavor by sticking with one type of liquor only.
  • blood orange simple syrup this blood orange syrup adds even more blood orange flavor to the liqueur, leveling up the boost of citrus taste! It also helps to balance out any bitterness experienced by the long infusion time and high-proof alcohol.

See the recipe card for the exact quantities.

🍳 instructions

Hands from out of frame are scrubbing blood oranges clean to remove dirt, debris, and wax from the fruit's skin.

1: Wash and scrub your citrus to make sure to remove any wax, dirt, and other impurities.

Hands from out of frame are using a Microplane zester grater to zest blood oranges.

2: Zest the oranges, being careful to only get the zest, and not the pith, or white part.

Scooping blood orange zest into a large glass infusion jar.

3: Place the zest in a large infusion jar.

Adding 100-proof vodka to the blood orange zest in an infusion jar.

4: Pour the 100-proof vodka overtop of the zest.

A jar of infused blood orange liquor is settling from being shaken.

5: Put a lid on the jar and give it a good shake, then place it somewhere out of direct sunlight, such as a cabinet or in the pantry. Allow it to infuse for up to a month, shaking it every few days.

Straining out the orange zest from blood orange liqueur, also called arancello rossa.

6: Once it’s infused, strain the orange zest out through a mesh strainer. You may want to double strain or use cheesecloth to make sure no zest remains. Discard the zest.

Adding in blood orange simple syrup to arancello rossa, or blood orange liqueur.

7: Add the simple syrup to the infusion. Start with 2 cups, then increase to 3 if you prefer a sweeter flavor.

Bottling blood orange liqueur into an airtight storage bottle.

8: Store your finished liqueur in an airtight container in the fridge for the best preservation of flavor for up to 1 year. Serve it chilled or on the rocks as an aperitif or after-dinner drink, or use it in your favorite recipes to add a boost of blood orange flavor!

Hint: Make sure any metal tools you use, like a strainer, are made of non-reactive metal like stainless steel. The acidic liquor can cause reactive metals like aluminum to impart a metallic taste in your liqueur, and you’ve been too patient and waited too long to end up with an un-drinkable liqueur!

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💡tips & tricks for getting it right

🍽️ serving tips

Use this liqueur as an ingredient in cocktail recipes like these:

  • Sicilian margarita – this margarita uses your new blood orange liqueur in place of triple sec to celebrate the most favorite Sicilian citrus!
  • blood orange spritz – you’ve heard of the aperol spritz, the limoncello spritz, and even the elderflower spritz…but have you tried an arancello rossa spritz?!
  • spiked blood orange soda – spike a homemade soda with a half ounce or ounce of this liqueur for an extra fun grown-up soda pop!

ℹ️ troubleshooting tips

Infusions are pretty straightforward, but things can still go wrong. Here are some common problems and how to fix them!

  • infusion time – If you’ve been here before, you know I always talk about the importance of nailing your infusion times with homemade liquor infusions. Typically, the sweet spot is around 3-7 days. But liquor does not equal liqueur! Liqueurs actually benefit from longer infusion times, so if you can stretch it out, it’s usually advised. This is because the addition of sugar helps to balance out any bitter or overpowering flavors from the infusion time.
  • not sweet enough – if your blood orange liqueur isn’t sweet enough, you can add more syrup 1-2 ounces at a time until your liqueur reaches the flavor you like.
  • bitter – if you flew a little too close to the sun and got some pith in your peel, your liqueur will be bitter. You can add more syrup or even a pinch of salt to help balance things out. Otherwise, channel the Italian aperitif you accidentally created!

A finished infusion of homemade blood orange liqueur sits on a wooden cutting board.

♻️ 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!

  • mixed oranges – if you’re running low on blood oranges, it is possible to use a mix of oranges in place of only blood oranges. While your result will technically be closer to a triple sec or orange liqueur, I won’t tell on you. 😉
  • grain alcohol – if you prefer to use a grain alcohol, such as everclear, you certainly can! Personally, I cannot even look at Everclear without feeling ill, so I stick with 100-proof vodkas.
  • limoncello – another classic Italian liqueur that features lemons instead of blood oranges!

🧰 equipment needed & storage tips

  • infusion jar – Large glass jars are the best way to infuse liquor! I love using large Weck jars because they have a wide mouth and are easy to clean between infusion batches. You can use two smaller jars, or cut the recipe in half if you don’t have a large enough container.
  • Microplane zester – the best and easiest way to zest citrus is with a Microplane zester. While you can use a pairing knife or peeler, it’s way too easy to accidentally get some of the bitter white pith when using those tools. So, I like using a Microplane to make sure I only get the zest.
  • cutting board & parchment paper– you can use either a cutting board or parchment paper sat on top of a scale to help you get to the 30 grams of zest you’ll need for this recipe. I prefer using parchment paper, because then it’s super easy to roll up and transfer my zest into the infusion jar!
  • scale – a kitchen scale is probably my most-used tool, even for beverage recipes like this one. It’s easy to get precise measurements, especially for ingredients like orange zest.

🫙 storage tips

Homemade liqueurs are technically able to be stored indefinitely, especially when stored in the proper conditions. I keep mine in the fridge to keep the flavor premium, and if I know I’m going to stash it longer, I’ll pop it in the freezer. As a bonus, when it’s chilled, it’s always cocktail ready!

💬 q+a

How long should I infuse orangecello or arancello for?

Homemade liqueurs benefit from longer infusion times, because of the addition of syrup, which helps to cut the bitter flavors that can develop with longer steeping times. Because of this, plan to infuse your liqueurs for 14-30 days.

What if my liqueur is bitter?

If your final liqueur is still too bitter after adding in syrup, you can always add in more simple syrup, 2-4 ounces at a time, until you reach the flavor you prefer.

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A glass of homemade blood orange liqueur, also called arancello rossa, sits in a cocktail glass next to a small pile of oranges. There is a bottle of the liqueur in the background.

Homemade Blood Orange Liqueur (Sicilian Arancello Rossa)

This homemade blood orange liqueur recipe, also called arancello rossa, is bright, flavorful, and almost makes you completely forget about it’s zingy cousin, limoncello. It’s made with real blood oranges and a homemade blood orange simple syrup, so it packs a 1-2 punch of blood orange flavor!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Beverages, Cocktail
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: aperitif, liqueur
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Infusion Time: 30 days
Total Time: 30 days 40 minutes
Servings: 38 ounces
Calories: 89kcal
Author: Lindsey Neumayer

Equipment

  • 1 infusion jar
  • 1 microplane zester
  • 1 fine mesh strainer non-reactive
  • 1 cheesecloth optional
  • 1 airtight storage jar

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces blood orange simple syrup Can use up to 24 ounces of syrup for a sweeter liqueur
  • 1 litre 100-proof vodka
  • 30 g blood orange zest from 10 – 12 oranges, 2.5 inches in diameter

Instructions

INFUSING THE LIQUOR

  • Wash and scrub blood oranges to remove any dirt, wax, or impurities.
  • Carefully zest 10 – 12 oranges to get 30 g of orange zest, or about 4 TBSP. Save the oranges to make blood orange syrup or juice!
  • Add the zest to a large infusion jar.
  • Pour the liter of 100-proof vodka overtop of the zest.
  • Seal the jar tightly and give it a good shake.
  • Allow the infusion to sit in a cool dark place for up to 1 month, shaking it once every day or so.

PREPARING THE LIQUEUR

  • When the infusion is ready, strain the zest out of the liquor using a non-reactive fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Discard the zest once it’s fully drained.
  • Add in 2 cups of blood orange simple syrup, then give your liqueur a taste to see if it’s sweet enough for you.
  • Add in up to 1 additional cup of simple syrup, plain or blood orange, if you have it!
  • Store the liqueur in an airtight bottle in the fridge for up to 1 year.

Notes

Can’t Wait a Month? Unlike with liquor infusions, longer = better when making liqueurs, but you can speed up the process by a few weeks. After 14 days you can proceed with making your blood orange liqueur. The flavor won’t be as pronounced, but it will still work!
Using your leftover zested oranges:
Juice the rest of the oranges to make a blood orange simple syrup or a blood orange juice. You can even freeze the juice into cubes to use later in the year!
Choose Organic:
Whenever possible, choose organic oranges for making recipes like arancello that use the zest of the fruit. This is because most pesticides will be on the outside of the citrus, on the zest.
Cleaning Oranges:
Alternatively, you can quickly blanch your oranges by boiling water. Add the oranges a few at a time to the pot of boiling water for up to 45 seconds, then carefully remove them with a strainer or slotted spoon and dunk them into a bowl of ice water.

Nutrition Information

Servings: 38 ounces
Calories: 1mg
Total Fat: 1mg
Saturated Fat: 1mg
Trans Fat: 1mg
Cholesterol: 1mg
Sodium: 1mg
Carbohydrates: 1mg
Fiber: 1mg
Sugar: 1mg
Protein: 1mg

The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.

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