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!
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
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
1: Wash and scrub your citrus to make sure to remove any wax, dirt, and other impurities.
2: Zest the oranges, being careful to only get the zest, and not the pith, or white part.
3: Place the zest in a large infusion jar.
4: Pour the 100-proof vodka overtop of the zest.
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.
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.
7: Add the simple syrup to the infusion. Start with 2 cups, then increase to 3 if you prefer a sweeter flavor.
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!
♻️ 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
🫙 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.
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
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Homemade Blood Orange Liqueur (Sicilian Arancello Rossa)
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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
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.