To Mix Now: Winter Citrus Cocktails

Grapefruit Sbagliato, photo by lily_nyc255

11 cocktail recipes that showcase the best of winter fruits

One of nature’s cruelest jokes is that the most delicious citrus of the year are in season when a large portion of the world is in the throes of winter. With their bright acidity and ripe juiciness, citrus fruits are most often associated with tangy, warm weather, tropical style refreshers—limes for Daiquiris, Mai Tais and Margaritas; lemons for Corpse Reviver No. 2s; oranges for Sidecars, etc.—that aren’t as appealing to sip on a cold, blustery day (that is, unless you’re pretending it isn’t one). Some of the most expressive citrus (blood oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, and kumquats) are available right now, ready to tantalize our tastebuds with their unique aromatics and zestiness. It would be a waste not to use them in drinks now, wouldn’t it?

Here are some cocktail recipes to make those cold, grey days brighter using the fruits of the season.

Grapefruit Sbagliatio

Alex Smith, Cicconi’s, Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY

• 1 oz Martini & Rossi Bitter (silver medal winner, 2019 NY International Spirits Competition)

• .5 oz Combier Pamplemousse liqueur

• .25 oz Martini & Rossi Dry Vermouth

• .25 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur (silver medal, liqueur category, 2019 NYISC)

• 2 oz Prosecco

• Garnish: grapefruit peel and rosemary sprig. 

Built in glass, add ice, garnish with expressed grapefruit peel and rosemary sprig.

Zombie, photo courtesy Manolito

White Zombie

Nick Detrich, co-owner Manolito, New Orleans

Detrich notes that the original OG recipe dates back to 1934, before ruby red grapefruits even existed. For authenticity, the bar only prepares this drink when white grapefruits are available.

• 1.5 oz. Don Q Añejo rum

• 1.5 oz. Appleton Reserve rum

• 1 oz. Plantation O.F.T.D. rum

• 1/3 of a white grapefruit in segments, with as much pith removed as possible

• .75 oz. fresh lime juice

• .25 oz. cinnamon syrup

• .5 oz. Falernum

• Bar spoon grenadine

• Dash Herbsaint liqueur

• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a blender with ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a hurricane glass. Garnish as garishly as possible.

Winter In New York 

Megan Downes, Bar Manager, La Bodega, Kansas City

• 1.5 oz. citrus vodka

• .50 oz. Cointreau Noir

• .75 oz. cranberry-orange syrup (instructions follow) 

• .50 oz. lime juice

• garnish: sugared cranberries (see instructions below) or orange and/or lime wheel 

Shake all ingredients except garnish with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish. 

Cranberry-Orange Syrup

• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

• 1 cup orange juice

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• couple of sprinkles of cinnamon

• dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Early Frost, photo courtesy Fine & Rare

Combine cranberries and orange juice in large saucepan and heat to a low boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until liquid has taken on a deep pink color (approximately 20 minutes). Remove from heat and double strain through chinois to remove solids. Return to heat and add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Heat on low until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and place in ice bath to cool. Bottle, label and refrigerate. Lasts up to one week. 

Sugared Cranberries

Skewer 3 cranberries on a pick, dip in rich simple syrup, and roll in raw sugar.  Place on wax lined sheet pan and allow to dry.

Early Frost

Amanda Swanson, bartender, Fine & Rare, New York City

• 1.5 oz. Botanist Gin (silver medal, 2018 NY International Spirits Competition)

• 1 oz. fresh pink grapefruit juice 

• .75 oz thyme syrup (1:1 simple syrup made with a handful of fresh thyme, strained and cooled) 

• .5 oz lime juice 

• 1 egg white

Shake all ingredients except the egg white with ice until well chilled. Strain out the ice, add back to the shaker, and dry shake with the egg white until very frothy. Pour into tall glass. 

Jackie O.

Rachel Sergi, bartender, the Watergate Next Whiskey Bar, Washington, DC 

• 1 oz. vodka                                                     

• .75 oz. fresh blood orange juice (the bar uses a house made blood orange cordial)                                            

• .5 oz lemon juice

• .25 demerara simple syrup (simple syrup made with demerara sugar)     

• sparkling rosé to top  

• cranberry bitters  

• garnish: pesticide-free baby’s breath flowers (optional)                                              

Shake all ingredients except bubbly with ice. Strain into a flute glass. Top with bubbles and add 3 sprays or dashes of the cranberry bitters. 

Winter Solstice, photo by Ándrea Pentebona

Winter Solstice

Ándrea Pentebona, bartender at Backbar, Somerville, MA

• 2 oz. bourbon

• .75 oz. lemon juice 

• .5 oz. Tangerine Fruitations

• .5 oz. Cranberry Fruitations

• .5 oz. cinnamon syrup 

• 5 sage leaves, plus sprig for garnish

Shake all ingredients, including the 5 sage leaves, with ice. Strain into a double rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish. 

Renaissance

David Solis, 701West, Time Square Edition Hotel, New York City

1 oz. Saint George Spiced Pear Liqueur

.75 oz. Westward Whiskey

.125 oz. Suze liqueur

.75 oz. lemon juice

.50 oz. blood orange sherbet (instructions follow)

.25 oz. demerara sugar

1 egg white

garnish: edible gold and saffron (optional) 

Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish of using.

Blood Orange Sherbet 

2 blood oranges, peeled

112.5 grams sugar

juice of those 2 blood oranges above

Peel 2 blood oranges and infuse the peels for 12-16 hours with 112.5 grams of sugar (oleo sacchrum). Strain out solids, then mix in the juice extracted from the 2 blood oranges. 

All the Good Feelings

Clare Ward, Hippo, Los Angeles

• 1.5 oz. gin (the bar uses Mulholland Gin)

• 1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice

• .5 oz. fresh lemon juice

• .5 Champagne Vinegar Syrup (mix in Champagne vinegar with sugar for 1:1 syrup preparation)

• dash of celery bitter

• Q Elderflower Tonic to top

• garnish: celery leaf, and celery salt for rim (optional)

Add together gin, grapefruit, lemon, champagne vinegar syrup and celery bitters in mixing tin and shake with ice. Pour into a highball glass (rim with celery salt if using) over fresh ice and top with Q Elderflower Tonic. Garnish with celery leaf.

Blood Orange Margarita, photo by Beautiful Booze

Blood Orange Margarita

by Beautiful Booze

2 oz. Corralejo Reposado Tequila 

3 oz. fresh blood orange juice 

.75 oz. fresh lime juice

.75 to 1 oz. (depending on desired level of sweetness) simple syrup 

Rub the rim of an Old Fashioned glass or double rocks glass with the edge of a blood orange slice. Swirl the rim through a small pile of Kosher or coarse sea salt (editor’s note: you can also use a spicy salt mix if preferred). Add a few cubes of ice into the salted glass. Strain the cocktail into the glass and enjoy.

Norden Aquavit Old Fashioned 

Shared by Norden founder Robyn Cleveland 

• 2 oz Norden Aquavit (produced in Detroit)

• .25 oz 2:1 simple syrup

• 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

• 1 dashes Angostura Bitters

• 2 drops almond extract 

• blood orange peel (you might have some left over if making the above recipe!) 

In a rocks glass, combine all ingredients saving peel for later. Add ice (preferably a 2x2 block cube) and stir until cold. Express oils from blood orange peel and place in the drink.

Winter Sherry Cobbler

By Amanda Schuster, Brooklyn, NY

This recipe, adapted from the one I created for New York Cocktails, makes use of alllllll the winter fruits!

• 3.5 oz. Amontillado or dry Oloroso sherry

• 1 bar spoon sugar

• sliced kumquats, clementines, tangerines, Meyer lemons, blood orange, and/or key key lime (or a small mix of each) 

• crushed ice

Muddle the fruit with the sugar in the bottom of a shaker. Add ice, then shake until well chilled. Strain into a tall glass or julep cup filled with crushed ice. Garnish more of the sliced fruit and sip through metal or favorite environmentally friendly straw of choice.