Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned with Muddled Blood Orange

With bourbon, a rich homemade syrup, & muddled blood orange peel, this Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned cocktail will keep you (and your company) cozy on even the chilliest days this season.

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Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned Cocktail

Cinnamon and bourbon is a winning combination in chilly weather. Add notes of fragrant citrus to the mix, and you have something that can brighten even the stormiest day.

Okay, to be fair – I love all of these things no matter what the season is, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

A Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned with Muddled Blood Orange is special enough to serve as a warm welcome to guests, but the ingredients are easy enough that you can keep them around as a special treat for yourself any night of the week. Elevate your typical cocktail with this lovely twist on a classic that’s perfect for fall, winter, or even just a chilly day.

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A Warm Welcome

Thanks to the suggestion of my Canadian friend (and now go-to cocktail tester), I originally named this drink “The Warm Welcome”. It fit. Not only are the spices and the liquor literally warming to the body, the scent of the blood orange opens the sinuses, welcoming you as the glass is raised to your lips. Oranges are also a traditional gift and sign of good fortune, and cinnamon was once a rare and expensive delicacy. What could be more perfect to welcome guests into your home?

Regrettably, the name was already taken, so I stuck with something less creative, but more immediately descriptive – the Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned.

In my head though, it will always be The Warm Welcome.

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Syrup & Citrus

This recipe is perfect for fall and winter. We’ve made plenty of homemade simple syrups on this site before (like a lemon syrup and a lime syrup), and this rich cinnamon simple syrup is probably one of the easiest there is. Just two parts sugar to one part water and a stick of cinnamon. That’s it.

I bet it would be delicious as a sweetener in coffee and tea, too.

The Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned is also a wonderful use of the lovely, bright citrus that comes into season as the months get colder. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind, leaving the white pith behind. This will leave you just the colorful part full of citrus oils that will give your cocktail something extra special. Muddle the peel in a cocktail shaker or directly in your glass so you don’t lose any of the precious flavor.

I find I like the fragrance of blood oranges the most of any citrus fruits, but a regular orange will do just fine

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With fall and winter holidays coming up, it’s always good to have a few seasonal cocktails on hand for potlucks and in-home entertaining. If you love bourbon, you should also check out my Honey Bear Bourbon Cocktail – the Sage & Citrus Syrup is amazing! Recipes for a big batch of Autumn Cider or a fun Harry Potter-themed Boozy Butterbeer are also delicious options sure to impress any guest or host you meet in your travels.

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Enjoy this easy and delicious Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned with friends and welcome in the new season with something special. Cheers!

Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned with Muddled Blood Orange

With homemade syrup, bourbon, & muddled blood orange, this Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned Cocktail will keep you (and your company) cozy on even the chilliest days. 

The cocktail recipe makes two drinks, and the syrup recipes makes enough for one pint of syrup, which will keep in the fridge for 4-6 weeks.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 2 drinks

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 oz rich cinnamon simple syrup (see recipe below)
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 3 oz bourbon
• 3-4 blood orange peels
• Dashes orange bitters
• 2 cinnamon sticks, for garnish
• Ice cubes

Rich Cinnamon Simple Syrup (Makes 1 Pint)

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

 

To make the cocktail:

• Muddle the blood orange peels in the bottom of a cocktail shaker, releasing their oils. Add the cinnamon simple syrup, lemon juice, and bourbon along with two ice cubes to the shaker. Shake until chilled. Pour over ice into two rocks glasses, adding a dash of orange bitters to each. Garnish with the muddled orange peel and a cinnamon stick to serve.

To make the syrup:

• Combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the cinnamon stick. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup has thickened slightly. 
• Remove from heat, leaving the cinnamon stick to seep, and allow to cool. Transfer the syrup and cinnamon stick to a sterile jar or bottle and store in the fridge for 4-6 weeks.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!