Blood Orange Martini

At a glance

What stands out: Serve this gorgeous martini at your next celebration (or make one just for you). This martini is beautiful and straightforward to mix.

How long it takes: just 5 minutes!
Equipment you’ll need: cocktail shaker, ice, martini glass
Servings: 1

Am we the only one who thinks of James Bond when a martini is mentioned? Probably. We think you’ll love this variation of a classic martini. It’s not difficult to make, it’s fun and beautiful, and even beer drinkers are lured in (thinking of you, Dad!).

Blood Orange Martini

Perfectly balanced. With just the right balance of sweet, tart, and bitter, this blood orange martini is such a bright and happy cocktail. And isn’t it pretty?

Any season, any time! Served evenly chilled, with a stunning slice of dark red blood orange adorning the glass, you will feel celebrated every time you take a sip. This cocktail isn’t limited to a certain time of the year. It’s refreshing in the summer and sunny in the winter!

Colleen Said:

“Our favorite cocktail yet! It beats any restaurant cocktail we've tried. A great mixture of flavor.”

See More Reader Reviews

Blood Oranges

If you’re new to the idea of blood oranges, don’t be put off by the name. Blood oranges are similar to regular navel oranges. The flavor is a bit less tangy, with notes of berry and floral. The peel of a blood orange can vary from orange to a deeper red color. The inside of the fruit is dark pink, even darker than pink or red grapefruit.

There are many varieties of blood oranges. One that we see frequently in the grocery store is a raspberry orange. Each variety has a unique flavor but any will do for this cocktail.

What goes in

• Gin: A London dry gin is reliable. Choose your favorite brand.
• Blood Oranges: These lovely oranges add so beauty and flavor to the martini. We also love them in this blood orange mocktail and blood orange gin fizz.
• Cointreau: This orange flavored liqueur is somewhat bitter and adds a lot of depth to the martini. You could also use triple sec or Grand Marnier.
• Lime: Just a squeeze of lime juice is added for a nice tartness.
• Ice and a Cocktail Shaker: Get ready to shake, shake, shake! Don’t you just love the sound of those ice cubes rattling around in the cocktail shaker? It’s almost happy hour!

How it comes together

It’s pretty simple, really. Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker.

Shake vigorously for fifteen seconds.

Strain into a glass (a martini glass if you have it).

Garnish with an orange slice and serve immediately. Cheers!

Cocktail Variations

• Use regular oranges or red grapefruit. You may find you need to use a bit of simple syrup if your fruit isn’t quite as sweet.
• Replace the gin with vodka.
• Add a half ounce of Aperol. If you like a slightly bitter flavor, add Aperol or a half ounce of Solerno, which is a blood orange liqueur.

Serving Ideas

Having a party? Serve martinis with crab rangoon dip and crisp from-scratch wonton chips. Nosh on tomato bruschetta or roasted grape crostini with ricotta and honey. Keep it simple with olive oil roasted almonds or spiced pecans.

If you have extra oranges, try our fish tacos with blood orange salsa.

Make-Ahead Ideas

While this martini is best served immediately, avoid a last minute squeeze (pun intended) with these helpful hints!

• Juice the oranges and limes, and store the juice in the refrigerator in a covered jar or measuring cup.
• Cut orange wedges for garnish and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Make sure you have plenty of fresh ice, and chill the gin and cointreau, if desired.
• Polish up your martini glasses and chill those too.

• Yield: 1 cocktail
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Total: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ounces gin (we use a London dry gin)
• 1 ounce blood orange juice (see note)
• ½ ounce Cointreau (or any orange-flavored liqueur such as triple sec or Grand Marnier)
• ¼ lime, juiced
• blood orange slice, for garnish

Method

1. Add gin, blood orange juice, Cointreau, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
3. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange slice and serve immediately.

Notes

Blood orange: You’ll need at least one orange per martini for the juice. A hand juicer is helpful. Reserve one whole orange to cut into thin slices for a garnish.

Make ahead tips: Juice the oranges and lime; store separately in fridge. Slice an orange for garnishes. Chill the martini glasses. Make sure you have fresh ice.

Possible substitutions: If you like, replace the gin with vodka. Navel oranges or grapefruit could be substituted for the blood oranges.