United States

Orange Blossom

Also known as Orange Blossom Cocktail, Gin and Orange Juice

It's basically a gin and orange juice, but when you shake it up with a little orange liqueur and simple syrup, it turns into a bright, floral brunch drink.

orangeginfloralbrunchjuicycitruseasy-drinkingshakenprohibition

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is fresh orange juice cut by the pine and botanicals of the gin. In the middle, the orange liqueur adds a sticky, fragrant sweetness that sits on the tongue. It finishes clean with a lingering citrus peel warmth from the spirit.

Who will like it

People who like bright, juicy drinks but want a solid gin buzz underneath the fruit.

When to drink

Serve this at brunch or as a daytime sipper on a warm weekend.

Ordering tip

Ask the bartender to use fresh-squeezed orange juice if they have it; the bottled stuff makes this drink taste flat and overly sweet.

Ice: NoneTemp: ColdCost: $2–$4Glass: CoupeBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a straightforward, juicy drink where the orange does most of the talking. The gin adds a botanical backbone and a little warmth, but you're mostly tasting fresh citrus and sweet liqueur. It's light, cold, and easy to drink without much bitterness or depth to slow you down. Think of it as a dressed-up screwdriver with a floral edge.

Finish: The finish is short and clean, leaving a soft orange sweetness and a faint gin warmth behind.

Primary tastes

sweetfruityfloral

Secondary

herbal

Aroma

fresh orange peeljuniperblossom

Bitternesslow bitterness
Only a faint bite from the gin botanicals and orange peel oils comes through the juice.
Sweetnessmoderately sweet
The orange juice and orange liqueur give it a noticeable but not cloying sweetness.
Sournessmild acidity
Fresh orange juice brings a gentle tartness, but it's softer than lemon or lime.
Strengthmoderate strength
The gin holds its own against the juice, keeping the drink firmly in cocktail territory.
Refreshingquite refreshing
Cold, citrus-forward, and served up, this goes down easy on a warm day.
Creaminesslight body
Shaking gives it a slightly frothy top, but the body stays light and juicy.
Complexitystraightforward
It tastes mostly like gin and orange, without deep layers or shifting flavors.

Recipe

Make it at home

Shaken · Coupe · equal parts on Gin. London Dry recommended so the botanicals cut through the juice

Before you start

Squeeze your orange juice first if you're using fresh fruit, and put your coupe glass in the freezer for a few minutes if you have room.

Ingredients

GinBase Spirit45ml
Orange JuiceJuiceFresh-squeezed is strongly preferred45ml
Orange LiqueurLiqueurCointreau or Triple Sec15ml
Simple SyrupoptionalSyrupAdd only if your orange juice is tart; taste first10ml

Garnish: Orange slice, Orange twist

Tools

Cocktail Shaker · Shaking
To shake and chill the juice and gin together
At home: A large mason jar with a tight lid
Jigger · Measuring
To measure the gin, juice, and liqueur
At home: A shot glass or measuring spoons
Hawthorne Strainer · Straining
To catch the ice and any pulp when pouring into the glass
At home: A slotted spoon or fine mesh sieve
Coupe Glass · Serving
To serve the drink chilled and neat without ice diluting it
At home: A small wine glass or Champagne saucer
Citrus Juicer · optional · Other
To squeeze fresh orange juice
At home: Squeeze by hand

Steps

1
Measure 45ml of gin, 45ml of fresh orange juice, and 15ml of orange liqueur into your shaker. If your orange juice tastes sharp, add 10ml of simple syrup now.
!Using store-bought concentrate juice makes the drink taste flat and syrupy.
2
Fill the shaker about two-thirds full with ice cubes. Make sure the ice comes up above the liquid line so everything chills evenly.
!Underfilling the shaker with ice means the drink won't get cold enough before the ice melts.
3
Put the top on the shaker and shake hard for about 10 to 12 seconds. You want to hear the ice rattling around and feel the metal shaker get frosty and cold on the outside.
~12s
!Shaking too gently leaves the drink watery and warm because the ice doesn't break up.
4
Take the top off the shaker and fit your Hawthorne strainer over the opening. Pour the drink through the strainer into your chilled coupe glass, letting it fill almost to the rim.
!Pouring too fast can splash the drink over the rim of the glass.
5
Take an orange slice or a wide orange peel and place it right on the rim of the glass or let it float on top. The citrus oils from the peel will give the drink a bright smell right before you sip.
!Squeezing the peel into the drink instead of just laying it on top can add too much bitter oil.

Serve

Serve it right away in the chilled coupe while it's still frosty. This drink is best neat, so skip the ice in the glass.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Gin

GinVodka
Match
Common availability
Gin → Vodka: Removes the botanical and herbal notes, making the drink taste like pure orange juice with a neutral alcohol burn.
GinWhite Rum
Match
Common availability
Gin → White Rum: Adds a subtle sugarcane sweetness and replaces the pine notes with a lighter, grassier profile.

Swap options for Orange Liqueur

Orange LiqueurOrange Blossom Water
Match
Specialty availability
Orange Liqueur → Orange Blossom Water: Intensifies the floral aroma dramatically but removes the extra alcohol and sweetness, so adjust syrup accordingly.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Screwdriver

The Screwdriver uses vodka instead of gin and is built over ice in a tall glass without orange liqueur.

Match

The Screwdriver is colder and simpler, tasting mostly of orange juice, while the Orange Blossom is warmer and more aromatic from the gin and liqueur.

In common: Citrus-forward, juicy, brunch-friendly

Ingredients

Both share

Orange Juice

Only in Orange Blossom

Gin, Orange Liqueur

Only in Screwdriver

Vodka

Swapping gin for vodka strips away the botanical bite, and dropping the orange liqueur makes the Screwdriver a simpler two-ingredient highball.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Fresh orange flavor, sweet citrus profile, juicy body

How Screwdriver differs

Lighter mouthfeel, less aromatic, colder serving temperature from ice

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Ward Eight

The Ward Eight uses bourbon instead of gin and adds lemon juice and grenadine for a tart, berry note.

Match

The Ward Eight is richer and more complex with its whiskey and pomegranate notes, while the Orange Blossom stays bright and purely orange-focused.

In common: Shaken citrus cocktail, served up in a coupe

Ingredients

Both share

Orange Juice, Simple Syrup

Only in Orange Blossom

Gin, Orange Liqueur

Only in Ward Eight

Bourbon Whiskey, Lemon Juice, Grenadine

Bourbon replaces gin for a richer, warmer base, while lemon and grenadine add tartness and berry sweetness that the Orange Blossom lacks.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Shaken citrus texture, sweet and fruity profile

How Ward Eight differs

Deeper caramel notes, tart lemon edge, berry undertones

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The Orange Blossom emerged during Prohibition as a way to mask the harsh taste of bathtub gin with orange juice. Multiple sources from the 1920s print recipes for it, though no single bartender or city is credited with its invention.

Era: 1920s
Confidence

The IBA does not list this cocktail. Prohibition-era recipes vary widely, with some calling for equal parts gin and orange juice, and others adding orange bitters instead of orange liqueur.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Taste your orange juice first; if it's tart, add the simple syrup.
Shake hard to get a nice frothy cap on the drink.
Use a London Dry gin so the juniper cuts through the sweet juice.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't use store-bought concentrate juice if you can help it.
Don't skip the orange liqueur or the drink tastes flat.
Don't stir this; shaking gives the juice the right texture.