A simple recipe for homemade vanilla blood orange syrup that adds a more unique and interesting flavor than simple orange syrup to all kinds of desserts, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks!
You only need 3 ingredients, and the syrup is super versatile. Stores well in the fridge and freezer, so it’s a fantastic way to use up this winter citrus fruit!
Winter is the season for citrus fruits. I love making lemon syrup, but not as much as this vanilla blood orange syrup!
The citrus and floral flavors of blood oranges are ideal for a versatile fruit syrup. It’s a delicious flavor that works well for all kinds of desserts, especially cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.
The addition of vanilla makes the natural flavors of blood orange pop even more. Besides, the deep red color looks pretty too!
Why this recipe works
- Super simple to make.
- Very versatile because you can adjust the flavor to your taste, and add other flavors too.
- So many ways to use this syrup.
- The flavor is unique and more interesting than a simple orange syrup.
What does blood orange syrup taste like?
Blood orange has a combination of berry, grapefruit, and orange flavors, combined with very distinct floral vibes too.
Compared to orange, the flavor profile of blood orange is definitely more complex.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Fresh blood oranges (for the juice)
- White sugar
- Vanilla (either vanilla pods, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract)
I first made this syrup last winter for this delicious blood orange soda float, and then used the rest of that blood orange syrup to flavor our cocktails.
You can swap regular oranges with blood oranges for a great twist on classic recipes using orange simple syrup.
After all, winter and spring are only going to bring you a bounty of these fruits, so I’m always looking for ways to make the most of it!
How to make blood orange syrup (quick overview)
Step 1 – Juice the oranges
You can zest the blood oranges first, and use the zest to make blood orange sugar, or add to baked goods like shortbread cookies (I do this whenever I get the chance!).
Then cut the oranges in half and squeeze the blood orange juice. Pass the juice through a sieve to remove the seeds and the pulp. Measure the amount of juice you will need for the recipe and place it in the saucepan / pot.
Step 2 – Make the syrup
Place the rest of the ingredients in the pot with the juice. Heat over medium / medium high heat, and bring the syrup to a simmer. Maintain the simmer or about 20 minutes, until it reduces to about 1 cup of syrup.
Step 3 – Cool down
Remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature. Then pour the syrup into a bottle and refrigerate. Use the syrup within a week.
Storage tips
- Fridge – This syrup lasts about 1 week in the fridge. It can last longer depending on how well the syrup is handled. If there are any changes in the smell, consistency, color, or clarity of the syrup, please discard.
- Freezer – I like to store fruit syrups in the freezer if I make too much. I store them in deli cups in small portions so that I can thaw out small amounts as needed.
Recipe variations
- You can substitute the blood orange juice with orange juice or grapefruit juice.
- Other great substitutions would be mandarin or tangerine juice.
- Add complementing herbs such as thyme or rosemary.
- Infusing spices such as cinnamon, ginger, or even black pepper for a spicy kick (like I do with this grilled pineapple syrup and star anise or this rhubarb syrup with black and pink peppercorns).
Uses for blood orange simple syrup
- My favorite way to use this syrup is for drink recipes. It’s great to make mocktails and to flavor soda to make homemade sodas. This syrup tastes like a bougie orange creamsicle, so the cocktails and mocktails taste amazing! Like this blood orange soda float!
- Make a margarita by adding this syrup in place of the sugar and citrus, or a gin and tonic flavored with this blood orange syrup. Or how about a gin and blood orange mimosa?
- You could also make a sparkling blood orange sour by substituting the blueberry syrup in this blueberry elderflower sour cocktail with blood orange syrup.
- The syrup can be used to sweeten breakfasts too. If you like the syrup sweeter (like pancake syrup), make this syrup with extra sugar. Then drizzle it on top of pancakes or waffles. Like this blood orange crepes suzette with an extra drizzle of blood orange simple syrup!
- You can also drizzle this syrup over cake layers when making sponge cakes to add flavor, sweetness, and to moisten the cake layers (in place of simple syrup).
Recipe
Blood Orange Syrup (With Vanilla)
Difficulty:
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results whenever available.
Common Measurement ConversionsIngredients:
- 360 mL strained fresh blood orange juice 1 ½ cups
- 100 g sugar ½ cup
- ½ vanilla bean pod or ½ tbsp vanilla bean paste/ extract
Instructions:
- Place all the ingredients in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar (if using sugar).360 mL strained fresh blood orange juice, 100 g sugar, ½ vanilla bean pod
- Bring the syrup to a simmer, and then let it simmer for about 10-20 minutes, until it reduces to 1 cup of syrup.
- Remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature. Pour the syrup into a bottle and store in the fridge until needed. Use within 1 week (if refrigerated).
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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