Published: · Modified: by Emily Miller · This post may contain affiliate links · 29 Comments
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Are you looking for a festive and delicious co*cktail to serve at your next gathering? Look no further than the Blood Orange French 75 - it's sure to make everyone raise their glasses in delight!
I love to ring in the New Year with a sparkly, bubbly sip such as the traditional French 75. I found several juicy blood oranges at the market and replaced the lemon juice in this classic co*cktail with fresh blood orange juice. Enter, the Blood Orange French 75!
So grab those blood oranges, pull out your shaker, and get ready – let me show you how I turn them into an unforgettable sip!
Jump to:
- What is a French 75?
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to make simple syrup
- How to make this celebratory Blood Orange French 75 co*cktail Recipe
- How to make an orange twist
- Storage
- Expert Tips
- More Gin co*cktails
- Recipe
- Comments
This Blood Orange French 75 recipe brings a refreshing twist to a beloved classic; a festive, effervescent sip to celebrate the holidays with family and friends! Enter, my favorite citrus of the winter season, the blood orange, mixed with gin, simple syrup, and topped with sparkling wine.
This drink is perfect for any special occasion because of its virtually pink-hued color, refreshing taste, and amazing effervescence. And with only four simple ingredients and just five minutes of prep time, it's surprisingly easy to whip up once you have the best blood oranges during orange season.
It's the perfect co*cktail for New Year's or any special occasion!
If you like a bubbly co*cktail, you will love this Meyer Lemon French 75, which this recipe is a variation of. Be sure to try my Plum Ginger Gin Sour, Lavender Elderflower Gin Sour, Strawberry Lemon Gin Granita, or Strawberry Elderflower Gin Fizz.
If you have a lot of blood oranges, try this vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake!
You can include this co*cktail as part of a brunch menu along with this JUST Egg Quiche, Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Egg Cups, and Easy Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes.
What is a French 75?
A French 75 is typically made of sparkling wine, gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. This version with blood orange has a touch of sweetness and a gorgeous pink hue from the blood orange juice combined with my indigo-hued gin.
The recipe resembles the Tom Collins, swapping out the carbonated water with champagne. If cognac is used instead of gin, you have French 125.
The French 75 originated during World War I, and an early variation of the French 75 was created in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris by Harry MacElhone. The drink is said to have a kick similar to the powerful French 75mm field gun. The New York Bar in Paris later became Harry's New York Bar.
Ingredients
The final color of this bubbly co*cktail depends on the color of your gin, the color of the blood oranges, and the color of your sparkling wine (blush versus regular).
Add more blood orange juice if you want a more pinkish-red tint to your co*cktail.
Here's what you'll need to make this Blood Orange French 75 co*cktail:
- Your favorite gin - I used Empress 1908 Gin. It has a lovely all-natural indigo hue and an earthy, delicious flavor. It's also gluten-free and vegan-friendly. Be sure to check out Empress 1908 Gin near you!
- Your favorite sparkling wine - this does not need to be a fancy or expensive champagne, which is better enjoyed by itself. Prosecco, Cremant, Espumante, or Cava are great choices. I chose a vegan-friendly and affordable sparkling wine that I enjoy drinking.
- Fresh blood oranges - you will need to strain the juice.
- Simple syrup
See the recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Blood Orange - you can use Cara Cara or Valencia oranges instead of blood orange. Strain the juice. Or you can use lemon juice instead and make a French 75, or a Meyer Lemon French 75.
- Gin - if you don't care for gin or don't have any, leave it out. Try cognac, vodka, elderflower liqueur, triple sec, or Grand Marnier. I would start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
- Mocktail - use non-alcoholic sparkling wine or flavored sparkling water.
How to make simple syrup
I make my own simple syrup by bringing one part water and one part organic cane sugar (for example, ½ cup of each) to a gentle boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, I take it off the heat, let it cool, and refrigerate it in a sealed glass container.
How to make this celebratory Blood Orange French 75 co*cktail Recipe
- Add the gin, strained blood orange juice, simple syrup, and ice to a co*cktail shaker.
- Shake and pour into two champagne flutes.
- Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange twist. Enjoy!
Hint: If making orange twists, start making them 30 to 60 minutes ahead. In the meantime, you can chill the champagne flutes if you like.
How to make an orange twist
- Cut into the orange rind with a swivel peeler or vegetable peeler, going around the entire orange.
- Cut a rectangle approximately 5 to 6 inches long and an inch wide. Remove any excess pith.
- Cut a narrow strip, approximately 5 mm wide (less than a quarter-inch). Wind it around something narrow like a co*cktail stick and let it rest on a damp towel with something to lightly hold it in place, like a pinch bowl. After 15 minutes or so, your orange twist should be good to go.
Storage
Make ahead: You can store the ingredients separately in the fridge ahead of time for up to 1 to 2 days.
I don't recommend mixing this Blood Orange French 75 ahead of time to maximize the freshness and appearance of the bubbles.
This co*cktail is best enjoyed right away! This is a festive alternative to mimosas at brunch!
Expert Tips
- Make your citrus twists fifteen to thirty minutes before you make your co*cktail. This gives the twists time to set to hold their shape!
- Strain the blood orange juice before adding it to the Blood Orange French 75 co*cktail. This gives the co*cktail a smooth and elegant appearance.
More Gin co*cktails
Are you looking for more gin co*cktails? Try these:
- Strawberry Elderflower Gin Fizz
- Meyer Lemon French 75 co*cktail Recipe
- Strawberry Lemon Gin Granita
- Delicious Plum Ginger Gin Sour co*cktail Recipe
I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as we did! If you make this recipe, please take a moment to ★★★★★ star-rate it and leave a comment below. Follow me onInstagramand Facebook, and share your creation with me! Tag me@resplendentkitchenand hashtag#resplendentkitchenrecipes.
Recipe
Blood Orange French 75
Emily Miller
This Blood Orange French 75 brings a refreshing twist to a classic - a bubbly sip to celebrate the holidays with friends and family! Enter my favorite citrus, blood orange, mixed with gin and topped with sparkling wine.
5 from 166 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people
Calories 131.7 kcal
Equipment
Champagne flutes
Ingredients
- 3 oz gin
- ½ oz fresh blood orange juice strained
- 1 oz simple syrup
- Ice
- Sparkling wine
- 2 Blood orange twists for garnish
Instructions
Add gin, strained blood orange juice, simple syrup, and ice to a co*cktail shaker.
Shake and pour into two champagne flutes.
Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a blood orange twist. Enjoy!
Notes
- I make vegan simple syrup by bringing to a gentle boil in a small saucepan, one part water, and one part organic cane sugar (for example, ½ cup of each). Once the sugar has dissolved, I take it off the heat, let it cool, and refrigerate it in a sealed glass container for up to 1 month.
- Make the citrus twists 15 - 30 minutes before you make the co*cktail so they have time to set.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 131.7kcalCarbohydrates: 7.8gProtein: 0.1gSodium: 0.5mgSugar: 7.7g
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
More Vegan Drink Recipes
- Elderflower Rose Pomegranate Gimlet
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- How to Make a Simple Hugo Spritz co*cktail
Reader Interactions
Comments
Ardella
Exceptional recipe!
Reply
Emily
Thank you, Ardella!
Reply
Emily
Hi Lauren, thank you for your question. You will find alternatives for gin under "Substitutions" in my post. You can use whatever you like instead of gin - I suggested vodka, cognac, or elderflower liquer. You can try triple sec or Grand Marnier also.
Reply
Nancy
Back here to let you know that all the guests loved this co*cktail!Reply
Emily
Thank you Nancy! I'm so glad to hear that everyone enjoyed this co*cktail!
Reply
Michelle
Such a simple drink recipe to enjoy with friends! It was a perfect combination and such a gorgeous color. Definitely going to make this more often!Emily
Michelle, thank you for taking the time to review this recipe. I am so glad this was easy and fun to make!
Reply
Sam
This is so delicious!! Love the orange!Reply
Emily
Hi Sam, thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked this recipe!
Reply
Shilpa
This sounds perfect for the holidays. And that colour!! So so pretty!Reply
Emily
Thanks for your feedback, Shilpa, I'm glad you like the recipe!
Reply
Kayla
Yum! This was so festive and delicious! The perfect date night drink!Reply
Emily
Thank you for your review Kayla! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe.
Reply
Marinela
This bubbly blood orange french 75 co*cktail is brilliant! Super flavorful and so refreshing. Thank you for this simple recipe.Reply
Emily
Thanks for your review, Marinela, I'm so glad you enjoyed this co*cktail!
Reply
Nancy
Such a classy co*cktail!Reply
Emily
Thanks for the review, Nancy!
Reply
Jacqui
I love gin and am always looking for drink recipes with it. This one is absolutely fantastic!!Reply
Emily
Jacqui, thank you for your review. I'm so glad that the recipe was a hit and it sounds like you're a gin lover too!
Reply
Jacqueline
I was wondering what to make for Christmas day. I think this is it!Reply
Emily
Jacqueline, thank you for visiting my blog! I'm so excited to hear that I may have helped you find the perfect co*cktail recipe for Christmas day!
Reply
Adrianne
Anything with gin and I am in!! This co*cktail looks positively slurp worthy. The presentation is super pretty also! I can't wait to try this.Reply
Emily
Adrianne, thank you so much for taking the time to review this recipe! I love gin and I'm happy to see that this co*cktail sounds like a winner for you too!
Reply
Tara
Such a fantastic drink for the holidays! I love the flavor from the blood orange and that color. Yum!Reply
Emily
Thank you so much for your review, Tara! I'm glad to hear that you enjoy it!
Reply
Colleen
Ooh, this drink sounds delicious and it's so pretty. These are on my Christmas brunch menu! Thanks for sharing!Reply
Emily
Thanks so much, Colleen! I hope you enjoy!
Reply
Jamie
The blood orange juice gives this such a beautiful color! It's perfect for brunch with my friends!Reply
Emily
Thank you so much, Jamie, for taking the time to leave a review!
Reply
