Winter Citrus Spice Cocktail Recipes

When the weather outside is frosty, I love a cocktail with warm spicy flavors…cinnamon, cardamon, star anise and cloves paired with bourbon, vodka, orange liqueur and pears. I always keep a mason jar with Winter Spice Simple Syrup in my refrigerator so I can make a cocktail to warm me down to my toes on a cold winter day. Here’s my recipe:

Winter Spice Simple Syrup

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

4 Star Anise

2 cinnamon sticks

6 cardamon pods, crushed

12 cloves

Juice and zest of one lemon

Peel of one orange

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and stir. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and continue to heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cover. Allow the syrup to steep for one hour.
Place in a mason jar, covered with jar lid, in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes one cocktail.

Place 6 ounce champagne flute in freezer to chill while preparing cocktail.

1 ounce blood orange vodka

1 ounce Clément Créole Shrubb Liqueur d’Orange

1/2 ounce fresh blood orange juice

2 ounces Winter Citrus Spice Simple Syrup

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

Chilled Prosecco

Sugared blood orange wheels for garnish (to make wheels – preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice blood oranges into wheels. Place wheels on baking sheet. Sprinkle wheels liberally with sugar. Bake wheels for 15 – 20 minutes. Watch carefully so they do not burn. Remove from oven and use a spatula to loosen the wheels so that they do not stick to tray.)

Place vodka, Créole Shrubb Liqueur d’Orange, blood orange juice, Winter Citrus Spice Simple Syrup and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into champagne flute. Top with prosecco.

Makes 1 cocktail.

Place 6 ounce champagne flute in freezer to chill while preparing cocktail.

2 ounces pear vodka

6 drops Dashfire Apple Spice bitters

1 ounce Winter Citrus Spice Simple Syrup

Chilled Prosecco

Fresh pears for garnish.

Place vodka and apple spice bitters and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into champagne flute. Top with prosecco. Garnish with fresh pear slices.