Celebrate Halloween this year with a cocktail that’s both spooky and delicious. The Blood Orange & Wine Sour is packed with fresh citrus, gin, red wine, and an egg white for a mixed drink that’s silky smooth to sip on this season.

Jump to Recipe

The Blood Orange & Wine Sour

A gin sour cocktail can be a labor of love. With vigorous shaking to get the perfect texture and consistency, it’s no surprise why this tasty tipple is a popular cocktail. A traditional Sour cocktail is made with a base spirit, lemon juice, and simple syrup. However, I wanted to elevate this drink. The Blood Orange & Wine Sour is an exciting riff that combines the best of both worlds with a refreshing taste and frothy texture. So, if you’re wanting to try something adventurous for Halloween, then enjoy the Blood Orange & Wine Sour while the blood oranges are back in season!

Are Blood Oranges Good in a Cocktail?

One of my favorite parts about fall is all the new and exciting produce that comes with the new season. Figs, pears, persimmons are just a few of the fruits that get me giddy. But there’s nothing quite like blood oranges with their unique look and slightly tart but sweeter taste, they make an excellent addition to cocktails, mocktails, and even baked goods. Blood oranges bring a unique taste and bright crimson hue that cannot be duplicated by any other fruit. With their almost blood-like color, it’s the perfect addition to a scarily tasty cocktail this holiday.

Not only can you use this slightly sweeter citrus in your mixed drinks but you can also top them as a garnish for a finished look. I recommend dehydrating or baking blood orange wheels in your oven on a low heat of 250 degrees for 20 minutes to get a simple and dried garnish.

Ingredients for the Blood Orange & Wine Sour

This cocktail is inspired by some of the best things – fresh fall produce and gin sours. Combine that with a little red wine and you have something completely unique. See the ingredients I used to achieve this cocktail. 

• Gin: You can use your preferred gin for this cocktail. I used Hendricks Gin because it’s a premium spirit that’s smooth to sip and more botanical-forward, but also great to mix with. If you’re looking for a more affordable gin, try Tanqueray Gin
• Simple syrup: use your favorite brand or create your own by boiling some water in a small saucepan and adding in a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water. Put the extra in a glass jar and it should last for a few weeks. 
• Blood orange juice: I used half of a fresh blood orange for this recipe, you can easily find blood oranges at your supermarket this season. 
• Lemon juice: a squeeze of fresh lemon juice will add a little more acidity and tartness to this recipe to balance out the simple syrup and blood orange as they tend to be a bit sweeter. 
• Egg white: this ingredient is what gives the Sour cocktail it’s silky, smooth texture. If you’re not a fan of egg whites then you can sub this ingredient for aquafaba, is a vegan egg replacement that will also create froth on top. 
• Red wine: a splash of red wine will give this cocktail an even brighter red hue. I recommend using a dryer red wine for this cocktail recipe like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Pinot Noir. 
• Blood orange slice: garnish this ingredient directly on top of the foam of this cocktail for a polished look.

How to Make the Blood Orange & Wine Sour

The Blood Orange & Wine Sour only utilizes a few ingredients and takes under 10 minutes to make. Pick up all your ingredients at a local supermarket and get to shaking and sipping!

First, start by adding the gin, simple syrup, blood orange juice, lemon juice and egg white to a cocktail shaker with a piece of ice. Shake vigorously or until the outside of the cocktail shaker is chilled.

Then, remove the piece of ice and dry shake for 30 seconds to 1 minute. This part is important for getting that silky, frothy texture that you want, so feel free to shake a little longer if needed. Pour the mixture into a cocktail glass, and slowly pour the red wine over the drink. Don’t forget to garnish with a blood orange slice. Enjoy!

More Halloween Cocktail Recipes To Make!

• Spooky Sangria
• Pumpkin Spice Punch
• Blood Orange & Spice Negroni

And if you’re interested in learning more about how we take our photos, check out my free video about how to get started with food photography on a budget (a $20 budget to be exact)!

If you aren’t already, definitely follow me on Instagram and Facebook, to make sure you never miss a recipe, get tons of behind the scenes pics of everything I’m shaking up, shooting, and enjoying!