Light and Refreshing Honey Orange Gin Cocktail

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This Honey Orange Gin Cocktail has a few ingredients in common with a Bee’s Knees cocktail - like gin, and honey syrup - but it is a decidedly different sip.

Fresh orange juice, orange bitters, and a squeeze of lime dial up the citrus while fresh mint brings a delicious, refreshing note to this easy, happy hour drink.

I like to have multiple uses for any cocktail syrup I make, but honey syrup isn’t a common cocktail ingredient. When I found myself only using it for a Bee’s Knees or a Lavender Bee’s Knees, I knew it was time to start working on a new cocktail.

Honey is delicious with citrus, and citrus is delicious with gin, so this drink combination seemed inevitable! It’s light, refreshing, and perfectly balanced. It's ideal for a hot day or a quick and easy happy hour.

What You Need

Ingredients for honey orange gin cocktails

Your favorite gin (I love New Holland Knickerbocker)
Honey syrup
Orange bitters
An orange
A lime
Mint leaves

How to Make It

Juice the orange and lime.

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice.

Shake it up!

Double strain into a Nick and Nora glass or a coupe glass. Enjoy!

Tips on Honey Orange Gin Cocktail

What spirit can I use besides gin?

If you’re not a fan of gin - or don't have any on hand - substitute vodka for the gin. I’ve tested this recipe with both, and while I prefer gin, both are delicious.

Use fresh juice!

Buy an orange and lime for this recipe. With 6 ingredients - 2 being juice - squeezing fresh juice from the fruit is important for the flavor of the drink. You will likely get the juice you need from half of the orange and a quarter of the lime. Before you cut into them, roll your orange and lime on the counter while applying pressure with your palm to get the most juice possible from the fruit.

What kind of gin should I use?

I love the flavor in New Holland’s Knickerbocker Gin. If you can’t find New Holland, Bombay Gin would be a delicious substitute. If you’re new to gin, try Aviation Gin or Beefeater Gin. Both have mild profiles without strong juniper (“pine tree”) notes.

Make your syrup ahead of time.

The honey syrup should be cold when you use it, so make it earlier in the day - or a day in advance - so it has time to chill completely in the refrigerator. I often make my syrups in the morning in order to have them ready for happy hour. For details on how to make honey syrup, including instructions for cooling it quickly, see my DIY Cocktail Syrups page.

Do I have to double strain my cocktail?

Double straining - straining your drink from the shaker, through a fine mesh sieve, and into your glass - keeps out any small mint or ice pieces that would otherwise get into your glass. If you don’t mind these small pieces being in your drink, feel free to skip this step and strain your drink from the cocktail shaker directly into your glass.

Happy Hour Snack Pairing

Enjoy your Honey Orange Gin Cocktail with these easy Slow Cooker Savory Spiced Nuts. They're the perfect happy hour snack!

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Honey Orange Gin Cocktail

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Fresh orange juice, orange bitters, and a squeeze of lime dial up the citrus in this Honey Orange Gin Cocktail while mint brings a delicious, refreshing note to this easy, happy hour drink.