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    Home » Recent Posts » Cocktail Recipes

    Classic Old Fashioned Bourbon Cocktail

    Published: Apr 13, 2021 · Updated: Mar 21, 2022 by Katy McAvoy

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    The classic Old Fashioned bourbon cocktail gets a splash of citrus.  

    An Old Fashioned is a straight-forward way to enjoy bourbon, though usually I prefer a little more with my bourbon than a few dashes of bitters and some garnish.

    The traditional orange peel twisted over the glass for garnish always makes me wish there was actually orange in my glass. So for my version of an Old Fashioned, there is. Just a little.

    Classic Old Fashioned Cocktail

    What You Need

    • Bourbon
    • Aromatic bitters
    • Sugar cubes 
    • An orange
    • Luxardo maraschino cherries

    How to Make a Classic Old Fashioned

    Place the sugar cube, bitters, and cherry in a glass.

    Muddle to break up and dissolve the sugar cube. 

    Add in the orange juice and bourbon. Stir to combine. Add ice. 

    Gently stir the ice around in the glass a couple times before serving. 

    Garnish with a twist of orange peel and an extra maraschino cherry or two.

    Enjoy!

    Tips for an Old Fashioned

    Do I have to use fresh orange juice?

    Yes. Fresh juice is important here. Do not use orange juice from a bottle or carton. Only from the fruit itself. 

    What if I can't find sugar cubes?

    Do you need to use sugar cubes in this recipe? No. Substitute ½ teaspoon of granulated sugar for a sugar cube. Should you use them because they’re fun and make you feel fancy and are completely inexpensive? Yes. (Trust me, just buy a box - it’ll last you years.) 

    What kind of bourbon should I use?

    I’m not often brand specific, but you need good quality cherries in your Old Fashioned. If the only maraschino cherry you know is fluorescent red, follow this link and get yourself some cherries worthy of an Old Fashioned. 

    Careful when peeling your orange.

    When peeling your orange for the garnish be careful to only get the bright orange peel and not the white layer underneath it. That’s the pith and it’s bitter and won’t taste (or look) good. 

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    Print the Recipe

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    Old Fashioned

    Classic Old Fashioned Cocktail
    Print Recipe
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    The classic Old Fashioned bourbon cocktail gets a splash of citrus.  

    • Author: Katy McAvoy
    • Prep Time: 5 min
    • Cook Time: 0 min
    • Total Time: 5 min
    • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
    • Category: Cocktails
    • Method: Mixing
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 oz bourbon
    • 3 dashes aromatic bitters
    • 1 sugar cube (or ½ tsp sugar)
    • 0.5 oz fresh orange or clementine juice
    • 1 piece of orange peel
    • 1-2 Luxardo maraschino cherries

    Instructions

    Place the sugar cube, a maraschino cherry, and bitters in a glass. 

    Muddle to break up and dissolve the sugar cube. 

    Add in orange juice and bourbon. Stir to combine. Add ice. 

    Gently stir the ice around in the glass a couple times before serving. 

    Garnish with a twist of orange peel and an extra maraschino cherry or two.

    Enjoy!

    Equipment

    Image of Mixing Glass

    Mixing Glass

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    Muddler

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    Image of Rocks Glass

    Rocks Glass

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    Keywords: old fashioned, classic cocktail, bourbon, angostura bitters, bourbon cocktails, drinks, happy hour, homemade happy hour

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag me @katymcavoy on Instagram! I can’t wait to see what you made!

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    I love when you share my recipes!

    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com. Since 2017, she's been crafting easy-to-make cocktails and delicious meals, along with sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

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    Katy McAvoy

    Hi! I’m Katy (she/her). I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that a couple hours of meal prep pays off for days. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

    More about me →

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