Blood Orange French 75

Are you looking for a festive and delicious cocktail 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!

From its virtually pink-hued color, delightful taste, and amazing effervescence, this drink is perfect for any special occasion. 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 around.

So grab those blood oranges, pull out your shaker, and get ready – let me show you how I turn them into an unforgettable sip that will be cherished by all!

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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.

I love to ring in the holidays 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 cocktail with fresh blood orange juice. Enter, the Blood Orange French 75!

This Blood Orange French 75 features Empress 1908 Gin which gives it a beautiful soft pink color as well as a wonderful flavor.

If you like a bubbly cocktail, 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.

I can't get enough blood orange recipes this time of year. This Blood Orange French 75 recipe was inspired by my Blood Orange Margarita recipe and pairs well with these Cranberry Cream Cheese Bites. If you have a lot of blood oranges, try this vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake!

You can include this cocktail as part of a brunch menu along with this JUST Egg Quiche, Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Egg Cups, and Easy Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes.

Jump to:

• What is a French 75?
• Ingredients
• How to make simple syrup
• How to make a Blood Orange French 75
• How to make an orange twist
• Substitutions and Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Expert tips
• More Gin Cocktails
• Recipe

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 cocktail 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 cocktail.

Here's what you'll need to make this Blood Orange French 75 cocktail:

• Your favorite gin - I used Empress 1908 Gin, which is one of my favorites. It has a lovely all-natural indigo hue as well as an earthy 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.

How to make simple syrup

I make my own simple syrup by bringing to a gentle boil 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.

How to make a Blood Orange French 75

• Add the gin, strained blood orange juice, simple syrup, and ice to a cocktail 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 cocktail 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.

Substitutions and Variations

• Blood Orange - instead of blood orange, you can use Cara Cara or Valencia oranges. 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. You can try cognac, vodka, elderflower liqueur, triple sec, or Grand Marnier. I would start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
• Sparkling wine - you can replace it with flavored sparkling water.

Equipment

You'll need a cocktail shaker, and champagne flutes.

Here's a swivel peeler or vegetable peeler for making the garnish.

I love these elegant champagne flutes for the holidays!

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 cocktail is best enjoyed right away! This is a festive alternative to mimosas at brunch!

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Expert tips

• Make your citrus twists fifteen to thirty minutes before you make your cocktail. 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 cocktail. This gives the cocktail a smooth and elegant appearance.

More Gin Cocktails

I hope you enjoy 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 on Instagram and Facebook, and share your creation with me! Tag me @resplendentkitchen and hashtag #resplendentkitchenrecipes.

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