Gingerbread Old Fashioned Recipe
Let's toast to this jolly season with a gingerbread old fashioned! Full of warming, cozy spices from a homemade gingerbread simple syrup, this Christmas bourbon cocktail is perfect for serving a crowd at your holiday party or sipping on a quiet night by the fireplace.
How to Make the Best Gingerbread Old Fashioned
Warm up your holiday gatherings with this Gingerbread Old Fashioned, a sophisticated twist on the classic bourbon cocktail that captures all the cozy flavors of the season. The secret is a homemade gingerbread simple syrup infused with fresh ginger, molasses, and warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. This is the drink to serve at your Christmas party or enjoy quietly by the fireplace on a cold winter night.
What makes this cocktail truly special is the homemade gingerbread syrup—it’s surprisingly simple to make but packs incredible flavor. Fresh ginger chunks, dark brown sugar, unsulphured molasses, and a medley of spices create a sweet, aromatic base that perfectly complements premium bourbon. The orange bitters and fresh orange zest add a bright citrus note that cuts through the richness of the spices, creating a beautifully balanced drink.
Simply add bourbon, a touch of your homemade gingerbread syrup, orange bitters, and one large ice cube to a rocks glass, give it a gentle stir, and garnish with an orange twist or cinnamon stick. This is a cocktail that tastes like the holidays in a glass—perfect for toasting to the season in style.
Gingerbread Old Fashioned
Let's toast to this jolly season with a gingerbread old fashioned! Full of warming, cozy spices from a homemade gingerbread simple syrup, this Christmas bourbon cocktail is perfect for serving a crowd at your holiday party or sipping on a quiet night by the fireplace.
Ingredients
Gingerbread Simple Syrup
Gingerbread Old Fashioned
Instructions
Gingerbread Simple Syrup
- Combine water, fresh ginger chunks, brown sugar, molasses, orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and vanilla extract in a saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing gently on the solids to extract all the flavor.
- Let cool completely before using. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Gingerbread Old Fashioned
- Fill a rocks glass with one large ice cube.
- Add 2 ounces of bourbon to the glass.
- Add ¼ ounce (about 1 teaspoon) of gingerbread simple syrup.
- Add 2-3 dashes of orange bitters.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Garnish with an orange twist and/or cinnamon stick if desired.
Notes
- The gingerbread simple syrup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- This recipe makes one cocktail, but the gingerbread syrup makes enough for multiple servings.
- For a less strong drink, use 1.5 ounces of bourbon instead of 2 ounces.
- Fresh orange zest is essential for the bright citrus notes that balance the warm spices.