This is how to make my favorite Old Fashioned cocktail, perfect for a cozy evening. I’m sharing my go-to recipe and a few fun and easy twists to make it your own!
Adam and I fell in love with Old Fashioned cocktails many years ago when we moved to Seattle. This was our go-to cocktail to order out or make at home for a while. We really fell hard for them! So, naturally, we picked up a few favorite tips and want to share them with you. The Old Fashioned is super simple to make, only requiring three ingredients stirred around a glass with ice.
You can see from our photos that we have giant ice spheres. These are not 100% required, but we’ve included a quick tutorial below in case you are interested. The Old Fashioned is traditionally a whiskey cocktail (although I’ve shared alternatives below). If you love whiskey, you should also look at our Manhattan cocktail!
Key Ingredients
- Whiskey or Bourbon: A classic Old Fashioned calls for whiskey or bourbon, so if you want to stick with the classic variation, go with reliable mid-range bottles like Four Roses or Bulliet. For something more special, our friends rave about Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. If you want something different, try aged rum! An Old Fashioned with aged rum was Adam’s standing order for years, and after having many sips myself, I see why. I’ve also seen these made with brandy and, surprisingly, gin.
- Sugar: You need a little sugar to balance the alcohol. I use simple syrup since it dissolves really well. Plain simple syrup is fine, but if you are making it, try brown sugar simple syrup, which works with the caramel tones of whiskey, bourbon, or dark rum.
- Bitters: We love classic Angostura bitters, but if you have a favorite bottle of bitters on hand, try it!
- Extras: I love adding a slice of orange peel for the aroma and a few maraschino cherries. If you watch our video, you can see a trick we picked up from one of our favorite cocktail bars. We hold a flame next to a piece of orange peel, which warms the oils in the orange. It smells incredible!!
Making Clear Ice Cubes
In our photos, we used homemade clear ice spheres. Adam’s gone full-on ice nerd since we’ve been making Old Fashioned cocktails at home. The theory is that the larger, clearer ice cubes melt more slowly in your cocktail, so they don’t water down your drink. They also look pretty cool!
There are fancy gadgets (especially since originally sharing this tutorial), but we found an excellent DIY method for clear ice spheres. Our tap water freezes clear with this technique, but depending on where you live, you might need to use filtered or boiled water. We walk you through the method in our video, but here’s what you should expect when making them:
- Nest a small container inside an insulated mug. We used a small Rubbermaid container and an inexpensive mug found online. Fill the mug with water, making sure it covers the small container.
- Fill your sphere mold with water, then plug the hole with your finger. Flip the mold upside-down and carefully submerge it in the mug.
- Lower the water level in the mug until it’s even with the top of the small container. Then, freeze it solid!
Adam’s holding our DIY (almost) clear ice ball on the left in the photo above. The one on the right is a regular frozen mold—way cloudier! It did melt slower than regular ice, as seen in our Old Fashioned photo below.
Perfect Old Fashioned Cocktail
The Old Fashioned is a simple classic cocktail with just three main ingredients. This also leaves plenty of room for your own creative twists! While bourbon or rye whiskey are traditional, don’t be afraid to experiment. Gin, brandy, and rum all shine in this cocktail. We especially love the depth and richness that a dark, aged rum brings to the party.
1 Drink
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 to 2 teaspoons simple syrup, try homemade simple syrup
3 dashes bitters, Angostura is great and readily available
2 ounces mid-range bourbon or rye whiskey
One 2-inch piece of orange peel, optional
1 to 2 maraschino cherries, optional
Directions
1Combine simple syrup, bitters, and whiskey in an Old Fashioned glass. Stir well.
2Add 1 to 2 large ice cubes and stir a few more times to chill.
3Garnish with an orange peel and cherry.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Rum Old Fashioned: Adam loves this recipe with aged dark rum instead of the whiskey or bourbon called for above. You may need to reduce the simple sugar slightly as rum tastes more sweet.
- Simple syrup: Use plain white sugar or brown sugar in our simple syrup recipe. For the best Old Fashioned, I love brown sugar simple syrup. Once made, you can store it in the fridge for about one month.
- Adding water: Some people add a splash of soda or still water to their Old Fashioned cocktails. We suggest tasting the drink before adding any water and going from there.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories
166
/
Protein
0 g
/
Carbohydrate
7 g
/
Dietary Fiber
0 g
/
Total Sugars
6 g
/
Total Fat
0 g
/
Saturated Fat
0 g
/
Cholesterol
0 mg
We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us
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