Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Try an orange gin and tonic with cinnamon for a fall twist on a classic cocktail. Sweet naval orange slices, spicy cinnamon stick, and star anise pair so well with the botanicals of gin and the bitter notes of tonic water.
How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: highball glass
Servings: 1 (or as many as you like)
Autumn-Style Gin & Tonic
If you’re a gin and tonic person, you’re going to love this fall twist on your favorite drink. Don’t worry, it’s not sickly sweet, fruity, or cloying. This is still a basic G &T recipe but instead of lime slices, we’re making it with orange slices.
But that’s not all! Plop in a cinnamon stick and a whole star anise. The whole spices give the drink a warm sweet aroma while you sip it. You may be surprised how much excitement the whole spices add. This orange gin and tonic is really outstanding! It’s attractive, too, don’t you think?
(For the basics of a classic gin and tonic, refer to this gin and tonic recipe.)
What’s In An orange gin and tonic
- Gin: Use your favorite brand of gin. Try a London dry gin, such as Tanqueray, Plymouth gin, or a new wave gin, such as Hendrick’s. Each of them has unique characteristics. The London will give you a strong juniper flavor, Plymouth leans more toward the florals, and Hendrick’s goes for a more spa-like flavor with cucumber. Small batch local distilleries are fun to visit, too, especially if they have tasting rooms. They may have a recommendation for the perfect gin to try for this drink.
- Tonic water: Buy a good quality Indian tonic water like Fever Tree. Small bottles are best because there’s nothing worse than leftover flat tonic water.
- Orange slices: Instead of the classic slice of lime, this cocktail features an orange slice for a different citrus twist. I usually use a regular orange but the dark red hue of a blood orange would be gorgeous, too.
- Cinnamon stick and star anise: What’s a cocktail without the fancy garnish? The whole spice garnishes are not only decorative, they add a warm spicy scent that hits your nose as you take a sip. The aroma complements the flavor of the cocktail.
- Ice: Have plenty of fresh ice ready, crushed, nuggets, or cubes, whichever you like best.
How To Make an Orange G & T
Use a tall highball glass (as pictured) such as a Tom Collins glass. A stemmed globe glass would really showcase this drink, too.
Fill the glass about three-quarters full of ice and add 2 orange slices. (In the photos, I’ve added one slice to the glass and reserved one slice for the rim. )
Pour in 2 ounces of gin and top with 4 ounces of tonic water.
Float a star anise on the top, and a stick of cinnamon on the side.
Easy Recipe Variations
- Add bitters. Add a few drops of orange bitters, such as Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters, to your drink.
- Change the garnishes. Substitute a sprig of fresh rosemary for the cinnamon and anise. I love the rosemary in this cranberry gin and tonic. Grate a sprinkling of fresh nutmeg on the drink instead of the star anise.
- Make it a vodka tonic. Simply use vodka instead of gin.
Get a Head Start
A gin and tonic is best prepared individually right before you serve it. You can make it in about two minutes if you have everything ready. Chill your gin, tonic water, oranges, and have plenty of fresh ice available. The oranges can be sliced ahead of time, too.
More Cocktail Recipes
Orange Gin and Tonic with Cinnamon
Ingredients
- ice (see note)
- 2 orange slices
- 2 ounces gin
- 4 ounces tonic water (Indian tonic water preferred)
- cinnamon stick, for garnish
- star anise, for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a highball glass about ¾ full of ice, and add 2 orange slices.
- Pour in the gin and top with tonic water.2 ounces gin, 4 ounces tonic water
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick and star anise. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Ice: I prefer to use crushed or nugget ice in gin and tonics, but regular ice cubes are fine too, just make sure there’s a lot of it and it’s fresh!
- Variations: Add a dash of orange bitters to enhance the flavor. Use a blood orange instead of a regular orange. Make a vodka tonic simply by substituting vodka for the gin.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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