Blood Orange Syrup

Oct 9, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Pantry Sauces syrups glazes Vanilla: Extract Easy

A small glass bottle of blood orange syrup with a pour spout, beside an iced latte sweetened with it

Fresh blood orange juice and zest made into a jewel-toned, berry-tinged citrus syrup for spritzers, lemonade and iced tea, warmed only long enough to dissolve the sugar.

Prep 15 min

Cook 6 min

Cooling 30 min

Total 51 min

Servings 10

Diet Dairy free, Gluten free, Vegan

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

1.0 tbsp (6.0 g)finely grated blood orange zest
¾ cup (150.0 g)granulated sugar
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)fresh blood orange juice (from about 5 blood oranges)
1.0 tsp (5.0 ml)fresh lemon juice
½ tsp (2.5 ml)pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

Rub the blood orange zest into the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant.
Combine the zest sugar and blood orange juice in a small saucepan.
Warm over medium-low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup just begins to simmer, then simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and steep for 30 minutes.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.
Cool and refrigerate in a clean bottle.

Tips

Blood oranges are sweeter than navel oranges, so this syrup uses a little less sugar.
They're in season from about December to April; the juice freezes well for later batches.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make blood orange syrup?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 6 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes to rest. The recipe makes about 1 1/3 cups (10 servings).

How should I store blood orange syrup?

Refrigerate in a clean, airtight bottle for up to 2 weeks, or freeze in an ice-cube tray for up to 3 months.

Can I make blood orange syrup ahead?

Make it up to 2 weeks ahead.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 0.5 tsp pure vanilla extract (2.5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Is this recipe vegan?

Yes, as written. Check that packaged ingredients such as chocolate, sprinkles and plant butter are labeled vegan.

Fresh blood orange juice and zest made into a jewel-toned, berry-tinged citrus syrup for spritzers, lemonade and iced tea, warmed only long enough to dissolve the sugar.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

70 Calories / serving

0.1g Fat

17.6g Carbs

0.2g Protein

17.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~700 cal · 1g fat · 176g carbs · 2g protein · 172g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.