Homemade Old Fashioned Mix Recipe (2024)

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If you love a good Old Fashioned, you are going to adore this from scratch Old Fashioned Mix! This mixer makes stirring up an old fashioned co*cktail easy anytime, plus it makes a great gift for a co*cktail lover.

Old Fashioned Mix

We love making and drinking Old Fashioneds, but it can be time consuming to make one drink at a time stirring sugar and bitters, water and ice, a little bit of cherry juice and just the right essence of orange...you get the point. It's a simple co*cktail but this pre-mixed base makes it even easier to enjoy or serve to guests.

Old fashioneds are great paired with something savory like baked brie, bacon wrapped little smokies, or even hot blue cheese dip. We love mixing them up for holidays, a weekend in the mountains or just a random date night!

Old Fashioned Mix Ingredients

A traditional Old Fashioned calls for sugar, water, bitters, bourbon and orange. I took a few liberties with our mixer to make it more custom to the flavors I enjoy in my Old Fashioned.

Sugar -I use the combination of brown sugar and white granulated sugar but you can use all white if you want to be a bit more traditional.
Water -This is needed to create the simple syrup.
Oranges -I love the flavor of orange in this mixer!
Cherries -I only recommend using Luxardo Maraschino cherries or Amarena Cherries! Do not use classic red maraschinos. You will be missing out on the deep cherry flavor.
Cinnamon -Adding one or two cinnamon sticks to your mix is such a delicious way to add even more flavor!
Bitters - Angostura bitters are traditional in an Old Fashioned and you can use their classic aromatic bitters or orange bitters for this.

How to Make Old Fashioned Mix

Make the Syrup - Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook just until sugar is dissolved and remove from heat.
Muddle - Add in cherries and gently muddle to release any juices. (note: I've tried this recipe multiple times and prefer not to muddle the oranges. This dilutes the syrup.)
Steep - Add in oranges, and cinnamon stick. Cover and cool to room temperature.

4. Strain - Strain the syrup to remove all of the fruit and cinnamon sticks.
5. Bitters - Stir in the bitters and chill.

How to Store Old Fashioned Mix

Old Fashioned Mix can be stored in a glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. It would probably be fine at room temperature for a shorter amount of time but I alway air on the side of caution and refrigerate, so that is my recommendation for storage.

Possible Substitutions

Sugar - you can use all white sugar instead of a mix of brown and white if you want a more traditional flavor. I personally love the subtle molasses flavor brown sugar brings to this mix.
Spices - Agostura bitters has clove and cinnamon in it so adding more cinnamon sticks or even whole cloves boosts those spice notes. You can also add star anise which would make this blend very delicious as well.
Vanilla - I love the combination of vanilla and bourbon. Try adding a split, whole vanilla bean for a delicious vanilla spice mix.
Bitters - use whatever flavor of bitters you like! Aromatic, orange, even chocolate bitters are all delicious.

Gifting Old Fashioned Mix.

Homemade old fashioned mix is the perfect gift for a co*cktail lover! This recipe makes 3 cups of mix, which is about 24 oz. so you have enough to gift and to keep a little for yourself. I like to use these Ball Jars for gifting and I think they perfect tied simply with a piece of velvet ribbon.

I recently created a gift basket with a jar of this mix, a small bottle of bourbon, oranges, a jar of cherries, ice cube molds and a couple of holiday co*cktail glasses. It really is the ultimate gift for anyone who enjoys making craft co*cktails!

Old Fashioned Drink Recipe

Once the mix is made and chilled, you are all ready to mix an old fashioned! Add one ounce of mixer to a rocks glass, a large ice cube, 2 ounces of your favorite Bourbon, and give it all good stir. Garnish with a slice of orange and a cherry. Cheers!

More Recipes for Bourbon Lovers

Old Fashioned Bourbon Balls
Bourbon Brown Sugar Cakes
Bourbon Cranberry Jello
Spiced Pear Bourbon co*cktail
Bourbon Maple Cider
Halloween Old Fashioned

Homemade Old Fashioned Mix

Yield: 24 oz

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 oranges, quartered
5 Luxardo Maraschino Cherries
2 cinnamon sticks
2 Tablespoons Angostura Bitters, either aromatic bitters or orange bitters

Instructions

In a sauce pan combine the brown sugar, white sugar and water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, then reduce the heat and cook just until the sugar is dissolved completely.
Remove from heat. Add the cherries and muddle slightly with a wooden spoon or co*cktail muddler.
Add the oranges, and cinnamon sticks and cover, allowing the fruit and cinnamon sticks to steep until the mixture is completely cooled. I usually leave mine to sit on the stove-top for about 2 hours to bring it to room temperature. Note: You can steep longer if you have time. I've even steeped overnight and the flavor was even better.
Strain the mixture to remove all fruit and cinnamon sticks.
Stir in the bitters and pour into glass jars. Cover tightly and refrigerate until read to use.

Notes

I only recommend using Luxardo Maraschino cherries or Amarena Cherries! Do not use classic red maraschinos. You will be missing out on the deep cherry flavor.

Angostura bitters are traditional in an Old Fashioned and you can use their classic aromatic bitters or orange bitters for this.

Cinnamon is not classic in an Old Fashioned so you can leave it out if you like. I enjoy the added flavor and will add 1-2 sticks depending on my mood. During the holidays, I add two.

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Homemade Old Fashioned Mix Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is an Old Fashioned better with simple syrup or sugar cube? ›

Use Rich Simple Syrup

The sugar cube is one Old Fashioned tradition that can definitely be skipped. While many recipes call for it, it offers no advantage over using a rich simple syrup and has several disadvantages. Most obviously, you have to find and buy sugar cubes and a muddler.

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What was in the original Old Fashioned? ›

The first whiskey old fashioned recipe was printed in 1895 in Modern American Drinks by George Kappeler. His recipe instructs the reader to dissolve a lump of sugar in water, add two dashes of bitters, a piece of ice, lemon-peel and one jigger whiskey.

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How to make bulk Old Fashioned? ›

Directions

Using a funnel, add entire contents of bourbon or rye bottle to an empty sealable 1-liter bottle. Add simple syrup, bitters, and water and seal. Shake well to mix and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve, fill glasses with ice, if desired. Pour 2 to 3 ounces per glass.

Keep Reading ›

How many drops of bitters are in an old fashion? ›

An Old Fashioned calls for two to three dashes of bitters—no more, no less—that are added to the glass once the sugar or simple syrup is in. While the amount seems small, having too many or too few dashes can dramatically change the taste makeup of the drink. The type and quality of bitters matters too.

Get More Info Here ›

Do you use brown or white sugar in an Old Fashioned? ›

The classic recipe, according to most mixologists, calls for Brown Demerara sugar cubes. Sugar cubes are previously measured, allowing for consistent whiskey to bitters ratios. The Angostura aromatic bitters have a rich scent of fruits and spices and are a necessary component of any classic Old Fashioned co*cktail.

Learn More ›

What are the best bitters for an Old Fashioned? ›

Angostura makes perhaps the most ubiquitous bitters bottles out there, one that you'll see in nearly every bar - and one that you should have in your co*cktail arsenal at home. This reddish-brown bitters provides a fragrant bouquet of fruits and spices, and it's an essential ingredient for any classic Old Fashioned.

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What is the oldest co*cktail in the world? ›

What was the first ever co*cktail? Accounts differ, but most experts agree that the first co*cktail was the Sazerac, a blend of whisky, absinthe, bitters and sugar. Created in New Orleans in the mid-1800s, this is one of the first co*cktails recognisable by name and remains a favourite to this day.

Read On ›

What's in an Old Fashioned vs Manhattan? ›

Both co*cktails call for whisky and Angostura bitters, but the defining factor lies in their sweetening agents. The Old Fashioned opts for straightforward sugar or syrup, helping to soften the whisky. In contrast the Manhattan favours a sweet vermouth – adding fruity and caramel flavours into the mix.

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Why use simple syrup instead of sugar? ›

Simple syrup is used to allow sugar to be evenly mixed throughout a drink, particularly one served cold, by pre-dissolving the granulated sugar in water ahead of time to avoid clumping. It's also one of the easiest ingredients to make yourself—if you can boil water, you can make simple syrup.

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What kind of ice cube for Old Fashioned? ›

The right style of ice depends on the co*cktail. For spirit-forward drinks served in a rocks glass, like the Negroni or Old Fashioned, a single large block or sphere is ideal. For a tall drink like a highball or Tom Collins, or shorter drinks like a Tommy's Margarita, multiple smaller cubes work well.

What can you use instead of sugar cubes in an Old Fashioned? ›

Old Fashioned Ingredients

Sugar cube – If you don't have sugar cubes, you can use 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and muddle it with the bitters and water. You can also use 1 teaspoon of simple syrup in place of both the sugar cube/granulated sugar and water.