Gingerbread Old Fashioned

A little bit of gingerbread syrup transforms a classic cocktail into this Gingerbread Old Fashioned. This warm and cozy drink is perfect for the holidays!

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I’m a sucker for gingerbread season. Once pumpkin spice mania starts to wrap up, I immediately get excited about all the gingerbread things. This Gingerbread Cake is amazing! We make a batch of these Gingerbread Button Cookies every year. And of course Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are a must, too!

This year we’re adding a cocktail to the list: the Gingerbread Old Fashioned. The baking spice flavors in gingerbread – cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg – pair incredibly well with bourbon. We make this Bourbon Spice Bundt Cake on occasion, and it features the same flavors in cake form.

Gingerbread Old Fashioned

An old fashioned is a great drink for a chilly winter evening. Light a fire, make an old fashioned and curl up on the couch with a good movie. That’s my kind of warm and cozy evening! But we’re taking this one to the next level by adding a bit of gingerbread syrup to that old fashioned. Don’t worry – you don’t need to be a mixologist or bartender to make this drink!

An old fashioned is an incredibly easy cocktail to make at home. Bourbon whiskey, a couple splashes of bitters, a little bit of sugar (try maple syrup for a fun twist!) and an orange peel. If you’re feeling fancy, you can drop a cocktail cherry in there, too.

The only difference between a classic old fashioned and this Gingerbread Old Fashioned is the gingerbread syrup. Instead of adding sugar into the drink, a bit of gingerbread syrup is added instead.

Gingerbread Syrup Ingredients

Gingerbread syrup is easy to make at home. It’s basically simple syrup with the addition of baking spices and a bunch of fresh ginger. Let all of that simmer for ~20 minutes and then strain out the spices. Add some honey and you’re done. Store it in the fridge, and you’ll be all set to make a Christmas Old Fashioned or two that evening!

• Granulated Sugar and Water. The base of gingerbread syrup is simple syrup – which is just equal parts sugar and water.
• Fresh Ginger. We’re skipping the ground ginger and going with the real thing here. Gingerbread syrup uses fresh ginger – and a bunch of it. A cup of diced fresh ginger simmers in the simple syrup for a bit. The ginger gets strained back out at the end.
• Cinnamon Sticks, Whole Cloves, Ground Allspice, Black Pepper, Nutmeg and Salt. These classic spices round out the syrup and add all of the traditional flavors that we associate with gingerbread.
• Honey. Wait…honey? Doesn’t gingerbread usually use molasses? Yes, gingerbread traditionally calls for molasses, but the deep flavor of molasses can overpower the cocktail. Instead, honey is used to provide a nice balance. After all, honey and bourbon already go well together…so it’s no surprise that they go well in this gingerbread cocktail, too!

Old Fashioned Ingredients

• Whiskey. Feel free to use bourbon whiskey or rye whiskey. Bourbon is a bit sweeter, so it pairs especially well with the gingerbread flavors, but rye can work, too. Use your favorite brand of whiskey, or see the notes below for recommendations.
• Gingerbread Syrup. Feel free to add as much or as little of the gingerbread syrup into your Gingerbread Old Fashioned as you like. We are big bourbon fans in our house, and we like our bourbon straight. We added 2 teaspoons of syrup to each cocktail, and that was enough to get all of the warm and cozy gingerbread vibes without overpowering the flavor of the bourbon itself. Of course, feel free to add more – just taste it as you go.
• Bitters. We’ve made this drink with both Angostura Bitters and Fee Brother’s Cardamom Bitters. The angostura version is a bit more classic, and it’s tasty. However, we found ourselves going back to the cardamom bitters more often. The cardamom bitters add an extra layer of flavor!
• Orange Peel. The orange peel is rubbed around the rim of the glass and then dropped into the cocktail before serving. For an extra special vibe, toast the orange peel for a few seconds with a kitchen torch or lighter before adding it to the old fashioned!

What Type of Whiskey to Use?

When it comes to whiskey, there are lots of choices out there. Standing in the liquor store trying to pick one can be daunting. We collect whiskey – I guess you could say it’s our hobby. When it comes to picking a whiskey for a cocktail, I recommend something middle of the road, but still high quality. Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, Elijah Craig Small Batch and Knob Creek Single Barrel are all excellent choices. If you happen to run across Lucky Seven’s Holiday Toast, it works well, too – and the name is already perfect for the drink!

How to Store Leftover Gingerbread Syrup

If you store the homemade gingerbread syrup in an airtight container in the fridge, it will easily last several weeks. That’s lots of Old Fashioneds throughout the holiday season! Or feel free to experiment and use that gingerbread syrup in a Manhattan or a Whiskey Sour.

This festive Gingerbread Old Fashioned cocktail is made for holiday entertaining! The syrup can be made in advance, so it’s a breeze to whip up this holiday drink once friends come over. The warming, baking spice flavors are perfect for cozy nights around the fire. I hope you enjoy this drink as much as we do in our house – Cheers!

Did you make this Gingerbread Old Fashioned recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Gingerbread Old Fashioned

A little bit of gingerbread syrup transforms a classic cocktail into this Gingerbread Old Fashioned. This warm and cozy drink is perfect for the holidays!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 serving

Calories: 162kcal

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Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Syrup

• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 1¼ cups water
• 1 cup chopped and peeled fresh ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 10 whole cloves
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp cracked black peppercorn
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup honey

For the Gingerbread Old Fashioned

• 2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey
• 1-2 tsp gingerbread syrup or more depending on preference
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters can substitute orange bitters or cardamom bitters
• 2 ” piece of orange peel
• {optional} cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions

For the Gingerbread Syrup

• Using a small saucepan, add all of the ingredients except for honey.
• Place over low heat, stirring occasionally until sugar has completely dissolved (~15 minutes).
• Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and pour mixture through cheesecloth into a clean container with a top.
• Add honey and stir until well combined (~1-2 minutes).
• Seal container and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For the Gingerbread Old Fashioned

• Using a mixing glass, add bourbon, gingerbread syrup and bitters. Add ice and stir until well combined.
• Strain mixture into rocks glass over a large ice cube.
• Hold the orange peel over glass and twist. Rub orange peel around the rim of the glass and drop peel into drink. (Optional: Using a kitchen torch or match, lightly toast the exterior portion of the orange peel before twisting.)
• {Optional} Garnish with cinnamon stick before serving.
• Serve with gingerbread cookies for a fun holiday vibe.

Notes

Gingerbread Syrup recipe credit: Jorge Centeno, Deer Path Inn (Lake Forest, IL)

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