This cara cara orange whiskey sour is light, tangy, and super smooth thanks to the egg whites! It's the perfect cocktail for when you want something super easy that looks fancy!
My favorite thing about citrus season is that you can find beautiful varieties of oranges like these stunning cara cara oranges!
You might also like this blood orange vodka sour or this cara cara orange margarita!
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What is a Whiskey Sour?
A sour cocktail typically contains some type of liquor + citrus juice + a sweetener. They're super simple and delicious!
- Liquor - Sours can be made with just about any spirit; whiskey, vodka, gin, etc.
- Citrus Juice (aka the “sour”) - Traditionally you'll see lemon or lime juice, but I love using cara cara orange juice instead!
- Sweetener - Simple syrup is the most common sweetener you'll see. I love making my own cara cara orange simple syrup with the leftover orange peels!
- Egg white - This is optional, but what gives a sour cocktails that rich, creamy foam on top!
Ingredient Notes
You just need a few simple ingredients to make these orange whiskey sours!
Whiskey - You can use whatever type of whiskey you prefer in this cocktail! I tend to prefer bourbon, but you do you!
Cara Cara Oranges - The beautiful cara cara oranges are the star of this cocktail! I love their beautiful color and aromatic flavor. However, any type of oranges (like blood oranges or navels) would work just as well.
Lemon Juice - Since the orange juice isn't super sour, I add just a little bit of lemon juice so that it's a truly sour cocktail.
Simple Syrup - You can add as little or as much simple syrup as you like but it's totally optional if you prefer a more sour cocktail!
Egg Whites - You might be a skeptical about adding egg whites to your cocktail, and I get it. But it adds the most luxurious, frothy texture and really brings all the flavors together! If you're worried about consuming raw egg white, I recommend buying a carton of pasteurized egg whites at your local grocery store!
Angostura Bitters - I like to add a dash or two of either aromatic or orange bitters to add a bit of complexity and enhance the flavor of the cara cara oranges, but you can leave them out if you prefer!
How to Make Simple Syrup
I always make my own simple syrup for cocktails because it's so easy and paying for it seems silly to me! You can also add in different herbs or fruit for a delightfully flavored simple syrup.
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- leftover cara cara orange peels (optional)
- Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat. If desired, add in the orange peel as well.
- Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Let cool completely to room temperature, then strain into a glass jar and seal tightly with a lid.
- Store in the fridge for up to a month!
This is a great way to add some extra cara cara orange flavor to your whiskey sour!
Cocktail Serving Tips
For this simple cocktail you just need a cocktail shaker!
I also garnished these cara cara orange whiskey sours with a slice of dehydrated cara cara orange simply because they float on top of the foam much better than a regular orange slice. I have a whole post about how to make dried oranges here!
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Recipe Card
Cara Cara Orange Whiskey Sour
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces whiskey
- 1 ounce cara cara orange juice, about ½ orange
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 1 ounce cara cara orange simple syrup, more or less to taste
- 2 ounces pasteurized egg whites, about 1 egg whites
- 2 shakes orange bitters
- 1 slice dehydrated cara cara oranges
Instructions
- Combine cara cara orange juice, lemon juice, whiskey, simple syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker and fill halfway with ice.
- Secure lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds or until foamy.
- Strain into a coupe glass and top with 1-2 shakes of orange bitters and a dehydrated blood orange slice.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
nancy says
replacing my sunday brunch drinks with this recipe!
Amy Liu Dong says
Absolutely an awesome whisky recipe, looks tasty and yummy. Plus I love the glass you've used here, it's perfectly matched for this one and adds some tempting effect.
Jerika says
A simple and perfect cocktail if you want to relax.:) Thanks for this cara cara orange whiskey sour!:)