Brown Sugar Old Fashioned

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This brown sugar old fashioned is a cozy, fall cocktail that is easy to make. Made with a homemade brown sugar, cinnamon and maple simple syrup. Mixed with bourbon whiskey and a twist of orange peel.

This cocktail is a spin on the classic old fashioned cocktail. For other old fashioned variations, try this pineapple old fashioned or this chocolate old fashioned.

For other whiskey bourbon drinks, try this bourbon rosemary cocktail, this blackberry bourbon smash or this blood orange whiskey sour.

Jump to:

• Recipe Highlights
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• Equipment
• Instructions
• Make Ahead & Storage
• Expert Tips
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe

Recipe Highlights

• Brown Sugar + Maple + Bourbon. The combination of flavors in this drink perfectly complement each other.
• It’s made with homemade syrup. The syrup, similar to this brown sugar simple syrup, is made with basic ingredients you probably already have. It tastes authentic without any adding artifical flavoring.
• It’s the perfect fall & winter cocktail. The flavors in this drink make it a great drink to serve when it is starting to get chilly outside.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Bourbon Whiskey: Use your favorite type of bourbon whiskey. You can also substitute this with a dark rum instead.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is used to make the simple syrup. When melted, it adds a rich, slightly caramel flavor.
• Maple Syrup: Use pure authentic maple syrup for the best flavor.
• Cinnamon: A dash of cinnamon blends well with the brown sugar and maple syrup in the simple syrup.
• Angostura Bitters: All old fashioned cocktails are made with a few dashes of bitters. You can use classic Angostura bitters, or you can experiment with orange or chocolate bitters.
• Orange Peel: An orange peel is twisted into the cocktail to add a slightly citrus flavor.

Equipment

• A small pan to make the brown sugar simple syrup.
• A peeler to peel a slice of orange peel for garnish.

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and water together on a pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Continue to heat for about 5 minutes until the sugar has fully dissolved. Don’t let the syrup boil.

Step 2: Add the syrup to a cocktail glass filled with ice. Then add the bourbon whiskey and dashes of bitters.

Step 3: Stir the cocktail to mix the ingredients together. Twist an orange peel into the glass. Enjoy!

Make Ahead & Storage

This old fashioned is best served fresh and it is best not to make this drink ahead of time.

However, you can make the brown sugar simple syrup in advance. This makes assembling the cocktail faster when you are ready to serve it.

To store the brown sugar syrup, let it fully cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Expert Tips

• The syrup should have a liquid consistency. Simple syrup should be mostly liquid. If it is too thick, it will not mix as well in the drink.
• Serve in a small glass. Old fashioned drinks don’t contain a lot of liquid since they are so strong. Serve them in smaller glasses so it looks like the glass is fuller.
• Make it a double. Regular old fashioned drinks tend to have 2 oz of bourbon. For a drink of equivalent strength, double this recipe.
• Add a splash of soda or water. Some people like to add a small splash of club soda or still water after the ingredients have been mixed together.
• Reduce the sweetness. If you prefer this drink to taste slightly stronger, use only a ½ oz of brown sugar syrup instead.

FAQ

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📖 Recipe