Top 5 Orange Curaçao Cocktails
Orange Curaçao is a popular orange-flavored liqueur, made from dried Laraha orange peels native to the island Curaçao. The original Orange Curaçao is sweet and comes in many color options (thanks to food coloring), however the Dry Orange Curaçao is a less sweet option with some nuanced flavors including vanilla and spice.
Curaçao is similar to, and often used as a substitute for, Triple Sec. There are other orange liqueurs you may hear of as well, including Cointreau, Gran Marnier and Gran Gala. Across these options, there are variations in sweetness and in the alcohol used to make the liqueur. For example, while Curaçao is made with sugar cane alcohol, Gran Marnier is made with Brandy, and those differences can influence the flavor of your cocktail.
In cocktails, Curaçao is an ingredient that can add incredible flavor. It’s an important ingredient in Margaritas, Mai Tai’s, Cosmopolitans, Sidecars and more. Those cocktails simply wouldn’t taste the same without this crucial orange flavor. At Mad River Distillers, we have our own favorite cocktails utilizing this particular liqueur.
Here are our top 5 favorite Orange Curaçao cocktail recipes you can make at home:
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of Revolution Rye
-1/2 oz. of Orange Curaçao
-1/2 oz. of honey ginger syrup
-1/2 oz. of lemon juice
-2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
-lemon peel
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake for about 30 seconds. Add a large ice cube to a rocks glass. Strain over the large ice cube into the glass. Express a lemon peel over the top, then add as a garnish.
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of First Run Rum
-1.5 oz. of fresh squeezed orange juice
-1 oz. of Orange Curaçao
-1 oz. of fresh lime juice
-1/2 oz. of Orgeat syrup
-Mexican citrus seasoning
-orange slice
Instructions:
First, dip the rim of your glass in lime juice, then in the Mexican citrus seasoning (we used La Anita Clasico Seasoning). Set the glass aside. In a shaker, add the First Run Rum, orange juice, lime juice, Orange Curaçao and Orgeat. Add ice to the shaker, and shake for about 30 seconds. Add ice to your prepared glass, then strain the margarita into the glass. Take an orange wedge and dip it into the same seasoning before adding the spiced orange to the rim of your glass as a garnish.
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-3/4 oz. of Straight Bourbon
-3/4 oz. of Brandy or Cognac
-3/4 oz. of Orange Curaçao
-3/4 oz. of fresh lemon juice
-orange peel
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled, then strain into a coupe glass. Flame an orange peel, then express oils over the cocktail, and garnish with the peel.
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of First Run Rum
-1/2 oz. of Orange Curaçao
-3/4 oz. of honey/ginger syrup
-1/2 oz. of fresh lemon juice
-2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
-lemon peel
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Stir and shake up, then serve over a large ice cube. Add a lemon peel as garnish.
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of Rum 44
-3/4 oz. of fresh lime juice
-1/2 oz. of Orange Curaçao
-1/4 oz. of simple syrup
-2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
-2 oz. of dry sparkling wine
-orange peel
Instructions:
In a shaker, combine the Rum 44 with lime juice, Orange Curaçao, simple syrup and Angostura Bitters. Add ice to the shaker, then shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a flute glass, then top with dry sparkling wine. Add an orange peel for garnish.
Now that you’ve explored our favorite Orange Curaçao cocktails, the next time you buy yourself a bottle of this flavorful orange liqueur, you’ll have a variety of new cocktails ready to try. At our Burlington Tasting Room, we’ve made our own house orange liqueur on occasion, which is a fun and easy way to get hands-on with your craft cocktailing. If you want to make your own orange liqueur, be sure to check out our Orange Liqueur blog post with instructions on how to make it using our silver Rum 44.
Written and published by Brianne Lucas on October 28, 2025.
