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This Orange Lemon Gin Cooler Cocktail is a fantastic recipe to help you beat the heat! It’s super refreshing, easy to make and will make your friends happy when you serve them one!

two orange colored cocktails with an orange twist as a garnish and wedgest of oranges in the background.

HAVE A DRINK IN THE POOL

Can someone cool down CA? I’m in Los Angeles and just dreaming of sipping on a cocktail while practically submerged in a nice cool pool. That’s the dream, isn’t it? We’ll at least it’s my dream, especially since I’m currently in my old school apartment that doesn’t have central AC.

Anyway…that’s enough complaining because things are pretty great!

We have a couple of friends who have pools nearby, and for the most part, we’re welcome to hang out there. I do try to always bring something with me when we spend a pool day at their place. I think that’s key to being a good guest!

a cocktail that has orange colored liquid at the bottom of the glass and clear soda water at the top with an orange twist garnish

For one recent hang out, I made my No-Bake Berry Icebox Cake. It was a hit!

The next time I head over to a pool hang out I’m definitely going to bring all the ingredients to make this Orange Lemon Gin Cooler Cocktail. I know that my friends will love it, and so will your’s, even if you’re not sipping one in the pool.

SAVOY INSPIRED

If you’ve read some of my other cocktail recipes, like the Corpse Reviver No. 2 or the Ruby Fizz, you know that I LOVE The Savoy Cocktail Book. I find a lot of my inspiration from that book.

I love experimenting with old school recipes and I find that many of the recipes in the Savory Cocktail book are quite interesting.

If you don’t know anything about The Savoy cocktail book, the basics are that it was published in 1930 and is a compilation of the recipes that were being served at the Savoy Hotel in London. Check out my previous cocktail posts for more info for sure.

an orange and gin cocktail in an antique glass with a second cocktail in the background

So, my Orange Lemon Gin Cooler Cocktail was inspired by the Orange Blossom Cooler on page 202 of classic cocktail book. When I originally read the recipe name, I assumed that there would be orange blossom water in the drink. There wasn’t and there isn’t in mine.

I really didn’t change much from the original, except for using simple syrup and adding lemon juice. I felt like it needed a little something extra and simple syrup dissolves in a cocktail much easier than using straight-up granulated sugar.

QUALITY INGREDIENTS FOR A QUALITY COCKTAIL

I just can’t preach this enough! Use the best quality ingredients you can get and you’ll have the best cocktail!

All you need to make this refreshing slightly boozy drink is an orange, gin, simple syrup, a lemon and some sparkling water. Easy peasy. It’s a really light cocktail and because of that, you’ll want to use some good gin because the flavor will really come thru.

On another note, I’m also about using what you’ve got on hand. If you have a ton of oranges laying around, use those for this cocktail! But, if you’re out of gin…then maybe it’s a good time to buy something a little nicer than what you normally get. You’ll really be able to tell the difference between a nicer liquor vs an inexpensive “well” liquor.

Also, good ice really makes a difference. That might sound snooty, but have you ever had “bad” ice. You know, the ice that tastes like freezer? If you can, especially if you have guests over, make some fresh ice or even go out and by a bag of ice. You’ll notice the difference for sure!

Two orange colored cocktails with orange twist garnishes and halved orange wedges and orange leaves in the background

Now for simple sugar. Have you ever made it? It’s super simple (see what I did there…). Don’t buy it when you see it at the liquor store, but you can easily make it. You’ll need one part granulated sugar and one part water. For exact info, check out this recipe from The Kitchn and Apartment Bartender.

So, this Orange Lemon Gin Cooler Cocktail sounds easy and refreshing. Are you going to make it? When you do, make sure to leave a comment in the blog post so everyone can hear what you thought!

ORANGE LEMON GIN COOLER COCKTAIL RECIPE TIPS

If you can, use fresh oranges and lemons and juice them yourself! It’s not that much OJ or lemon juice and the freshness of juicing whole citrus will really make the cocktail shine!
I like using a Boston shaker set up for my cocktails, but you can shake it up in whatever set you’ve got!
You’ll want to use a glass that holds at least 12 ounces, like this highball glass or this collins glass. Or you know, if you’re at the pool and want some fun pool safe cups, check these out!