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This tangerine or orange liqueur recipe is a fun way to use seasonal citrus, and it’s easy to make. This is a homemade knockoff of Triple Sec, but really, you can make any kind of citrus liqueur — grapefruit, tangelo, lime — depending on what you have readily available.
While you’re mixing up liqueurs, give this homemade creme de cacao a try, too!
When it’s citrus season, we have an abundance (and then some) of tangerines and oranges at our disposal. I’ve made Tangerine-Ginger Jam. I’ve made Tangerine Syrup. Now I’m sharing a homemade tangerine/orange liqueur.
First, what exactly is a liqueur?
Don’t confuse it with liquor, often called hard liquor or spirits. Vodka, rum, and tequila all fall under the liquor category. Liqueur is first off, more difficult to spell. A liqueur is a sweetened, flavored alcoholic drink made from spirits or liquor. Liqueurs are often flavored with fruits and nuts (think amaretto). My homemade Kahlua-style coffee liqueur is made with real coffee.
These sweetened liqueurs can be sipped straight up as an after dinner drink or combined with additional ingredients to make a fancy co*cktail.
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Ingredients
Oranges or tangerines — This recipe calls for fresh tangerines or oranges. Juice the fruit, but retain some of the peels, as you’ll use those to give the homemade liqueur a bolder citrus flavor. Don’t use the white pith, as that will impart a bitterness. Use a spoon to remove that, keeping just the colorful outer part of the fruit to make this tangerine or orange liqueur recipe. More about zesting oranges here.
Sugar — Use your favorite brand of granulated cane sugar. I prefer organic.
Vodka — Don’t worry about forking out for the good stuff here. A budget brand is just fine.
Making a homemade Triple Sec Knockoff
You might be familiar with a liqueur known as Triple Sec. This is an orange liqueur with Triple Sec being the brand name. But you, my friends, are going to make your very own right at home. For less!
Making this Triple Sec liqueur is easy, but it does require a bit of planning. In order to impart the flavor of the citrus into the liquor, you’ll combine your chosen fruit with the liquor and tuck it away in a dark place for a month or so. The flavor of tangerine or orange in this liqueur needs time to transform into a citrusy flavored drink.
You’ll need to cook the sugar in water to dissolve it, but beyond that it’s pretty much just a matter of combining the ingredients in a jar. You’ll need to strain them later, but really, it couldn’t be simpler. And homemade liqueur makes a great gift!
When the tangerine liqueur — or orange liqueur recipe — is ready, strain it to remove the skins and particles. Store it in a sealed jar in a cool, dry place.
Giving liqueur as gifts
Once made, this tangerine/orange liqueur will need at least a month tucked in an out-or-the-way place to let the flavors get happy. Planning to give this as a gift for the holidays? Make sure you allot enough time for that.
Package strained “Triple Sec” liqueur in pretty bottles and tie on a tag. You might even consider adding a recipe or two for using this homemade liqueur and a couple of nice co*cktail glasses.
★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! ★
Ingredients
- 2 cups tangerine or orange juice, (about 15 tangerines or 10 oranges)
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 750 ml bottle of vodka
Instructions
- Zest four of the tangerines into strips. [More on how to zest here.]
- Cut tangerines or oranges in half; juice.
- Divide strips of zest between five pint sized jars.
- In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water; heat until sugar is dissolved.
- Stir in juice. Simmer for five minutes and then allow to cool to room temperature.
- Pour in entire bottle of vodka, then divide liquid between the jars.
- Screw on caps, set the jars in a cool dark place, and forget about them for a month. Once your month of waiting is up, strain out the tangerine peels and you're ready to mix a drink.
Notes
Makes about 5 pints.
Don't use the white pith, as that will impart a bitterness. Use a spoon to remove that, keeping just the colorful outer part of the fruit to make this tangerine or orange liqueur recipe.
You can use any citrus juice to make this liqueur. Grapefruit, orange, tangello -- they're all fair game.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 50Serving Size: 1 shot glass
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 85Unsaturated Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 12gSugar: 12g
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Originally published in February 2012; this post has been updated.
FAQs
Use navel oranges for the best results
To make triple sec, you need to use both dried bitter orange peels and fresh orange peels. Navel oranges will be your best bet for fresh orange peels. Not only are they available year-round, but their sweet flavor provides a good balance to the bitter orange peels.
What are the four most common orange liqueurs? ›
Triple sec, Curaçao, Cointreau and Grand Marnier are all common, orange-flavored liqueurs, but they do have some differences.
What is a homemade substitute for triple sec? ›
If you don't have triple sec handy, you can substitute with another good-quality orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or Cointreau. For a non-alcoholic substitute you can add fresh orange juice, or agave nectar/simple syrup, to add a touch of sweetness.
How is orange liqueur made? ›
To make orange liqueur, you'll begin by infusing vodka with the orange peels for at least a couple of weeks; letting it infuse for an entire month intensifies the flavor. After that time, the infusion is strained and mixed with simple syrup to make a co*cktail-ready liqueur.
What is the most popular orange liqueur? ›
Perhaps the two most famous brands of orange liqueur are Grand Marnier and Cointreau, and you might be wondering where they fit in to this taxonomy. Simple. Grand Marnier is an orange liqueur in the curaçao tradition, and Cointreau is a triple sec.
Which is sweeter, Cointreau or Grand Marnier? ›
Cointreau is the result of sugar beet alcohol while Grand Marnier relies on cognac and bitter oranges. This combination gives Grand Marnier a sweeter and heavier taste full of oaky and vanilla notes.
Which is better, triple sec or Cointreau? ›
While Cointreau is a premium option with a higher price point and ABV, triple sec is a more affordable and sweeter alternative. Regardless of your preference, Red & White offers both options for purchase, making it a convenient one-stop-shop for all your liquor needs.
What is the difference between Grand Marnier and orange liqueur? ›
This is purely down to personal choice, as they are both liqueurs flavoured solely with orange. The difference is that Grand Marnier is made using cognac and neutral spirit, rather than just using a neutral beet sugar spirit. Taste-wise this adds vanilla and subtle-toffee notes.
Can you substitute triple sec for Grand Marnier in a recipe? ›
Can You Substitute One Orange Liqueur for Another? In general, the answer is yes, you can substitute Grand Marnier for Cointreau or other types of triple sec, and vice versa. When making substitutions, though, pay attention to what the ingredient is meant to bring to the recipe.
What can I substitute for orange liqueur? ›
Our Top 9 Best Cointreau Alternatives
- Grand Marnier. Grand Marnier is our top substitute for Cointreau. ...
- Triple Sec. Triple sec is a clear, orange-flavored liqueur commonly used as a substitution for Cointreau in co*cktails and baking. ...
- Curaçao. ...
- Aperol. ...
- Campari. ...
- Combier Liqueur d'Orange. ...
- Luxardo Triplum. ...
- Bols Dry Orange.
Directions
- Combine zest, dried orange peels, brandy, and vodka in a small sealable container. Seal and shake. Let steep for 19 days at room temperature. ...
- Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat stirring to dissolve. Let this simple syrup cool.
What is a non-alcoholic substitute for triple sec? A non-alcoholic substitute for triple sec is orange juice or orange extract mixed with simple syrup or sugar. Another option is to use an orange-flavored syrup or orange bitters, which can provide a similar flavor profile to triple sec without the alcohol.
Can you substitute orange juice for orange liqueur? ›
Cointreau is a premium orange liqueur with a similar flavor profile to Triple Sec and is often used as a higher quality alternative in co*cktails. Are there non-alcoholic substitutes for Triple Sec? Yes, you can use orange extract or orange juice as non-alcoholic substitutes for Triple Sec.
How do I substitute orange extract for orange liqueur? ›
The substitution can vary depending on the recipe, however, a good place to start is with ¼ Tsp of extract, regardless of the amount of liqueur called for. We recommend tasting the batter and determining if that is enough flavoring before adding more.
Is orange curacao the same as orange liqueur? ›
Orange Liqueur, Triple Sec, and Curaçao can be used interchangeably as labeling terms. Orange Liqueur is the general category for orange flavor distilled spirit that contains sugar.
What kind of oranges do bartenders use? ›
There are many different types of orange but the best ones for bartending purposes are Washington Navels, which are in season from the end of October. These have a firm, rough skin perfect for cutting twists from and are juicy and slightly sour.
What kind of oranges to use for orange juice? ›
Best Oranges for Juicing
I recommend Valencia oranges for the very best juice, followed closely behind by navel oranges. Blood oranges are a nice option that will yield a lovely pinkish juice while clementines and tangerines will give you a sweeter beverage.
What oranges are used in Cointreau? ›
The sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) peels and essences used in Cointreau come from the Sevilla region in Spain, Ghana, Senegal, and Brazil. The major varieties are Cadenera, Salustiana, Pera, Late Valencia, Sweet Mediterranean, Washington, and a local Ghanaian variety.
What oranges are used in triple sec? ›
Triple sec has been popular for more than 150 years. The Dutch East India Company created orange liqueurs by steeping dried orange peels from places such as the island of Curaçao.
