Tangerine Creamsicle Cocktail – a vanilla vodka recipe
It all started one rare Friday night when I wasn’t in the mood for wine. I rummaged through the cupboards and found an unopened bottle of vanilla vodka. What would blend with it? I don’t happen to have a vanilla vodka recipe up my sleeve. But, because we have a Soda Stream, we always have bubbly water in the house. Some variation on vodka and soda can always work, right?
Why it’s tricky to use vanilla vodka
I can’t recommend drinking vanilla vodka neat. But on this occasion, with a bottle staring me in the face, I considered all the alternatives. Vanilla is a little bit tricky of a flavor to use in cocktails. It’s delicate but it gives the impression of sweetness. So if you mix it with other sweet or sweet-seeming ingredients like almonds, you could end up with an unpleasant sweetness.
I thought to myself, “What if I layered it with fresh fruit juice? Why, then I’d practically have a health drink!” (This is what I told myself, anyway.) I chose citrus because the tartness of freshly squeezed citrus juice struck me as a flavor that could balance vanilla. A little bit of squeezing, mixing and sipping later, I had a cocktail layered with aphrodisiac ingredients. As for the taste? Remember those popsicles with the cream-filled center? It tasted exactly like one of those. Yes, I managed to create an adult version of a Creamsicle.
A balanced vanilla vodka recipe
I’ve dubbed this vanilla vodka recipe the Tangerine Creamsicle. The only difference between this and the original popsicle, besides the fact that mine is spiked with liquor, is that the drink has better balance. It’s not too sweet, nor overwhelmed by either tartness nor the vanilla flavor.
It’s one I’ve made many times since that first experiment and I think I like it more and more with each drink. The tart freshness of tangerine offsets what is often a heavy-handed vanilla note of vanilla vodka. The trick is that you absolutely have to use fresh tangerine juice in this drink
Not only does fresh juice offer vitamins, Yes, this cocktail has vitamins–keep telling yourself that–but it gives the drink a zing you can’t get from bottled juice. And unfortunately, orange juice does not work as a substitute in this vanilla vodka cocktail. It doesn’t give the drink the same sour spark that tangerine brings. It’s got to be tangerine. And the Tangerine Creamsicle must be made with vanilla vodka, if for no other reason than the fact that the mere scent of vanilla is an aphrodisiac to men. And don’t forget that fresh citrus is on our list of the 10 Best Foods for Women.
Cheers!
Tangerine Creamsicle
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed tangerine juice (approx. the juice of 1 tangerine
- 1 tbsp simple syrup
- 1 oz vanilla vodka
- 2 oz club soda
- fresh tangerine wedge for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In the bottom of a rocks glass, stir together the tangerine juice and simple syrup.
- Add the vodka, top with the soda and serve.
- Garnish with a wedge of tangerine, (optional).
Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs and her work in the field of aphrodisiac food history and health science is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiacs and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac foods to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.
Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.
Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard for Palm.
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Hmmm, that’s a tricky one. I would start with 1/4 tsp and add more to taste, a drop at a time. Hoping that works for you!
This sounds incredible, however, I can no longer drink alcohol. I would love to try this as a mocktail, but I have no idea how much vanilla I would add. Would you care to give it a guess?
Thanks!