How to Make and Mix With Oleo Saccharum

April 13, 2020

oleo-saccharum-crdt-lara-ferroni summer punch — Oleo Saccharum Recipe. | Photo by Lara Ferroni.

wine cocktail — The Ballerina. | Photo by John Valls.

Blue Curaçao Cocktail — Blue Daydream. | Photo by Emily Farris.

Classic Hot Toddy. | Photo by John Valls.

Cobbler Riff — Sherry Cobbler From Ernesto's | Photo by Rachel Vanni

kentucky bird Cocktail — Kentucky Bird | Photo by Stephen Kurpinsky

Oleo saccharum, that sticky sweet mixture of sugar and citrus peels, is a great way to add extra dimensions of flavor to cocktails while extending the life of your citrus. Jeffrey Morganthaler’s recipe is our go-to, but if you don’t have a vacuum sealer, a plastic baggie also gets the job done, just be sure to flatten the bag on your countertop and smooth it out to remove air from the mixture before you seal it.

One nice thing about Morgenthaler’s recipe is that it works well with any type of citrus. You can even add dried (or fresh) herbs, tea leaves, or spices to the mix. One you’ve made a batch, here are a few simple ways to mix with it. You can even just use it to sweeten up seltzer or to add a pop of citrusy sweetness to hot tea.

The Ballerina Grapefruit and rosemary pair perfectly with dry rosé and sweet vermouth.

Blue Daydream Brunch gets the blue curaçao treatment at The Oliver in Kansas City.

Classic Hot Toddy Jim Meehan’s version of the ultimate cold-weather cocktail.

Ernesto’s Sherry Cobbler A symphony of citrus brings this sherry cobbler to life.

Kentucky Bird A whiskey drinker’s Jungle Bird.

Emma Janzen

Emma Janzen is a journalist, photographer, and book author. Her first book, Mezcal: The History, Craft and Cocktails of the World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit, was nominated for a James Beard Foundation award in 2018; She co-authored The Way of the Cocktail with Kumiko owner Julia Momosé (2021), contributed to David Wondrich's The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails (2021), and is currently working on The Bartender's Manifesto with Toby Maloney of The Violet Hour (2022). Writing and editing from her home base in the Midwest, she prefers her mezcal neat, her martinis made with gin, and her champagne served in a coupe.