Frozen Negroni Cocktail Recipe

The Frozen Negroni is a blended version of the classic Italian cocktail, the Negroni. It is made with gin, sweet vermouth, Campari, and fresh orange juice and has a refreshing and bittersweet flavor profile. 

This is a riff on a Negroni, a classic Italian cocktail made with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. The drink was invented in Florence in the early 20th century. While traditionally stirred and served in a rocks glass with an orange peel garnish, this frozen version is made by combining the ingredients with crushed ice in a blender. 

Since Negronis are typically garnished with an orange peel twist, which adds bitter citrus notes to the drink, orange juice is included in this blended version for brightness and to add a bit more volume to the drink. And since the Negroni is made by combining all boozy ingredients, the orange juice helps temper the flavor of the cocktail, yielding a lighter profile. 

Tips for making a Frozen Negroni 

Like a traditional Negroni, this drink also leans on equal parts measures of gin, sweet vermouth, Campari, and, in this case, orange juice. The herbal gin and sweet vermouth help offset some of the bitterness of the Campari and the acid in the orange juice adds a sweet and tart note. 

To achieve a creamy frozen texture, it is best to use crushed ice instead of cubes. Starting with smaller pieces shortens the overall blend time, reducing the chances of overdiluting the drink. This recipe is scaled to serve two people, as the small volume of a single serving can make it hard to blend.