Roasted Peach & Vanilla Bean Old Fashioned

Roasted Peach & Vanilla Bean Old Fashioned

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Roasted Peach & Vanilla Bean Old Fashioned Recipe

If you love Old Fashioneds for their simplicity—spirited warmth, bitters, a hint of sweetness—then this version is made for you. The secret is roasting peaches until they’re jammy and caramelized, then infusing their flavor into bourbon with vanilla bean and a touch of citrus. The result is a drink that tastes like summer turned cozy: fragrant, silky, and just complex enough to feel special without being fussy.

This recipe makes 1 large cocktail (scales easily), and it uses a roasted peach syrup so the cocktail feels layered rather than “just peach-flavored.”

What You’ll Need (Ingredients)

For the roasted peaches + syrup

  • 1 ripe peach (about 6–8 oz), sliced into wedges
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or regular sugar)
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1/4 vanilla bean (scraped)
  • Pinch of salt

For the cocktail

  • 2 oz bourbon (or rye for a spicier edge)
  • 1/2 oz roasted peach syrup (from above)
  • 1/4 oz vanilla bean syrup concentrate, if you’d like it extra aromatic (optional; see method below)
  • 2–3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 bar spoon orange bitters or 1 thin strip of orange zest (optional for extra fragrance)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (or 1–2 bar spoons, to taste)
  • Ice (large cube preferred)

Garnish

  • Roasted peach wedge (optional)
  • Orange peel expressed over the top
  • Optional: a small pinch of cinnamon, sparingly

Equipment

  • Oven-safe baking dish or sheet pan
  • Small saucepan (for warming syrup)
  • Jigger or measuring spoon
  • Mixing glass
  • Bar spoon (or spoon)
  • Strainer (fine mesh recommended, optional if syrup is smooth)
  • Rocks glass or coupe glass

Recipe Instructions (Step-by-Step)

1) Roast the peaches

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
  2. In a baking dish, combine peach wedges with brown sugar, water, vanilla bean (paste or scraped seeds), and a pinch of salt.
  3. Roast for 15–20 minutes, until the peaches are soft and glossy. They should look slightly caramelized at the edges.
  4. Let them cool just enough to handle.

Optional upgrade: If you want a deeper caramel flavor, you can roast 2–3 minutes longer—but watch closely so the peaches don’t turn bitter.

2) Make roasted peach vanilla syrup

You want enough liquid to sweeten and flavor the drink without making it overly syrupy.

  1. Scrape the roasted peaches (including the juices) into a small bowl.
  2. Warm in a small saucepan over low heat for 2–3 minutes.
  3. For a smoother syrup, lightly mash the peaches while warming, then strain through a fine mesh strainer.
  4. Taste the syrup: it should be sweet with vanilla and peach depth. If it tastes sharp, add a few drops of water; if it tastes bland, roast another 2 minutes or add a small pinch more sugar.

You should end up with roughly 1/3 to 1/2 cup syrup—more than you need for one cocktail. Save leftovers for 2–4 more drinks.

3) Build the Old Fashioned

  1. In a mixing glass, add bourbon, roasted peach syrup, bitters, and lemon juice.
  2. Stir with ice for 20–30 seconds, until cold and nicely integrated.
  3. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.

Pro tip: The peach syrup brings sweetness and fruit character, so lemon juice helps keep the drink crisp and balanced—don’t skip it.

4) Finish and garnish

  1. Express orange zest over the top (twist the peel above the glass so the oils land on the surface).
  2. Garnish with an optional roasted peach wedge.

Take a sip slowly at first: you’ll notice warm peach first, then vanilla bean aroma, and finally the bitters-bourbon finish.

How to Scale (Make More)

For each additional drink, multiply the cocktail ingredients proportionally:

  • Bourbon: 2 oz each
  • Peach syrup: 1/2 oz each (start here; adjust based on sweetness preference)
  • Bitters: 2–3 dashes each
  • Lemon: 1 teaspoon each (or to taste)

Roast peaches once, make a batch of syrup, and store it in the fridge.

Taste Notes & Variations

Try bourbon vs. rye

  • Bourbon: rounder, more caramel-like sweetness—perfect for peaches.
  • Rye: adds spice and structure, making it feel slightly more “grown-up” and less dessert-like.

Make it less sweet

Reduce peach syrup by 1/4 oz per drink and increase bitters by an extra dash.

Go extra vanilla

If you love vanilla, stir in an additional small pinch of vanilla bean paste (or a few drops of vanilla extract) into the syrup while it warms.

Make it smoky

Add 1 dash of aromatic bitters (or a tiny splash of bourbon that has been “smoked” with charred wood—bar-style, if you like). Keep it subtle so the peach still leads.

Storage

  • Roasted peach syrup: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Bring to room temperature or warm slightly before using so it mixes smoothly.

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