Sip into the season with a Cranberry Champagne Cocktail made with a quick homemade cranberry simple syrup. This bubbly, citrus-forward drink is festive and easy to make, perfect for brunches, holiday gatherings, or any celebration with family and friends.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Substitutions
- How to Make Cranberry Champagne Cocktail
- Kelly’s Recipe Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Snacks to Serve with Cocktails
- Cranberry Champagne Cocktail Recipe
I love a bubbly cocktail — this Cranberry Champagne Cocktail is refreshing, festive, and simple to prepare.
What is a champagne cocktail? It’s a mixed drink that uses champagne or sparkling wine as the main ingredient, typically served in a flute. In this recipe you make a cranberry simple syrup, spoon a little into each flute, and top with chilled bubbly for an elegant finishing touch.
I recommend garnishing with sugared cranberries or a twist of orange peel for a festive look.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredient list: Just five main ingredients.
- Festive presentation: Ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, or any celebration.
- Yields eight cocktails: Easy to scale up or down.
- Make ahead: The cranberry simple syrup can be prepared up to five days in advance.
- Customizable garnishes: Try fresh cranberries, sugared cranberries, orange or lime twists, or a sprig of rosemary or mint.
Ingredients
- Cranberries: One 12-oz. bag of fresh cranberries (frozen may be used if thawed).
- Sugar: Granulated sugar to let the fruit and bubbly flavors shine.
- Grand Marnier: An orange-forward cognac liqueur; Cointreau or Triple Sec can be substituted.
- Orange: A medium orange, zested and juiced.
- Dry champagne or sparkling wine: Chill before serving. Brut or Extra Brut balance the syrup’s sweetness.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full details.
Substitutions
- Orange liqueur: Swap Grand Marnier for Cointreau or Triple Sec.
- Different citrus: Use grapefruit, lime, or blood orange instead of a standard orange for a different flavor profile.
How to Make Cranberry Champagne Cocktail
- Make the cranberry syrup: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice and zest, Grand Marnier, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the cranberries burst and soften, about 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
- Strain and chill: Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Cover and chill the syrup for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Assemble the cocktails: Place 2 tablespoons of chilled cranberry syrup into each champagne flute, then top with chilled champagne. Serve immediately.
Kelly’s Recipe Tips
- Keep the champagne cold: Chill the bottle as soon as you bring it home. Champagne cocktails should be served cold and not iced, which would dilute the drink.
- Make syrup in advance: The cranberry simple syrup stores well for up to five days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Thaw frozen cranberries before using them to make the syrup.
The syrup is ready when the cranberries have burst and the sugar has dissolved, creating a syrupy consistency — usually 10–15 minutes of simmering.
Use a zester or fine grater to remove the colored outer peel, avoiding the bitter white pith beneath.
Choose a dry champagne or sparkling wine (Brut or Extra Brut) to balance the syrup’s sweetness.
Yes. Substitute non-alcoholic sparkling cider or soda for the champagne and omit the liqueur for a family-friendly version.
Snacks to Serve with Cocktails
- Party-Perfect Cheese Straws
- Homemade Chex Mix
- Spinach-Artichoke Dip Wonton Cups
- Crescent Roll Veggie Bars
- Whipped Brie
- Baked Brie Bites with Jam
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Cranberry Champagne Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 (12-oz.) bag cranberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
- 1 medium orange, zested and juiced
- 1 (750-ml) bottle dry champagne or sparkling wine
Instructions
Chill Champagne and make cranberry syrup:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice and zest, Grand Marnier, and 1 cup water.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until the cranberries burst and soften, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Cover and refrigerate the syrup for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- To serve, add 2 tablespoons cranberry syrup to a champagne flute and top with chilled champagne. Serve immediately.
Kelly’s Notes
- Chill the champagne as soon as you bring it home — don’t use ice, which will dilute the drink.
- The cranberry syrup can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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