This champagne cocktail is a classic drink that's easy to make, festive, and elegant! Made with a homemade cranberry simple syrup and touch of Chambord, this festive cocktail is perfect for the holiday season!
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This is by far the most amazing champagne Christmas cocktail you'll make at home! Similar to a cranberry champagne mimosa, this drink is always a crowd-pleaser, and its vibrant hue makes this cocktail quite the eye candy. And by making the simple syrup ahead of time, it makes serving a breeze.
A traditional champagne cocktail is typically made with sugar, bitters, champagne, and brandy but this is more of Christmas champagne cocktail. The poinsettia cocktail is also similar in that it uses champagne and cranberry juice, but this sweet and bubbly drink is different because it's made with a cranberry simple syrup and includes Chambord instead of an orange liqueur. This Christmas cocktail is perfect for any special occasion and I always serve this at my Christmas and New Year's Eve get togethers, along with my Christmas candy crack recipe!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📖 Variations
While this is a fantastic cranberry and champagne cocktail recipe that doesn't need any alterations, there are a couple of popular variations you can make to this drink.
- There's no need to go overboard and break the bank when buying champagne. While you can use a high end brand, a good mid-range brand works really well. I tend to go with Brut because it's relatively inexpensive and dry. Because I make the homemade simple syrup from fresh cranberries and sugar, the dryness pairs really well with the sweetness of the syrup.
- Instead of using champagne, try using prosecco. Prosecco is a sparkling white wine that tends to be a bit sweeter than champagne. If you enjoy a sweet cocktail, prosecco is a good choice.
- You can also use a non-alcoholic version.
- You can easily make this into more of a poinsettia cocktail by substituting the Chambord for an orange liqueur.
- To make this drink sparkle even more, add a sugar cube!
📋 How To Make Champagne Christmas Cocktail
In a medium saucepan, bring the mint, cranberries, sugar, and water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Keep simmering for about 10 minutes, ensuring to bring down the heat to keep it from boiling.
👩🍳 Expert Tip: If the mixture boils, the cranberries will start popping, and you'll be left with a cranberry sauce rather than a simple syrup. While cranberry sauce is delicious on its own, it'd be weird in a cocktail, so let's avoid that.
Once the simple syrup simmers, turn off the heat and let it steep and begin to cool. After about 10 minutes or so, strain out the cranberries and mint and store in the refrigerator until chilled.
From there, pour about an ounce of the mint-cranberry simple syrup with a ½ ounce of Chambord into a glass flute.
Top with champagne and garnish with extra mint. Sip and enjoy this delicious champagne Christmas cocktail in hand!
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
There are so many amazing flavors that pair well with this drink. Check out some of these most loved recipes!
🙋🏼 Recipe FAQs
The flavors in this cocktail remind me of a cranberry vodka and a cosmo, only fizzy. It's absolutely phenomenal and not too sweet.
I like a good mid-range priced bottle for this cranberry and cocktail recipe. Barefoot Bubbly is a great choice because they have a wide range of champagne available such as a Brut Cuvee, a Pink Moscato, a Rose Cuvee, and a Moscato Spumante. This recipe tastes great with each one so make it your own!
Yes! As long as it has some fizz, you're good! I've made this with prosecco, moscato, and sparkling wine and they all had great results.
The alcohol level is very similar to red wine. The alcohol in champagne is 12.2%. To put that into perspective, red wine is 12.5%. So, if you drink a four ounce glass of champagne, it's similar to a four ounce glass of red wine.
💭 Expert Tips
- Fresh cranberries work best, but you can also use frozen cranberries.
- While you simmer the simple syrup, give it a stir every so often to help the sugar dissolve.
- You don't need to spend a lot of money on the champagne; however, don't go too cheap either. You will hate yourself the next day. I used Barefoot Brut Cuvée, which didn't break the bank and left me feeling perfectly A-OK the following morning.
- If you need a quick way to chill the champagne, fill an ice bucket with equal parts ice and water. Let it sit in the bucket for 20 minutes, and it'll be perfectly chilled for serving.
- You can also use this simple syrup in other types of cocktails. I especially love it with a little bourbon or vodka and club soda.
- Store any left over simple syrup in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
🍷 Looking for More Adult Beverages?
Let's face it. You can never have enough cocktail options, especially for the holidays and for New Year's Eve. Here's some more really great cocktail recipes you'll enjoy. Buddy the Elf's favorite maple eggnog uses maple syrup as a nod to Buddy's favorite food group. The maple syrup gives this eggnog a warmth and richness that make for the most decadent holiday cocktail.
I love this cranberry-apple cider holiday sangria because it's the perfect sipper. This cinnamon and apple cider will absolutely get you into the holiday spirit. And if you like bourbon, then definitely try my chai-cranberry bourbon smash. It's full of amazing warm spice.
Champagne Christmas Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cranberries,, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 mint sprigs plus additional sprigs for garnish, optional
- ½ ounce Chambord
- champagne, for topping
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, water and mint to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Once the mixture simmers, turn the heat down but continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. Stir every so often to help dissolve the sugar.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the mixture to steep for another 10 minutes.
- Refrigerate until chilled.
- Once the mint-cranberry simple syrup chills, pour 1 ounce of the syrup into a champagne flute.
- Add the Chambord to the flute.
- Fill the rest of the flute with champagne and serve. If desired, garnish with a mint leaf.
Notes
- Fresh cranberries work best, but you can also use frozen cranberries.
- While you simmer the simple syrup, give it a stir every so often to help the sugar dissolve.
- You don't need to spend a lot of money on the champagne; however, don't go too cheap either. You will hate yourself the next day. I used Barefoot Brut Cuvée, which didn't break the bank and left me feeling perfectly A-OK the following morning.
- Champagne should be served at 46°F. Given that we're not adding ice to this recipe, make sure you're not adding a warm simple syrup to the champagne.
- If you need a quick way to chill your champagne, fill an ice bucket with equal parts ice and water. Let it sit in the bucket for 20 minutes, and it'll be perfect for serving.
- You can also use this simple syrup in other types of cocktails. I especially love it with a little bourbon or vodka and club soda.
- Store any left over simple syrup in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in December 2018, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions and tips in December 2022.
Amy Liu Dong
I love the look of this drink, it is so pretty and looks really delicious!
Amanda Mason
Enjoy it!
Jamie
First of all, this minted cranberry champagne cocktail is so perfect for this Holiday season! It looks incredibly delicious and so tasty! Second, the color this cocktail brings just makes it mouth-watering! Loved it!
Amanda Mason
So glad you loved it!!
Ann
I am cooking the cranberries as I type this - so excited to try this drink! Very fitting for New Year's Eve!
Amanda Mason
Yeah! So glad you are making this for the holidays!
Monica
Mint and cranberry are such an unexpected yet lovely combination! This is truly the ideal festive drink.
Amanda Mason
Thanks Monica, enjoy!!!
Kate
Made this for Christmas and certainly making it again! The cranberry and mint combo is amazing!
Amanda Mason
So glad! I know - it's one of my favorite's, as well!
Holly
What a yummy Cocktail! I love using in-season fruits for festive drinks like this - yum!
Jyothi (Jo)
I love cranberry cocktail and so much so that I’m ready with my cranberry margarita drink recipe for my blog, talk about coincidence. With champagne it’s only better and best. Looks perfect to ring in the new year