4 Festive Champagne Cocktails for the Holiday Season

Champagne is one of the easiest ways to make a party feel more festive. Try one of these fresh champagne cocktails for your next holiday party.

Side Car Royale

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lemon wedge (to rim glass)
• 2 tablespoons superfine sugar (to rim glass)
• 1½ ounces Cognac
• 1 ounce Cointreau
• ½ ounce lemon juice
• Champagne, chilled

Pour sugar into a dish. Run a lemon wedge around the rim of a martini glass and dip the moistened edge of the glass into sugar to evenly coat the rim. Glass can be set in the freezer until needed.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine Cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice. Shake well, then strain into prepared glass. Top with Champagne.

Raspberry Fizz

INGREDIENTS

• Fresh raspberries
• ½ ounce raspberry liqueur (Chambord)
• Champagne, chilled
• Orange peel, for garnish

Put four raspberries in a mortar and crush with a pestle. Scoop the crushed raspberries into a champagne flute then top with raspberry liqueur and champagne. Garnish with an orange twist.

Winter Champagne Cocktail

INGREDIENTS

• 1 clementine (aka cuties), peeled & juiced
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Champagne, chilled
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig

In a coupe glass, add 1 oz of your citrus juice. Drop the peel into the glass and add the bitters. Top with your favorite sparkling wine and garnish with a rosemary sprig.

French Holiday 75

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ ounces gin
• ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
• ¾ ounce mulled simple syrup (recipe follows)
• Champagne, chilled
• Lemon peel, for garnish

Mulled Simple Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup mulling spices
• 1 cup water

Combine sugar and mulling spices with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool before straining mixture.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the gin, lemon juice, and mulled simple syrup. Shake until well chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain the liquid into champagne glasses and top with champagne. Twist your lemon peel and hold it for a few seconds to retain the shape. Garnish your glass with the lemon twist.