Say hi to my Christmas Cranberry Cocktail! If you're looking for champagne cocktails for Christmas this is a perfect choice. Champagne brings a sense of occasion and celebration to proceedings and this Cranberry Fizz, as I like to call it, is one of my favourites.
This Christmas Cranberry Cocktail is made from champagne and cranberry juice, so it's essentially a cranberry mimosa BUT the cinnamon sugar rim and orange twist are what elevate it from something standard to something special.
The sharpness of the cranberries against the sweet spice of the sugar-cinnamon rim and the bubbles from the Champagne make a delicious mix and all the flavours balance each other really well, and it's fast become one of my favourite simple cocktails to make for parties.
This is a great Christmas cocktail, or Thanksgiving cocktail - festive, celebratory and with a sense of occasion. I serve it as an aperitif with some canapés before dinner time like these spicy parmesan biscuits that are a particular weakness of mine.
The Cranberry Fizz is just one cocktail in my growing arsenal of easy cocktails to make, and it's a favourite because it's so easy. You don't need a cocktail shaker or any fancy equipment that you won't already have in your kitchen. Sometimes simple is best, especially on occasions like Christmas and Thanksgiving when you have a mountain of other things to do.
Ingredients
- Champagne
- Cranberry juice
- Orange
- Sugar
- Ground cinnamon
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- First, make your orange peel twists. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a 2-inch piece of orange rind from the orange. Put to one side.
- Take two small side plates, and make your glass rim station! Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice from one half of the orange onto one of the plates.
- Put the sugar and cinnamon onto the other plate and mix it together, spreading it out.
- Now take your glass of choice, turn it upside down and dip the rim into the orange juice to coat the edge, and then into the sugar cinnamon mixture which will stick to it and form a crust around the top of the glass.
- Pour the cranberry juice into the bottom of both glasses and top up with champagne
- Take the orange peel in your fingers and twist it from the ends to form a corkscrew, then slide it into the cocktail down the side of the glass.
- Enjoy!
Hint: Keep your plates of juice and sugar handy for any refills
Love cranberry cocktails? Try this Cape Cod Drink.
Substitutions
- Prosecco - You can use prosecco instead of champagne, but it will be sweeter
- Non-alcoholic - you could switch out the champagne for non-alcoholic bubbly, or use ginger beer which is something I love to use in cocktails
Equipment
You don't need fancy equipment to make this Christmas cranberry cocktail, just two plates and your glassware of choice! I like to serve it in a champagne coup or glass.
Storage
Store the cranberry juice and champagne in the fridge to keep it chilled, and make it into the cocktail as needed.
Top tip
If you're entertaining a large group of people you can make up a jug of this Christmas cranberry cocktail to save time.
Recipe Card
The Cranberry Fizz
Equipment
- Two small side plates
- Glassware
Ingredients
- 200 ml champagne
- 50 ml cranberry juice
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ orange
Instructions
- First, make your orange peel twists. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a 2-inch piece of orange rind from the orange. Put to one side.
- Take two small side plates, and make your glass rim station! Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice from one half of the orange onto one of the plates.
- Put the sugar and cinnamon onto the other plate and mix it together, spreading it out.
- Now take your glass of choice, turn it upside down and dip the rim into the orange juice to coat the edge, and then into the sugar cinnamon mixture which will stick to it and form a crust around the top of the glass.
- Pour the cranberry juice into the bottom of both glasses and top up with champagne (both should be chilled)
- Taking the orange peel in your fingers, twist it from the ends to form a corkscrew, then slide it into the cocktail down the side of the glass.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
What a fantastic festive drink. It was so delish! I can't wait to serve this on Christmas day 🙂
Dawn says
This cocktail is so delicious! It's so easy to make and looks so elegant. Can't wait to serve it over the holidays.
Brianna says
Sweet, fizzy and perfect for Christmas!
Andrea says
this is so perfect for the holidays! love it so much!