This Vodka Champagne Cocktail comes together with just 5 ingredients and is crisp, bubbly, elegant, and delicious. It makes the perfect drink for Christmas, New Year's Eve, and Valentine's Day!
Table of Contents
How to Make Vodka Champagne Cocktail
- Combine the vodka, red currant syrup, and juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and shake well until the outside of the shaker is very cold.
- Divide the vodka mixture between 2 champagne glasses and top each with champagne. Garnish with 1 or 2 raspberries each and enjoy your champagne vodka cocktail!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Vodka: Although I prefer to use vodka because it has a neutral flavor that won't overpower the champagne, juice, and red currant syrup flavors, you can use dry gin which has a pine-y juniper berry flavor.
- Red currant syrup: It sweetens our champagne cocktail and gives a beautiful pinkish color when mixed with the liquors and lemon juice. It will have more of a light reddish color if mixed with cranberry, strawberry, or raspberry juice. You may use a superfine sugar or simple syrup instead but it will alter the final color of your drink.
- Fresh juice: While I prefer fresh lemon juice (or lime juice) which has more of a citrusy flavor, you may use strained, sugar-free strawberry, raspberry, or cranberry juice which also pairs well with red currants. It depends on your preference!
- Brut champagne: it is a sparkling white wine with hints of floral, fruity, or almond notes. It is less sweet than other types of champagne yet as light-bodied and acidic. Prosecco and other dry sparkling wines make good substitutes. For a bubbly non-alcoholic drink, use ginger ale or a sparkling raspberry cider such as Sparkling Rosé or Sparkling Blush)
- Fresh or frozen raspberries: Used only for garnishing! You may add a thyme sprig if you want. Other garnish options are these Sugared Prosecco Grapes or these sugared cranberries. It's OPTIONAL!
- Ice cubes: It will make your vodka champagne cocktail cold and refreshing.
What Vodka to Use in a Champagne Vodka Cocktail
Consider taste, quality, and cost when buying vodka for your vodka cocktails. Here are a few affordable high-quality vodkas listed from high to low prices:
- High-Level vodka: Belvedere;
- Mid-level vodka: Grey Goose;
- Low-level vodka: Titos.
Expert Tips
- If you want, you can also rub the inside of a lemon peel around the rim of the glasses, giving your cocktail drink an extra citrusy freshness and flavor.
- For less sweet champagne cocktails, use ¼ teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon per glass of cocktail, and place a sugar rim on the glasses.
- If you prefer, garnish the glasses with some lemon peel or a lemon twist.
- Make sure to use a cocktail shaker to mix vodka, juice, syrup, and ice. Why? It will make your Christmas champagne cocktail cold enough to add the bubbly champagne.
- This champagne vodka cocktail recipe is perfect for any occasion, including Valentine's Day, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.
- Choose a brut champagne, not one labeled "extra dry".
FAQs
Although you can use either a champagne flute (with or without a stem) or a coupe glass to serve your champagne vodka cocktails, flute glasses are better for preserving the bubbles of the champagne because they are tall and narrow.
Unlike other champagnes, Brut champagne has hints of floral, fruity, or almond notes. In addition, It is less sweet than other types of champagne yet as light-bodied and acidic, making the best champagne for cocktails. Prosecco makes a good substitute though.
Other Cocktails Made with Vodka
PIN AND ENJOY!
BEST Vodka Champagne Cocktail
Equipment
- 1 cocktail shaker
- 2 flute glasses
Ingredients
- 3 ounces vodka OR 6 tablespoons. SUBSTITUTE: Dry gin
- 1 ounce red currant syrup OR 2 tablespoons (use more for a sweeter cocktail). SUBSTITUTE: It sweetens our champagne cocktail and gives a beautiful pinkish color when mixed with the liquors and lemon juice. It will have more of a light reddish color if mixed with cranberry, strawberry, or raspberry juice. You may use a superfine sugar or simple syrup instead but it will alter the final color of your drink.
- 1 ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice OR 3 tablespoons -- SUBSTITUTES: strained, sugar-free cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, or cranberry juice
- 6 ounces Brut Champagne OR ⅔ cup. SUBSTITUTE: Prosecco, or other dry sparkling wine. For a bubbly non-alcoholic drink, use ginger ale or a sparkling raspberry cider such as Sparkling Rosé or Sparkling Blush.
- Fresh raspberries and thyme sprig for garnishing OPTIONAL (You may use a twisted lemon peel, or a cherry maraschino instead)
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Combine the vodka, red currant syrup, and juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and shake well until the outside of the shaker is very cold. It takes about 20 seconds!
- Divide the mixture between 2 champagne glasses and top each with champagne. Garnish with 1 or 2 raspberries each and enjoy! (TIP: If you want, you can also rub the inside of a lemon peel around the rim of the glasses, giving your cocktail drink an extra citrusy freshness and flavor.)
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
This post was first published on December 26, 2012.
Ana Sofia says
Feliz Ano Novo!!!
Denise Browning says
Obrigada, Sofia! Feliz Ano Novo para você também!!!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Hi Denise! Thank you so much for including my Cucumber Wrapped Sushi in this wonderful collection! I hope you have a Happy New Year!
Denise Browning says
We're welcome, Nami! When I saw your cucumber wrapped sushi, I thought that it'd be perfect for my New Year's menu. Besides beautiful and colorful, it contains rice which my people links to luck. Happy New Year to you too!!
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says
Thank you Denise for featuring my recipe! Your other selections are lovely! I especially loved the sugar peony and chocolate cake!
Denise Browning says
My pleasure, Julia! Wishing you a very happy new year... xx
Luciana says
Feliz Ano Novo Denise!
Fiquei muito feliz em ver meu bolo no seu New Year's menu. Obrigada!
beijinhos
Denise Browning says
De nada, Luciana! Foi um prazer!!!! Feliz Ano Novo...
Vijay from NoshOnIt says
Thanks for including the Acorda de Mariscos recipe we featured from Eat, Play, Love! It's wonderful to be included with such other great blogs and recipes!
Denise Browning says
We're welcome, Vijay!!! My pleasure...
That recipe is a winner. As a decedent of Portugueses, it made me proud besides looking very appetizing.
Happy new year to you and everyone else from Nosh.On.It!!!
Mi Vida en un Dulce says
Traditions, traditions..New Year celebration is not a real family celebration, most of the people choice to go to a fancy party to be in the countdown. Of course that means a lot to drink, a lot to eat and a lot of dance. But if you decide to be at home, there are a lot of things to do at 0:00: eat 12 grapes, run around the street block with a bag, have lentils in the pocket, and of course, a lot of fireworks.
Happy New Year Denise...!!!
Denise Browning says
Happy new year, dear Nydia! May your celebration be a very happy one...