Make these sugared prosecco grapes with just 3 simple ingredients. Like sugared champagne grapes, they are boozy, refreshing, and can be served, chilled or frozen, as a festive bite for weddings, baby showers, or New Year's Eve. Try also our sugared cranberries!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy: It calls for just 3 ingredients (granulated sugar, grapes, and prosecco or champagne)
- Quick: The prep time is about 5 minutes and requires no cooking!
- Budget-friendly: Depending on the brand or type of alcoholic beverage you use to marinate these grapes, they do cost not much. Some prosecco sparkling wine from Italy for example can cost about $15 a bottle. Champagne usually costs more!
- Versatile: You can easily adapt 2 of the ingredients and served our sugar-coated grapes as sweet bites, a garnish for desserts, hours d' oeuvres, or finger food.
What is Prosecco?
Prosecco is an Italian sparkling white wine made from glera grapes and named after the village of Prosecco.
It is usually a bubbly, full-sparkling wine. But can still be technically a Prosecco those wines with little or no bubbles (known as tranquilo) or contain some bubbles (known as frizzante).
Is Prosecco wine?
Yes, because wine is an alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice, either red or white, which can form bubbles or not during the process of turning grapes into wine.
Is Prosecco Champagne?
No! Although Prosecco and Champagne are sparkling wines, they come from different countries with name designation protection and use a different variety of grapes.
The name Champagne is exclusively reserved for sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region of France while Prosecco is produced in Italy.
What’s the difference between Prosecco and Champagne?
Here are a few differences between Prosecco and Champagne:
Location: Champagne is from France while Prosecco is from Italy.
Grape variety: Champagne uses 3 main varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes. Although it can also produce champagne using 4 other varieties: Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot blanc, and Pinot Gris. But Prosecco uses the Glera grapes!
Method: Champagne uses the méthode champenoise adding the yeast into the bottles for getting bubbles. On the other hand, Prosecco adds it into the tanks and bottles it afterward.
Overall, Champagne is a versatile French sparkling wine that you can use to make different recipes such as this champagne cocktail that is perfect for New Year's Eve Traditions… and Prosecco is no different in this matter!
Sugared Grapes
If you are a sparkling wine lover, you will go nuts for these sugared Prosecco grapes.
The grapes are marinated in Prosecco (or champagne) for several hours absorbing its flavor.
Then they are coated in granulated sugar and served either chilled or frozen.
These frozen grapes with sugar make a great bite for holidays, parties, Sunday brunch, New Year's Eve, adult get-togethers, and more.
Plus, the recipe calls for no cooking! Awesome, right?
Equipment
To make these sugared Prosecco grapes, you will need:
- 1 Medium bowl
- 1 Zippered bag (optional)
- 1 Airtight container
Prosecco Grape Ingredients and substitutions
3 cups firm, seedless green grapes -- You can use red grapes if you prefer, or a mix of both!
1 ½ cups Prosecco sparkling wine (or Champagne or chardonnay wine. Please, neither use a cheap one nor a too expensive one in this recipe).
3 tablespoons granulated sugar (NOT caster sugar or another fine sugar)
How to make sugared champagne grapes
Gently pull each grape from the stem. Then, transfer them to a colander and rinse them under cold running water.
Place the grapes and the Prosecco or Champagne into a medium bowl that is deep enough for the liquid to cover the grapes. Soak the grapes, covered, in the fridge for at least 12 hours so they absorb flavor! PIC. 1
Next, drain the grapes. However, don’t let them dry completely! Place the granulated sugar in a large bowl or plastic bag and toss the grapes until the grapes are fully covered with sugar.
Transfer them to an airtight container and freeze them for two hours. PIC. 2
Tips for making this Prosecco grapes recipe
- Although some store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours, I do not recommend especially in the summertime. If the temp is too hot, the sugar will melt and they will become a mess!
- You can adapt this sugared Prosecco grape recipe by replacing the type of grapes and/or alcoholic beverage.
- The grapes must be firm, plump, and well-attached to the stems. This means, do not use wet or spoiled grapes! Of course, you can use different fruits such as berries!
- After draining the grapes, do not discard the leftover sparkling wine. Instead, use it for drinks!
- If you are under 21 years old or don't consume alcohol, no worries! You can still make this recipe by replacing alcohol with ginger ale, sprite, or sparkling apple cider.
- Any type of fine sugar does NOT work so well in this recipe because it tends to dissolve quickly, especially if the grapes are served at room temp.
- Make sure the grapes are fully covered with the Prosecco sparkling wine in order to marinate them evenly.
- Before coating the grapes in sugar, make sure they are not fully dry so the sugar can "glue" to the exterior of the grapes.
- You can serve these sugared Prosecco grapes, either chilled or frozen, as a quick sweet treat for weddings, baby showers, or for New Year's Eve.
How to serve
You can serve them either chilled or frozen in a champagne coup glass, bowl, or threaded on party skewers.
Sugared Champagne Grapes vs Frosted Grapes
They look similar but their recipes are different.
Both contain grapes and sometimes sugar as common ingredients.
But while sugared champagne/prosecco grape recipes call for Champagne or Prosecco and are served either chilled or frozen, frosted grape recipes usually call for flavored gelatin powder and are served chilled.
Storage
Although you can store them 2 different ways, these grapes are best served frozen!
Store them:
In the fridge: They keep well chilled in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
In the freezer: Spread them out onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze them and then transfer them to an airtight container lined with parchment paper at the bottom. If your container is not large enough to keep them in one single layer, top the first layer with parchment paper and distribute the remaining frozen Prosecco grapes on top. Store them frozen for up to 1 month and serve them frozen.
Other grape recipes
PIN & ENJOY!
Sugared Prosecco Grapes
Equipment
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 Zippered bag (optional)
- 1 Airtight container
Ingredients
- 3 cups green grapes firm and seedless -- You can use red grapes if you prefer, or a mix of both!
- 1 ½ cups Prosecco sparkling wine or Champagne or chardonnay wine. Please, neither use a cheap one nor a too expensive one in this recipe.
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar NOT caster sugar or another fine sugar
Instructions
- Gently pull each grape from the stem. Then, transfer them to a colander and rinse them under cold running water.
- Place the grapes and the Prosecco or Champagne into a medium bowl that is deep enough for the liquid to cover the grapes. Soak the grapes, covered, in the fridge for at least 12 hours so they absorb flavor!
- Next, drain the grapes. However, don’t let them dry completely! Place the granulated sugar in a large bowl or plastic bag and toss the grapes until the grapes are fully covered with sugar.
- Transfer them to an airtight container and freeze them for two hours.
Recipe Notes
- In the fridge: They keep well chilled in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- In the freezer: Spread them out onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze them and then transfer them to an airtight container lined with parchment paper at the bottom. If your container is not large enough to keep them in one single layer, top the first layer with parchment paper and distribute the remaining frozen Prosecco grapes on top. Store them frozen for up to 1 month and serve them frozen.
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.
2pots2cook says
What an upgrade! I usually freeze the grapes and drop them into wine during hot summer nights but this is such a great idea!!!!!!
I wish you and your family to have Merry Christmas dear!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
A fun addition to a glass of champagne.
Denise Browning says
Thank you! Wishing you a very happy new year!