Holiday Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail

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You’re sure to get into the festive spirit with this sparkling cranberry prosecco cocktail!

Ruby-red cranberries have long been a symbol of Christmas time. And, when fresh cranberry juice is combined with a splash of celebratory bubbly, it’s perfect for a Christmas or New Year’s Day brunch or, as an aperitif at your next holiday gathering.

Dress up your table with your best glassware and watch this cocktail sparkle like a jewel beside a glowing fireplace, flickering candles or Christmas lights. 

Why This Prosecco Cocktail is Perfect for the Holidays 

This is the absolute best recipe for a cranberry prosecco cocktail because it features the fresh vibrant flavour of  homemade cranberry juice. Yet, it still takes just minutes to make. 

• If you want to make prosecco look pretty, combining it with clear, bright-coloured cranberry juice is the way to go.
• While it’s popular to use strawberries or raspberries with prosecco, they have a tendency to get mushy which can result in a cloudy cocktail.
• Fresh cranberries don’t fall apart so they’re perfect for garnishing a cocktail or punch. 
• The addition of fruit juice means it’s lower in alcohol than a glass of wine or a cocktail made with rum, vodka or other spirits. 
• This is a super easy prosecco cocktail for the holidays as it really only has three main ingredients!   
• Double or triple the recipe to make a delicious cranberry prosecco  punch.  
• It’s similar to a mimosa – the breakfast classic made with champagne and orange juice – but looks fancier. 

Why Use Prosecco vs Champagne or Cava

It’s all about bubbles, sweetness and colour when it comes to champagne, cava and prosecco. 

• Go for the bubbliest bubbly! Researchers performed tests on luxury bubbly such as Moët & Chandon Imperial champagne and found that while there were more bubbles in luxury champagne, they were slightly smaller than those in sparkling wines. 
• Unlike other sparkling wines, prosecco, cava and champagne are all fermented twice, using a two-step fermentation process. 
• Prosecco is generally less expensive because the two-step fermentation process takes place in tanks rather than within the bottle. 
• Prosecco is lighter than either cava or champagne. This makes it well suited to pairing with fruit juices. 
• It’s also fresh, fruity and flowery vs citrusy and savoury like cava or champagne. It also has less minerality which complements the tartness of cranberry. 
• Champagnes come in colours ranging from light yellow to a dark yellow-orange similar to beige. Prosecco is a pale straw colour that’s usually whiter than champagne.

What’s the Best Kind of Prosecco to Use in a Cocktail 

Types of Prosecco

There are three types of prosecco: 

• Sparkling (spumante),
• Semi-sparkling (frizzante)
• Still (tranquillo)

Of the three kinds of prosecco, spumante is by far the most popular. It’s the one you want to use when making a sparkling cocktail. 

Bottle Design and Size 

Another consideration when choosing a prosecco is the bottle. Let’s face it some brands have prettier bottles than others.

If you’re hosting a party with a prosecco station, a row of attractive bottles will help pimp your prosecco table and add to the festive, celebratory spirit.

These are my top brands to choose for a prosecco cocktail station:    

• Freixenet bottles look like cut crystal, so it’s one of my go-to choices for a party bubbly.
• The baby-blue label of La Marca Prosecco and distinctive sapphire Blu Giovello of Italy are very pretty.  
• Bottega Gold Prosecco shines like an Oscar trophy so is definitely a celebratory prosecco to have on hand. 
• For a classic Old-World look, include Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore which comes in a traditional dark green bottle with a curvaceous shape.  

Several premium sparkling wines are now available single-serving bottles so you don’t need to worry about what to do with leftover prosecco from a large bottle.  

What Can You Do with Leftover Prosecco? 

• Store leftover prosecco in the refrigerator using a pressurized bottle stopper. 
• Make some vinegar! Much like champagne vinegar, prosecco vinegar is much less acidic than regular white vinegar. It has fruit notes like peach, melon, apple and pear. This makes it delicious on delicate salads made with tender greens such as butter lettuce.  
• Try this recipe from Emeril Lagasse on how to make homemade champagne vinegar. 

How to Make This Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail  

Please scroll down to the recipe card for precise quantities and method. 

1. Wash the cranberries and remove any stems. Combine sugar, water and fresh cranberries in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.

2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook until the cranberries pop and soften and the mixture thickens to a syrupy consistency.  This should take about 10 minutes.

3. Strain the cranberry syrup through a mesh sieve into a bowl. Using a spoon, press down on the cranberry mixture to release all of the juice.

4. Set the syrup aside to cool to room temperature. You should have one-half cup of syrup but if not, add water to increase it to one-half cup.  

5. Add one ounce of cranberry syrup to each serving glass. Top with two ounces of chilled prosecco. 

6. Garnish with a slice or twist of fresh lime, a few fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary. Serve immediately. 

 

What’s the Best Way to Store and Serve Prosecco 

• Keep the prosecco refrigerated at 45°F or 7.2°C. 
• Remove the prosecco from the fridge 5 minutes before serving. 
• Keep it on ice between pours.
• Prosecco is usually served in a fluted champagne glass. But for indoor parties, I use stemless glasses as they tend not to get tipped over as often. 
• For easy entertaining, make the cranberry syrup up to three days in advance and store in the refrigerator. 

 

Tips, Storing and Serving Suggestions

• If you purchased a dry prosecco, you might be wondering what you can add to make it sweeter? Adjust the sweetness by increasing the amount of sugar in your syrup by one third. 
• Wondering what garnish goes best with prosecco? A slice or twist of lime adds a tart freshness, a sprig of  rosemary adds herbaceous aroma and fresh or frozen cranberries provide a boost of colour.  
• You can also freeze cranberries and lime or orange slices in filtered water in an ice-cube tray. When fully frozen, add the cubes to your prosecco cocktail or punch. 
• Fresh cranberries will keep for several weeks in the original plastic bag. To freeze, remove the stems, place on a tray and freeze until firm. Pack in freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to three months.  

Other Holiday Cocktails and Festive Drinks You’ll Love 

• Hot Holiday Fruit Punch – Ponche de Frutas 
• Spiced Christmas Tea 
• Venetian Blush – Campari and Orange Cocktail 
• Bourbon Hot Toddy 

 

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