I have a new and vivid fascination with champagne cocktails. An elegant champagne flute, some bubbly, a little flavoring, maybe a touch of fruit, and you’ve got perfect party fare. And endless possibilities.

I’ve yet to try the most classic iteration, with bitters and a sugar cube, but you can bet your strawberry I’ll be trying it soon. Once I figure out what bitters are.

Meanwhile, I’ve got a cranberry lime champagne cocktail for you. Red and green for Christmas Eve! So perfect I can hardly stand it. Oh, totally unrelated, speaking of hardly being able to stand something, you’ve got to check out these Candy Cane Christmas Tree Cupcakes over on Bakerella’s blog. So cute I’m pretty sure I just plain can’t stand it.

Okay, okay, tear yourself away from Bakerella’s fabulous blog and come back to me, will you? We’ve got some drinking to do!

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Cranberry-Lime Champagne Cocktail

This super-simple champagne cocktail with tangy cranberry, zingy lime, and sparkling wine adds a delicious - and festive - touch to the holidays.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 cocktails

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cranberry juice the sweetened kind
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 cups Champagne or sparkling wine we like Prosecco for this
• Frozen cranberries and thin slices of lime for garnish

Instructions

• Divide cranberry juice and lime juice between champagne flutes. Fill with champagne (about 1/2 cup each).
• Float the cranberries and the thin lime slice on top. Serve.

First published December 24, 2009. Updated and republished December 13, 2016.

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Though I have to admit, antioxidants weren’t really front-of-mind when I decided to make these. I was thinking more about the pretty colors and bountiful flavors. Blood oranges bring a slightly tart, almost concentrated orange flavor to the table (though this can also depend on the specific oranges you get). And pomegranate juice gives it that signature juicy jolt – almost raspberry in flavor. Combined, you’ve got a fancy pink, sparkly cocktail on your hands that tastes as good as it looks.

I tend towards Prosecco when making champagne cocktails because overly-sweet sparkling wine isn’t really my thing. But I have to admit that a teaspoonful of sugar (or, to be more champagne-cocktail authentic, a sugar cube) really makes it when using a drier wine. You could also start out with something sweeter and skip the wine – like a Moscato. Make it yours!

I can’t decide which part I’m more in love with – the gorgeous over-the-top blood orange slices, or the way the champagne bubbles make the pomegranate arils dance around while you’re drinking it. Or, you know, the champagne cocktail itself.

Lively, luscious, sparkly pink – and a little health boost, while we’re at it. This little champagne cocktail has you covered.

(more…)

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I’ve been thinking about making carrot mimosas for what seems like an eternity. Carrot juice is naturally delicious and sweet, and it’s amazing with orange – so why not take one more step and sneak it into a mimosa somehow?

I guess I ended up doing a lot more than sneaking. This is straight-up carrot and champagne (okay, sparkling wine as it’s not from France, yada yada).

I actually tried a couple fancier variations including one with ginger simple syrup and another with orange juice included. You know what, though? Those really didn’t work as well as just plain ol’ carrot juice and sparkling wine.

All the better for Easter. Especially when you plop a few perky carrot stems on top.

I love how this bright orange brunch cocktail, when poured into a champagne glass, takes on the shape of a carrot. I get practically giddy over stuff like that, what can I say. Imagine a tray of these with a few bunnies and eggs scattered about.

Whatever, kids, go find some eggs. We’ll just be over here sipping on our carrots.

Yes, it’s a little gimmicky, but these are actually pretty tasty. They’re not quite as sweet as your typical mimosa, so be prepared for that, but they’re nearly as addicting.

If you carrot all, make these for Easter brunch. (I’m sorry. I had to.)

To get the carrot stems to stand upright in the glass (parsley sprigs will work in a pinch, too), snip a plastic straw to about two inches in length, slip two or three stems inside, and set in the champagne glass.

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Carrot Mimosas

Carrot juice and Prosecco combine to make these cute, kitschy mimosas that couldn’t be more perfect for Easter.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 drink

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/3 – 1/2 cup 100% pure carrot juice chilled
• 1/2 cup Prosecco or other dry-ish champagne or sparkling wine chilled
• or simply
• 1 part carrot juice
• 1 part Prosecco

For garnish:

• Carrot stems or parsley sprigs

Instructions

• Add carrot juice and Prosecco to a champagne glass. Garnish with carrot stems or parsley sprigs and serve immediately.
• I recommend starting with a ratio of a little less carrot juice to Prosecco. Then give it a taste and if you’d like a little more carrot, go for it.

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