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This cranberry-elderflower champagne sparkler is the ultimate holiday cocktail! With bubbly prosecco, delicate St. Germain elderflower liqueur, and tart homemade cranberry syrup, it’s festive, elegant, and easy to make. Topped with sparkling sugared cranberry skewers, this is perfect for Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Recipe is So Good
- The cranberry syrup takes just 5 minutes to make and stores beautifully for up to two weeks, so you can prep ahead and play bartender without stress. When guests arrive, you’re just pouring and serving—no complicated mixing or measuring required.
- Whether you’re hosting Christmas Eve dinner, a holiday party, or ringing in the New Year, this champagne sparkler feels celebratory and special. One batch of cranberry syrup makes 8-10 cocktails, so you can keep the party going all night long–woohoo!
- That combination of tart cranberry, delicate floral elderflower, and dry bubbly creates this gorgeous sweet-tart-dry harmony that’s festive without being cloying. It’s sophisticated enough for a formal dinner party but approachable enough that everyone will love it.
Pro Party Move!
You can’t serve cocktails without some tasty eats on hand! The more your guests drink these, the more peckish they’ll get.
I’ve served these light and sweet cocktails with Lobster Escargot, Bacon-Wrapped Dates, Crab Stuffed Mushrooms, Homemade Boursin Cheese with crackers, Cocktail Blinis, a Whole30 Grazing Board, and to balance things out, a Perfect Keto Charcuterie Board.
If you want to add to your cocktail repertoire, offer Cranberry Margaritas to your party guests as well as this sparkler!
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Don’t skip the sparkling cranberry garnish. I know it seems like an extra step, but it takes less than 5 minutes and transforms this drink from “nice” to “wow.” The key is spritzing the cranberries very lightly with water—too much and the sugar gets clumpy and weird.
- The cranberry syrup and St. Germain already add sweetness, so it’s better to use a dry prosecco or champagne to keep everything balanced. I usually grab a reasonably priced prosecco (no need to splurge on vintage champagne here), and it works beautifully every time.
- If you’ve never tried elderflower liqueur, prepare to fall in love. It’s floral without being medicinal, slightly fruity without being sweet, and it plays so well with other ingredients. One bottle goes a long way, and you’ll find yourself mixing it into all sorts of cocktails once you discover how versatile it is.
- The recipe makes enough for 8-10 drinks, but it’s stupid easy to double or triple if you’re expecting a big crowd. Just keep the 1:1 ratio of cranberry juice to sugar, and you’re golden.
Recipe Variations
Make it a Mocktail: Replace the champagne with sparkling water or ginger ale, and skip the St. Germain. Add an extra ½ ounce of cranberry syrup for flavor, and you’ve got a gorgeous alcohol-free option for designated drivers and non-drinkers.
Try Different Garnishes: Rosemary sprigs look gorgeous and add a subtle herbal note. A twist of orange peel adds citrus aroma. Or float a few fresh cranberries directly in the glass for a simpler presentation.
Adjust the Sweetness: Start with ½ ounce of cranberry syrup per drink if you prefer drier cocktails, or add up to 1½ ounces if you like them sweeter. Taste as you go and find your perfect balance.
Use Pomegranate Instead: Swap cranberry juice for pomegranate juice in the syrup for a slightly different flavor profile. It’s equally festive and delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely, in fact, it’s probably better to. The syrup keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in a sealed jar. This is one of those recipes that’s actually better when you prep ahead—it gives the flavors time to meld, and you’re not rushing around making syrup when guests arrive.
St. Germain has a delicate floral flavor with subtle fruity notes—think elderflower with hints of pear and lychee. It adds this gorgeous complexity to cocktails without being overpowering. If you’ve never tried it, this cocktail is the perfect introduction.
You could, but honestly, the homemade cranberry syrup is so easy and tastes infinitely better. It takes 5 minutes and uses two ingredients. Plus, you control the sweetness and quality, which makes a huge difference in the final drink.
Not at all! Prosecco is my go-to because it’s affordable and delicious. Cava works great, too. Save the expensive vintage champagne for sipping on its own—you don’t need it here.
Each cocktail uses 1 ounce of cranberry syrup, so one batch of syrup (made with ½ cup juice and ½ cup sugar) yields enough for 8-10 cocktails. The recipe card shows measurements for 2 drinks, but you can easily scale up or down.
You can pre-mix the St. Germain and cranberry syrup in a pitcher, but don’t add the champagne until right before serving—bubbles go flat if they sit too long. For a party, I’d set out the syrup mixture, champagne, and glasses, and let guests pour their own. It’s interactive and fun!
More Drinks and Cocktail Recipes
- Raspberry Cocktails with Rosemary
- Keto Hot Chocolate
- Green Tea Shot
- Easy Mojito Pitcher Recipe
- Apple Cider Mimosas
- Paleo Hot Chocolate
- POG Juice Mimosas
- Pumpkin Caramel Macchiato
- Blackberry Mint Mocktail (Paleo)
- Paleo Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Cranberry-Elderflower Champagne Sparkler
Equipment
- toothpicks
- 4 champagne glasses
Ingredients
For the Cranberry Syrup
- ½ cup organic 100% cranberry juice
- ½ cup organic sugar
For the Sparkling Cranberry Skewers
- fresh cranberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
For the Cranberry-Elderflower Champagne Sparkler
- 2 ounces St. Germain elderflower liqueur
- 8 ounces dry champagne prosecco, or sparkling wine
Instructions
For the Cranberry Syrup
- In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together cranberry juice and sugar until dissolved. Raise heat and bring to a boil, then remove from heat, pour into a glass jar or bowl and let cool completely. Makes enough syrup for 8-10 drinks.
For the Sparkling Cranberry Skewers
- Skewer about 5 cranberries onto a standard toothpick, then spritz very lightly with water — too much and your sugar will get clumpy! Place about ½ cup granulated sugar in a shallow dish — an individual tart dish is awesome — then add cranberry skewers, tossing with a fork until completely coated in sugar. Remove with a fork and use as garnish.
For the Cranberry-Elderflower Champagne Sparkler
- To make each cocktail, pour 1 ounce St. Germain and 1 ounce of cranberry syrup into a stemmed champagne glass. Top with about 4 ounces champagne per glass. Garnish with sparkling cranberry skewers and serve immediately.
- Drink recipe makes 2 cocktails. Cranberry syrup makes enough for about 8-10 cocktails.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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Hi Cheryl,
Is this recipe in fluid ounces? I’m from New Zealand and we don’t have ounces here so a bit confused but this looks amazing and I’m so excited to try it!
Hi Zandi! Yes, the ounces are fluid ounces. 1 fluid ounce equals about 30 milliliters 🙂
Would love to donate but can’t get the link the campaign. Point me in the right direction? I’ll whip up one of these cocktails while I wait. 🙂
How did I manage to not even link the campaign right?! The website is http://soniashahorganization.com and we are still raising money to repair the school. Luckily no one was hurt, of course, but man!