The Champagne Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/1/21
Tested by
Sean Michael Johnson
Photo of Sean Michael Johnson
Tested by Sean Michael Johnson
Sean is an award-winning bartender with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the head bartender at the two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gabriel Kreuther, crafting cocktail menus that have caught international attention. To date, he has made over 1 million cocktails, and counting.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Champagne Cocktail Recipe

 The Spruce

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
244 Calories
0g Fat
13g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 244
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 10mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 11mg 53%
Calcium 27mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 173mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The Champagne cocktail is a beautiful way to toast a special occasion, whether it's New Year's Eve, a romantic dinner, or any other celebration. It's a classic drink recipe that inspired all other Champagne cocktails and an easy way to add pizazz to the average glass of sparkling wine.

This cocktail is a fun and easy drink to mix up. The traditional way to do it is to saturate a sugar cube with Angostura Bitters, then top it with your favorite brandy and sparkling wine. When the Champagne is poured, the sugar dissolves and creates a beautiful fountain of bubbles in the flute. It's quite the spectacle and your guests will love it.

"This recipe is very close to the original recipe, which had fallen out of favor because of cost and a drought of cognac. While most Champagne cocktails you might order will just be sugar, bitters, and bubbles, this recipe is beautifully balanced and delicate. The addition of cognac bridges the gap between acid and dryness." —Sean Johnson

The Champagne Cocktail
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Champagne Cocktail Recipe ingredients
     The Spruce

  2. Place the sugar cube in the bottom of a Champagne flute.

    Champagne Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce

  3. Saturate the cube with bitters.

    Champagne Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce

  4. Add the brandy.

    Champagne Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce

  5. Fill with Champagne and watch the sugar cube dissolve.

    Champagne Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce

  6. Garnish with the orange slice and maraschino cherry. Serve and enjoy.

    Champagne Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce

Tips

  • Choose a good Champagne because it contributes to the majority of the flavor.
  • For this and all Champagne cocktails, it is best to add the Champagne at the very last minute. Open the bottle right before serving for the freshest bubbles and the best visual effect as the sugar cube dissolves.
  • For faster service at a party, prepare all of the glasses you need with everything except the Champagne. Once the bottle is open, start pouring down the line of glasses.

How Strong Is the Champagne Cocktail?

The alcohol content of wine varies, though 12 percent ABV is average and can be used to estimate the cocktail's strength. Assuming you pour 4 ounces of Champagne, your drink would weigh in around 17 percent ABV (34 proof). Even with an 80-proof brandy, it's a relatively light drink in the cocktail world. The wine scene is another matter and in that context, it's pretty hefty.

Recipe Variations

As you might imagine, a drink as old and popular as the Champagne cocktail has inspired a number of new renditions. If you just can't stop mixing your Champagne, give one of these recipes a try:

  • The Champagne (or diamond) fizz is similar to the popular gin fizz, though it uses champagne rather than soda water. Choose a nice London dry gin and a brut Champagne and add an egg white if you like. To make it, shake 2 ounces gin, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon sugar with ice. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice before topping it with Champagne.
  • The Woodford Reserve Champagne cocktail replaces brandy with bourbon and opts for a vanilla sweetener. To make the drink, pour 1 ounce Woodford Reserve into a Champagne flute with 1/2 ounce vanilla simple syrup, then top with 4 ounces Korbel Champagne. It recommends a vanilla bean garnish, which is a stunning (though expensive) touch.