Sparkling Cocktails for Your New Year’s Countdown

Champagne is the New Year’s Eve standard, but we think these sparkling cocktails deserve some love, too. Grab a glass and toast to the New Year with a new favorite! 

Sparkling Julep

Ingredients

• 3 oz Champagne or dry sparkling wine
• 1/2 oz Cognac
• 1 Dash bitters 
• 6 Mint leaves
• 3/4 oz Simple syrup
• Optional garnish: lemon twist and mint sprig

Instructions

1. Muddle mint leaves and simple syrup in a julep cup or rocks glass. Add Champagne, Cognac, and bitters. 
2. Fill the glass partway with crushed ice and then stir gently to combine. Mound more crushed ice on top and garnish with a mint sprig and a lemon twist.
3. Enjoy!

Source: Epicurious

St. Germain Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Dry gin
• 1 oz St. Germain liqueur
• 3 oz Dry sparkling wine
• 3/4 oz Lemon juice
• Optional garnish: Lemon twist or peel
• Ice for cocktail shaker

Instructions

1. Combine the gin or vodka, St. Germain, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds.
2. Strain into a champagne glass and top with a dry sparkling wine of your choice. 
3. Garnish with a lemon twist and enjoy!

Source: Well Plated

Champagne Margarita

Ingredients

• 3 oz Tequila
• 1/2-1 tsp Orange liqueur
• Dry champagne
• 2 oz Freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 oz Simple syrup
• For the rim: lime juice & 1 pinch Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Prepare your glass. Pour lime juice in a shallow bowl or plate that’s just large enough to dip your margarita glass in and pour a layer of kosher salt in another shallow bowl or plate. Dip the rim of glass in lime juice then in kosher salt, then add ice. 
2. Combine tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, and orange liqueur in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake vigorously. 
3. Pour over ice into the prepared glass and top with champagne.
4. Sip and enjoy!

Source: 40 Aprons

Blood Orange Champagne Mule

Ingredients

• 1 oz Vodka
• Champagne, chilled
• 1/2 Blood orange, juiced
• 1/2 Lime, juiced
• 2 oz Chilled ginger beer
• Optional garnish: mint leaves & blood orange slices

Instructions

1. In a glass, combine the blood orange juice, lime juice and vodka. 
2. Add the ginger beer and top with the champagne. 
3. Garnish with blood orange slices and fresh mint. 
4. Drink up!

Source: Half Baked Harvest

Apple Cider Mimosa

Ingredients

• 2 oz Brandy
• 8 oz Chilled champagne
• 4 oz Apple cider
• Optional garnish: apple slices
• To rim the glasses: 2 tbsp granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, additional apple cider

Instructions

1. Rim the glasses: In a shallow bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. In a separate shallow bowl, pour a few tablespoons of apple cider. Wet the edges of the glasses in the apple cider, then tap the wet edges in the cinnamon and sugar mixture to rim.
2. Pour 1 ounce of brandy or rum and 2 ounces apple cider in each glass. 
3. Top with 4 ounces champagne. 
4. Enjoy immediately, garnished with apple slices as desired.

Source: Well Plated