Let’s toast to the holiday season with this cheery cranberry French 75! Prepared with a spiced cranberry simple syrup and squeeze of fresh lemon juice, this recipe adds a festive twist on a classic Champagne cocktail that's perfect for any special occasion. The holiday season is about to get extra fun with this oh-so-smooth, elegant cranberry Champagne cocktail -- now let's start mixing your new favorite holiday signature drink.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Champagne makes for a special sipper. When you hear that sound of a Champagne cork pop, you know it's the holidays, and the perfect way to elevate any holiday event is with a bubbly Champagne cocktail.
Full of cranberry flavor. 'Tis the season for all things cranberry! Like my cranberry-spice Christmas mimosa, sparkling cranberry margarita and chai-cranberry bourbon smash, cranberries are the cocktail star of the holidays, and this recipe is the perfect way to make the most of the season. I'm a big believer in taking advantage of the season's freshest ingredients, and that's what we're doing here.
Great for serving a crowd. We simply add the ingredients to a pitcher with a bottle of Champagne, and we have enough to serve 12 people. Now that's easy entertaining.
Versatile enough to take you from the fall through New Year's. This cranberry French 75 works nicely for a pre-dinner Thanksgiving drink, Christmas brunch cocktail, or toasting New Year's Eve.
Ingredients
And those are all our cranberry French 75 ingredients! Now for a couple notes.
Champagne: While Champagne is traditional, you're also more than welcome to use a sparkling white wine, which is what's pictured. True Champagne is only made in the Champagne region in France, and it does tend to be a bit pricier. These days, you can get some delicious sparkling white wines that are great for cocktails at a variety of price points. Honestly, I prefer to save the real Champagne to drink unadorned.
Cranberry simple syrup: For this, I recommend using my spiced cranberry simple syrup, which calls for water, cranberries, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon sticks, ground nutmeg, ground ginger and ground cloves. Keep in mind, you can also use this syrup for my delicious cranberry old fashioned and cranberry bourbon sour.
Gin: While this cocktail may have its French roots, I recommend a London-style dry gin. Bombay Sapphire and Beefeater are widely available, classic options.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Let’s start by making our spiced cranberry simple syrup. For this, we add the ingredients to a small saucepan, boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes (photos 1-3). After simmering, we let the syrup steep and then strain (photo 4).
Step 2: Now we add the cranberry simple syrup, gin, lemon juice and ice to a cocktail shaker (photo 5).
Step 3: We put on the top and give it a good shake (photo 6). About 15-30 seconds works well.
Step 4: For our last step, we strain the chilled cranberry mixture into a flute (photo 7) and top with Champagne (photo 8).
Now toast to the holidays, sip and enjoy!
Bonus: If you love this cocktail, be sure to also try my sparkling rosé French 75!
Recipe FAQs
A brut Champagne is traditional for a French 75. This is a crisp, drier style of Champagne that balances the sweet cranberry syrup. A sweeter Champagne may be a bit too cloying.
For easy entertaining, you can mix together the gin, simple syrup and lemon juice in a pitcher for up to 24 hours. However, don't pour in the Champagne until right before serving. You'll lose the fizzy bubbles if you pour the Champagne too far ahead of time. I included the proportions for a pitcher using a full bottle of wine in the notes section of the recipe card.
These days, a French 75 is most often served in a Champagne flute. The shape of the flute creates less surface area to keep those bubbles nice and fizzy. In less modern times, this drink was actually served in an ice-filled Collins glass, but I just love the elegant presentation of the flute and the way it keeps this cocktail extra bubbly.
Expert Tips
- Once you make the cranberry simple syrup, it should last several weeks as long as you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- You can substitute frozen cranberries for fresh. There's no need to thaw -- just add to the saucepan as you would with fresh cranberries.
- The standard quantity of gin for a French 75 is 1 ½ ounces, but if you prefer less of a kick, use 1 ounce.
- For the best flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice isn't nearly as bright.
- Not a fan of gin? You can substitute vodka instead. While it won’t technically be a traditional French 75, it will be your own spin that better suits your tastes.
Perfect Pairing
As a wonderful holiday party cocktail, you can't go wrong serving this cranberry French 75 with my pretzel bites stuffed with cranberry and Brie. Or maybe you'd like to enjoy this drink over dinner -- my Christmas roast duck is perfect. A Champagne cocktail also makes a lovely brunch sipper, so you'll love the cranberry-spice flavor with my gingerbread waffles.
When you need an elegant holiday cocktail, I hope you try this sparkling cranberry French 75. Every bubbly sip is sure to make you feel cheery and festive.
Cheers!
Looking for More Holiday Cocktails?
Please let me know how you enjoyed this recipe in the comment section and don't forget to sign up for my newsletter. You can also catch me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.
Cranberry French 75
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Jigger or small measuring cup
- Cocktail shaker
Ingredients
Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly grated
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of ground cloves
Cranberry French 75
- 1 ½ ounces London dry gin
- 1 ounce spiced cranberry simple syrup
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- 2-3 ounces Champagne or sparkling white wine
- Fresh rosemary sprig for garnish, optional
Instructions
Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup
- In a small saucepan, add the cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves over medium-high heat.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the mixture to steep for another 10 minutes.
- Place a bowl under a fine-mesh sieve. Strain the syrup in the fine-mesh sieve. Store the cranberry simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Cranberry French 75
- In a cocktail shaker, add the gin, cranberry simple syrup, lemon juice and a handful of ice. Put on the top and shake vigorously, about 15-30 seconds.
- Strain into a Champagne flute. Top with Champagne. If desired, garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig. Enjoy!
Notes
- Once you make the cranberry simple syrup, it should last several weeks as long as you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- You can substitute fresh cranberries for frozen. There's no need to thaw -- just add to the saucepan as you would with fresh cranberries.
- The standard quantity of gin for a French 75 is 1 ½ ounces, but if you prefer less of a kick, use 1 ounce.
- For the best flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice isn't nearly as bright.
- Not a fan of gin? You can substitute vodka instead. While it won’t technically be a traditional French 75, it will be your own spin that better suits your tastes.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I just love your blog! I always come here to look for new cocktails and recipes! I have to say they always turn out perfectly!
Awww, thank you so much for such a sweet comment, Heidy! This comment totally made my day, and I'm so glad you love them.
Such a simple and delicious drink! It will be perfect for any celebration!
This is a lovely cocktail and so elegant! I also enjoyed the fact it has gin and then topped with champagne what a treat!
It really makes for a special sipper!
I love this cocktail! French 75 is one of my favorites and this version is so deliciously festive!
I'm so happy you loved it! It's one of my favorite classic cocktails too, and I always love a spin on a classic.
This sounds like an amazing cocktail to enjoy all winter. What an elegant combination of flavors for the season.
This cranberry french 75 was the perfect date night cocktail! So easy to make and such a fun way to kick off the new year!
Yay! That sounds like a wonderful date night!
That cranberry simple syrup is ridiculously good! Those spices are excellent with the cranberry. The syrup goes great with non-alcoholic sparkly beverages for the kids too, so we can all celebrate together.
Oh, that's such a good idea! I bet this did make a great mocktail, and I'm so glad you loved your adult version.
This recipe looks right up my alley! I just bought some cranberries and have been wondering what to make with it. This looks like the perfect solution, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
You are so welcome -- enjoy!
This French 75 is my kinda drink! The cranberry simple syrup is so good - we're going to find more ways to use that for sure!
You're in for some good sips!
Perfect spices and yummy combinations. Perfect evening or festive drink. This is surely refreshing. Citrus fruits are my favorite too.
We really love it too! Such a great holiday sipper.