Champagne Cocktail With Elderflower Syrup

This champagne cocktail with elderflower syrup is the easiest and most beautiful you'll ever make. It's floral, delicate and perfect for formal events, celebrations and holidays (think about Christmas or New Year's Eve). You can also serve it at brunch as an alternative to mimosas.

This cocktail with elderflower syrup tastes like champagne with a hint of tart sweetness. It may remind you of a Kir royale (crème de cassis topped with champagne) and is a great alternative to the classic champagne cocktail featuring a sugar cube infused with Angostura bitters.

If you're looking for more champagne cocktails, have a look at our Limoncello Spritz, Martini Bianco Spritz and Martini Fiero Spritz.

Why you'll love this recipe

• This champagne cocktail is incredibly elegant while being fast and easy to prepare.
• It's a relatively light drink with low alcohol content as it doesn't use strong liquors.
• You can easily build this 3-ingredient cocktail in a champagne glass. No shaking or stirring required.

Key ingredients and substitutions

• Pomegranate juice provides a beautiful pink color, freshness and a touch of acidity. I highly recommend juicing pomegranates at home (see video below) or buying 100% pomegranate juice without added sugar or additives. You may find it as "pomegranate juice concentrate" at the grocery store.
• Elderflower syrup, also called elderflower cordial, has the same floral flavor as elderflower liqueur (St. Germain) minus the alcohol. It adds sweetness and a subtle flavor that makes this cocktail particularly delicate. Try to find a syrup made from fresh, infused elderflowers rather than natural aromas.
• Brut champagne, which is drier (and less sweet) than demi-sec champagne is my number one choice as it balances the syrup's sweetness. You can also use a dry sparkling wine such as Cava or Prosecco.

Elo's tips

1. Chill your champagne and your pomegranate juice (if using store-bought) as we're not adding ice to this cocktail. Make sure the juice is chilled, too, as warm juice can affect the fizziness of the champagne.
2. Place your bottles in the freezer for 30 minutes prior to serving if you forget to refrigerate them.
3. If you are making this champagne cocktail for a crowd, prepare your cranberry-elderflower mix in a pitcher and store it in the refrigerator. When it's time to serve, divide the mix between glasses and top it off with champagne.
4. Use champagne coupes rather than flutes for an even more luxurious and elegant look. I absolutely love these vintage-looking ribbed coupes that have the perfect size for champagne cocktails, Martinis, Cosmopolitans and Gimlets.

How to juice a pomegranate (video!)

To juice a pomegranate, start by cutting it in half. Remove the seeds and add them to a blender (try to remove as many white skins as possible). Blend for 30 seconds. Then, strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve two times to remove all the bits and pieces. Use a nut milk bag if you have one.

I tried juicing the pomegranate with an electric citrus juicer (just like you would juice an orange) but the juice turned out to be very bitter because of the white skins that got juiced, too.

Step-by-step

STEP 1: Pour the cranberry juice and elderflower syrup into a champagne flute or coupe.

STEP 2: Gently swirl the stemmed glass to combine the two liquids.

Frequently asked questions