Sparkling Cranberry Recipe

by | Nov 15, 2025 | Cocktail Recipes, Holiday Cocktails, Seasonal Cocktails

Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail in a champagne flute with bubbly red liquid, cranberries on a cocktail pick, and scattered cranberries on marble with golden holiday lights in the background.
Get Recipe Ingredients

This Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail combines crisp prosecco (or champagne) with tart cranberry juice, a splash of orange liqueur, and fresh cranberries for a festive drink that looks as good as it tastes. It’s perfect for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or any brunch where you want bubbles with a berry twist.

Think of it as a cross between a classic mimosa and a Poinsettia cocktail (prosecco and cranberry) — bright, bubbly, and incredibly easy to pour for a crowd. You can serve it as a simple 3-ingredient holiday cocktail or make a zero-proof version with sparkling water.

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Total time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cocktail (easily scaled)
  • Difficulty: Easy

Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail Ingredients

For One Cocktail

  • 2 oz 100% cranberry juice, chilled
  • 4 oz prosecco, champagne, or other dry sparkling wine, chilled
  • 1/2 oz orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or triple sec)
  • 1/4–1/2 oz simple syrup, to taste (optional, for a sweeter drink)

Garnish

  • Fresh cranberries
  • Orange twist or orange wheel
  • Sugar for rimming the glass (optional)

Tools

  • Champagne flute or stemmed glass
  • Jigger or measuring tool
  • Small plate (for sugar rim)

How to Make a Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail

  1. Prep the glass (optional).
    If you’d like a sugar rim, rub a slice of orange or a little simple syrup around the rim of a champagne flute. Dip the rim into a shallow plate of sugar until evenly coated.
  2. Add the cranberry and liqueur.
    Pour the chilled cranberry juice and orange liqueur into the prepared flute. If you prefer a sweeter drink, add a splash of simple syrup and gently swirl to combine.
  3. Top with bubbles.
    Slowly top the glass with chilled prosecco, champagne, or sparkling wine. Pour at an angle to preserve as many bubbles as possible.
  4. Garnish and serve.
    Drop a few fresh cranberries into the glass and garnish with an orange twist on the rim. Serve immediately while the cocktail is cold and sparkling.

Bartender Notes

  • Use a dry sparkling wine so the cocktail doesn’t become overly sweet once you add juice and liqueur.
  • For a very tart drink, use unsweetened cranberry juice and skip the simple syrup.
  • Chill everything — glass, wine, and juice — so you don’t have to water the drink down with ice.
  • To batch this cocktail, combine the cranberry juice and orange liqueur in a pitcher and top with sparkling wine right before serving.

Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail Variations

  • Poinsettia Cocktail: Skip the orange liqueur and simple syrup; just combine cranberry juice and prosecco for a classic cranberry–Prosecco holiday drink.
  • Cranberry Mimosa: Swap half or all of the cranberry juice for orange juice for a Christmas mimosa-style brunch cocktail.
  • Vodka Sparkling Cranberry: Add 1 oz vodka to the glass before topping with sparkling wine for a stronger cocktail.
  • Cranberry Gin Fizz Spritz: Swap vodka for gin and garnish with a rosemary sprig for a botanical twist.
  • Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail: Use cranberry juice and sparkling water or club soda instead of wine, and sweeten lightly to taste.

Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail FAQs

What is a Prosecco and cranberry drink called?

A simple drink made with prosecco and cranberry juice is commonly called a Poinsettia cocktail. This sparkling cranberry cocktail uses that same festive combo and layers in orange liqueur and garnish for more flavor.

What is a cranberry and champagne drink called?

A cranberry and champagne drink is often referred to as a cranberry mimosa or a Poinsettia. They’re all variations on the same idea: tart cranberry juice paired with sparkling wine.

What alcohol mixes well with cranberry?

Cranberry juice pairs well with vodka, gin, rum, tequila, bourbon, and sparkling wine. In this recipe, prosecco or champagne adds bubbles, while orange liqueur rounds out the tart cranberry flavor.

Can you mix cranberry juice with sparkling water?

Yes — cranberry juice and sparkling water make an excellent non-alcoholic spritzer. To turn this into a mocktail, swap the sparkling wine for club soda or sparkling water and sweeten lightly with simple syrup if needed.

Can I batch Sparkling Cranberry Cocktails for a party?

For a crowd, combine chilled cranberry juice and orange liqueur in a pitcher. Just before serving, top with cold prosecco or sparkling wine, gently stir, and pour into glasses with cranberries and orange twists.

More Sparkling Holiday Cocktails

Planning drinks for a bigger celebration? Use our Alcohol Shopping List Calculator to estimate how many bottles of sparkling wine and spirits you’ll need.

Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail Video

A step-by-step video will be added here once it’s filmed and uploaded.

Nutrition (Estimated per cocktail)

  • Calories: 150
  • Carbs: 18 g
  • Sugar: 15 g
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Sodium: 10 mg