This post may include affiliate links.
Here’s how to make a peach bellini: this sparkling Italian cocktail pairs peach puree with Prosecco for lots of bubbly, fresh flavor!
Here’s a sparkling cocktail that’s full of beautiful fresh flavor: the Peach Bellini! The bellini is a classic cocktail that comes from Italy, and the combination of bubbly Prosecco and sweet peaches couldn’t be more refreshing!
I love serving bellinis in the summer during peach season, or as a signature drink for a brunch or wedding shower (I find it tastier than it’s cousin, the Mimosa). Luckily, you can use either fresh or frozen peaches: so you can make it anytime!
What’s A Bellini?
The Bellini is an Italian cocktail made with peach puree and Prosecco. It was invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice sometime in the 1930s or 1940s. The bar’s founder Giuseppe Cipirani made the drink and named it for its color, which reminded him of a painting by the artist Giovanni Bellini. The name stuck!
Back then, the drink also had raspberry or cherry juice, which gave it a sort of pink glow. Since then, it’s lost that feature and goes straight peaches and bubbles.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This cocktail is on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, meaning that it has an “official” definition. The ingredients in a peach bellini are:
- Peaches: Any ripe peaches work, and you’ll blend them into a peach puree with optional sweetener. If yours are too firm, here’s how to ripen peaches.
- Prosecco: Choose a dry Prosecco (labeled brut), or you can use any sparkling wine like Champagne or Cava.
How to Make Peach Puree for a Bellini
The bellini requires a specialty ingredient: peach puree! Some recipes use store-bought peach nectar or liqueur, but it’s just not the same. You’ll want to make a batch of homemade peach puree for this recipe. It only takes a few minutes to whip up! Here’s what to do:
- Peel the peaches (fresh peaches only). Here’s the easy way to peel the peaches: dunk them in boiling water for 45 seconds! Remove them to an ice bath, and then the skin peels right off. You don’t even need a knife or vegetable peeler.
- Blend in a food processor or blender. Remove the pits, then blend the peaches until a smooth puree forms
- Taste and add sweetener if desired. Perfectly ripe fresh peaches may not need any sweetener at all. Frozen peaches can be less sweet than fresh peaches, and fresh peaches also vary in ripeness. Taste your puree and if it tastes tart, add a little sugar and blend again. You can also add honey or maple syrup.
Tip For Using Frozen Peaches
If it’s not peach season, go for frozen peaches! The conversion ratio: 3 large peaches = 1 pound frozen peaches. Make sure to thaw them before using: run them under warm water until they come to room temperature.
How to Make a Bellini Cocktail
Once you’ve made the peach puree, there’s not much to a bellini! Here’s what to do:
- Add peach puree to a glass. Use ¼ cup puree per glass.
- Add a splash of Prosecco and gently mix it with the puree.
- Top off the glass with Prosecco. You’ll want to preserve all those bubbles. Cheers!
Got peach schnapps? Add a swig to each glass for even more pronounced peach flavor.
Bellini Variations to Try
There are a few ways to mix up your bellini! You can use different fruit purees to customize the drink. Here are some ideas:
- Pomegranate juice: it becomes the Tintoretto
- Strawberry puree: it becomes the Rossini
- Mango puree: it becomes a Mango Bellini
- Strawberry rhubarb puree: it becomes a Rhubarb Bellini
- Add Aperol: it becomes a Bitter Peach Bellini
When To Serve A Peach Bellini
The peach bellini is perfect for many occasions, especially as a brunch drink! But it’s also great for summer afternoons and evenings. Here are some great times to serve it:
- Mother’s Day and other holiday brunches
- Bridal shower or bachelorette party drink
- Brunch drink
- Summer drink for happy hour on the patio
- Luncheon drink
Also try my other juicy Peach Cocktails!
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Peach puree stores refrigerated for up to 1 week. You can also freeze for up to 3 months it in an ice cube tray, then pop the cubes into a container for longer storage.
Avoid mixing the Bellinis ahead of time, since the bubbles in the Prosecco would go flat. If you’re making it for a party, you can put the puree into glasses, then top each glass with prosecco once the guests arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are similar. A mimosa is orange juice and sparkling wine. A Bellini has peach puree and Prosecco. So technically, a peach mimosa would use peaches, orange juice, and sparkling wine.
No. It’s 4 ounces Prosecco, which would be about 8% ABV. Compare that to something like 32% to 35% ABV in an Old Fashioned or 15% to 20% in a Margarita.
Yes. Champagne or any other dry sparkling wine works, though Prosecco is traditional.
Bellini Cocktail
Here’s how to make a peach bellini: this sparkling Italian cocktail pairs peach puree with Prosecco for lots of bubbly, fresh flavor!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Poured
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the peach puree
- 3 large ripe peaches or 1 pound frozen peaches (makes enough for 6 drinks or 1 bottle of Prosecco)*
For each bellini
- 2 ounces (¼ cup) peach puree
- 4 ounces (½ cup) Prosecco (6 servings in bottle)
- For the garnish: peach slice (optional)
Instructions
- Make the peach puree: If using fresh peaches, peel them according to How to Peel Peaches. Then slice them in half and and use your fingers to pull out the pits. Puree the peaches in a food processor or blender until a smooth puree forms. Taste and if your peaches aren’t perfectly ripe and sweet, add a little sugar, honey or maple syrup, then blend again. Refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for longer storage.
- To make a bellini: Add the peach puree to a champagne flute or glass. Add a splash of Prosecco and stir gently to combine. Then add the remaining Prosecco. Garnish with a peach slice.
Notes
*Traditionally white peaches are used in an Italian bellini, but you can use any variety of peach.
More Prosecco cocktails
Here are a few more Prosecco cocktails you can use to highlight this bubbly Italian sparkling wine:
- Prosecco Cocktail Sophisticated and classy, with citrus notes from Grand Marnier and lots of bubbles.
- Aperol Spritz Worth the hype! It’s light and bubbly, with hints of citrus and herbs: one of the most refreshing mixed drinks of all time.
- St Germain Prosecco Cocktail Mix Prosecco with elderflower liqueur with champagne, lemon, and gin.
- Prosecco Mimosa The best mimosa! Made wtih Italian Prosecco, orange juice, and a dash of Cointreau for the perfect bubbly citrus flavor.
- Negroni Sbagliato A spin on the classic cocktail using sparkling wine instead of gin. It’s bitter, sweet, and bubbly all at once: an improvement on the original!
