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This Poinsettia drink is a vibrant champagne cocktail that’s the perfect winter or holiday drink. Mix Cointreau, cranberry juice, and bubbly for a festive cocktail that takes just 5 minutes to make!
Ready for the most vibrant, stunning cocktail for holiday entertaining? Enter the Poinsettia, a cranberry champagne cocktail! Its brilliant color and cozy vibe makes it the perfect fall cocktail or winter drink.
I’ve served this drink many years in a row for Christmas and everyone always loves it! It makes any occasion more fun, from Thanksgiving to holiday parties to New Year’s Eve. Of course, you can serve it any time of the year, and it uses only a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients in a Poinsettia Drink
The Poinsettia drink is perfect for winter and fall when cranberries are in season. With its vibrant color, it’s fantastic for the holidays as a holiday party drink, Christmas drink, and New Year’s Eve drink. But you can make it any time of the year! Here’s what’s in this cranberry champagne cocktail:
- Cointreau (or orange liqueur): The orange notes brighten the drink and add complexity. Triple Sec works as a substitute if that’s what you have on hand.
- 100% cranberry juice: This is non-negotiable. More on that below!
- Champagne or Prosecco: I typically use a dry Prosecco or Cava to keep costs reasonable when serving a crowd, but any bubbly will work.
- Fresh cranberries and rosemary: These garnishes aren’t just pretty: they add a subtle aromatic quality that elevates the whole experience.
Tip: Use leftover cranberries for holiday decorations like a table centerpiece or try them in my moist and citrusy cranberry orange bread!
Why 100% Cranberry Juice Matters
One thing to note with the Poinsettia drink is to look for 100% cranberry juice! There are lots of variations of cranberry juice on the shelf and some of them have added sugar. Bottles labeled “cranberry juice cocktail” have added sugars or high-fructose corn syrup.
I accidentally bought the sweet stuff for the Poinsettia once and it turned out tasted overly sweet and “fake” tasting. When I looked at the bottle, I realized wasn’t 100% juice! I actually remade it with 100% cranberry juice and it tasted perfectly crisp and tart. So make sure to check the label and find 100% cranberry juice!
How to Make a Poinsettia Cocktail
Making this drink couldn’t be simpler, which is exactly why I love it for entertaining:
- Pour in the ingredients: Pour the chilled cranberry juice and Cointreau into each champagne flute. (If the cranberry juice is not chilled, you can shake it in a cocktail shaker with ice first.)
- Top with champagne: Fill the rest of the glass with champagne: no need to measure precisely. The bubbles will naturally mix everything together.
- Garnish and serve: Add a sprig of fresh rosemary and a few whole cranberries for that stunning holiday presentation.
Party Prep Tips
For parties, I often mix up a large batch of the Cointreau and cranberry juice ahead of time. Then when guests arrive, it’s just a matter of measuring 3 oz into each flute and topping with champagne. One bottle of champagne makes about 8 to 10 cocktails.
Making it Non-Alcoholic
I like to make sure to have a non-alcoholic version available for designated drivers, pregnant friends, or anyone who simply prefers mocktail recipes (like I do!). Here’s what to do:
- Replace the champagne with non-alcoholic sparkling wine or sparkling apple cider
- Substitute fresh 1 oz orange juice and 1 tsp simple syrup for the Cointreau
- Keep the same cranberry juice and garnishes
The result is a festive cranberry mocktail that’s just as celebratory as the original. These days, there are some great non-alcoholic sparkling wines on the market.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Cranberry-Cointreau mixture: Mix the cranberry juice and Cointreau up to 24 hours in advance. Store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Garnishes: Wash and dry cranberries and rosemary sprigs the morning of your event. Store them separately in the fridge so they’re ready to use.
Want more bubbly drink ideas? Try more champagne cocktails, like a French 75, The Classic Champagne Cocktail, Chambord & Champagne, Black Velvet, and a St Germain Cocktail.
Poinsettia Drink (Cranberry Champagne Cocktail)
A Poinsettia drink is a cranberry champagne cocktail that’s vibrant and refreshing. It’s great for entertaining—the perfect winter or holiday drink!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Cocktail
- Cuisine: Cocktails
Ingredients
- 1 oz Cointreau, or other orange liqueur
- 2 oz 100% cranberry juice (chilled; see Notes)
- 1/2 glass champagne or prosecco (6 tablespoons; see Notes)
- For the garnish: 1 rosemary sprig, whole cranberries
Instructions
- Pour the Cointreau and cranberry juice into a champagne flute (see Notes if the cranberry juice is not chilled).
- Top off the glass with champagne (no need to measure). Garnish and serve. (Note: You can also make a large batch of cointreau and cranberry juice ahead if desired, then measure out 6 tablespoons per glass.)
Notes
If the cranberry juice is not chilled, place the Cointreau and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 15 seconds until cold. Strain the liquid into a champagne flute. (You can skip this step if the cranberry juice is well chilled.)
You’ll get about 8 to 10 drinks per 1 750 ml bottle of champagne.
Make it non-alcoholic by using non-alcoholic sparkling wine, and use 1 oz orange juice and 1 tsp simple syrup in place of the Cointreau.
How far in advance can I make the Cointreau and cranberry mix?
24 hours
What happens after 24 hours and 1 minute…?
The flavors just start to lose punchiness over time.
This is a perfect cocktail for the holidays. I mix the cranberry juice & Cointreau together. Place it in a cocktail shaker & store in the freezer until very cold. Top with champagne & add garnish..I use raspberries instead of cranberries. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Great cocktail for the holidays.
Poured cranberry juice & Cointreau to serve 10 into a cocktail
shaker. Then stored in freezer until liquid is very cold.
Easy to prepare for guests. Very festive 🎄
It was a big hit for my Christmas ladies get together! We had plenty of wine but they all enjoyed the Poinsettias instead. I followed the recipe as listed. I did have to eventually substitute Proseco as we ran out of champagne. We had a great time!
Merry Christmas!
Grace
Can I use Gran Marnier instead?
Yes
If making these non-alcoholic, what do you replace the cointreau with? Thanks!
Great point! Orange juice will work as a substitute for Cointreau. I’ve updated the post!
What’s a good price point champagne that makes these taste best?
We usually go in the $15-20 route or a little cheaper for prosecco.