How To Make A Champagne Cocktail

Sometimes, people put a lot of effort into naming a drink. Other times, you get something like the Champagne Cocktail. Could this 19th-century beverage use a less generic name? Probably. But at least “Champagne Cocktail” is perfectly straightforward, and it lets you know that you’re about to have something fancy, festive, and fizzy.

In order to make a Champagne Cocktail, all you need is a couple of ingredients, and there’s absolutely no shaking or stirring required. You build this drink directly in a glass (preferably a flute, but a coupe works too), and it’s perfect for any sort of occasion that calls for bubbles.

The Champagne Cocktail

You’ll Need:

• Flute or coupe

• 4 ounces dry sparkling wine

• .5 ounce cognac

• Sugar cube

• Angostura bitters

• Lemon twist

Step One: Freeze Your Glass

Since we aren’t shaking or stirring this drink, we need another way to ensure it stays cold. In order to accomplish this, put your glass in the freezer for about five minutes.

Step Two: Sugar Cube & Bitters

Once your glass is sufficiently frosty, take it out of the freezer, and find yourself a sugar cube. We prefer demerara sugar cubes because they pack a little more molasses-y flavor - but if you only have plain white sugar cubes, those’ll work just fine. Add one sugar cube to your empty, chilled glass, then douse that cube with three dashes of Angostura bitters.

Step Three: Cognac

This step is optional, but if you want your cocktail to have a bit more punch and personality, we strongly suggest you add some cognac. Throw .5 ounce cognac directly into your coupe or flute. (For extra credit, chill your cognac in the freezer before making this cocktail.)

Step Four: Champagne

As a rule, Champagne is expensive. So if you don’t want to spend $50-plus on a bottle of Champagne, use a dry prosecco or cava. You’ll lose a bit of the lemon/brioche-y taste of a good Champagne, but the cocktail will be excellent regardless. Take your dry sparkling wine out of your fridge, and fill up the rest of your glass (about 4 ounces). Garnish with a lemon twist, and conduct a celebratory cheers with anyone in a ten-foot radius.