If you’re looking for the prettiest, most festive cocktail around, look no further than this fabulous poinsettia cocktail! With its bold, deep red color and all the classic flavors of the holidays, it’s an unforgettable Christmas drink you’re going to love.
It’s got the tart, sweet tang of cranberry juice, balanced with orange liqueur and sparkling champagne. It’s a fun, special drink that will give you a real dose of holiday spirit.
Make one or two, or scale up for a party! This is a poinsettia drink recipe that is so easy to make and so delicious to drink, that you’ll have a hard time stopping at just one.
You know we love a fun cocktail around here! While we love to share a bottle of wine, too, there’s just something that feels festive and fun about creating a cocktail recipe and serving it up in a pretty glass with a garnish.
A delicious cocktail sure helps a regular evening at home feel like a party, even if you have nowhere to go! I love sharing my favorite cocktail recipes with you, and this one is a new favorite to add to your Christmas Cocktails line-up.
Let’s mix one up together, shall we? Feel free to hop straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post, or stick around and learn more about the details of this festive poinsettia drink recipe before you get started.
What is a Poinsettia Cocktail?
A poinsettia is a beautiful Christmas drink because it captures the bold, traditional red color that speaks to the season. It’s basically a cranberry mimosa… so what’s not to love?
This cocktail features cranberry juice, orange liqueur and champagne, or whatever bubbles suit your fancy. This combination is out of this world delicious and captures the flavors of Christmas so perfectly!
It’s easy to garnish in a festive way – we love fresh cranberries and rosemary for both the vibrant color and fragrance.
Why You’ll Love this Poinsettia Cocktail
- So Festive
- Easy to Make
- Perfect for One Cocktail, or a Crowd
- Simple Ingredients
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Orange liqueur – We generally have Grand Marnier on hand, but any kind of orange liqueur brand will work! Cointreau is a good option here as well.
- Cranberry juice – For the sweet and tart flavor of the holidays.
- Champagne – I love a classic dry champagne. Chandon is a great one for an under $20 bottle you might enjoy!
- Cranberries – These make such a beautiful, festive garnish. Leave them floating in your glass or add to a spring of rosemary or a toothpick.
- Rosemary sprig – For garnish, and because of the exceptional fragrance.
Variations
- Lower the sugar content with a low-cal cranberry juice
- Replace champagne with Prosecco
- Or replace it with Rosé
- Have fun with your garnish! Try sliced oranges or even orange peels, too.
How to Make this Poinsettia Cocktail in Just Three Easy Steps
- Add Grand Marnier and cranberry juice to Champagne flute, and stir. (You can also use a cocktail shaker and ice for this step if you’d like!)
- Top with champagne.
- Garnish with cranberries skewered by rosemary sprig.
Watch the video where Julie will walk you through each step of this easy recipe. You will find a collection of recipe videos right here on our website with corresponding recipes.
Tips
- Play around with amounts of each ingredient to see what suits your tastes.
- Love a sweeter cocktail? Choose a sweet champagne.
- Sugared cranberries would be a beautiful addition to this cocktail, if you want to go the extra mile!
- Use your rosemary stem for the cranberries, or we love a classic bamboo toothpick.
- Make it non-alcoholic by using sparkling grape juice and orange juice instead of champagne and orange liqueur.
Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!
Shortcuts
- If you’re serving a crowd, mix your orange liqueur and cranberry juice in a pitcher ahead of time. Add to glasses and top with champagne as you’re serving!
- Prep your garnishes the day before. This makes it so much easier to serve as guests arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Grand Marnier is an orange liqueur, whereas Cointreau is actually a triple sec. Grand Marnier is a blend of cognac and triple sec, making it more like a curacao. They can often be used interchangeably in recipes, depending on availability.
This cocktail is actually fairly light, coming in at 124 calories per serving. Lighten it up even more with a low-calorie or sugar free cranberry juice!
How to Store
- Refrigerate – You can refrigerate these cocktails for up to 3-4 after making, but the champagne will lose its bubbles towards the end of that time frame.
- Freeze – Yes, you can freeze any leftovers! In fact, you can enjoy it as a poinsettia slush after the mixture has been frozen.
More Cranberry Inspiration
Dietary Considerations
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Vegetarian
More Christmas Cocktails
Poinsettia Cocktail
Ingredients
- ½ ounce orange liqueur Grand Marnier or similar
- 3 ounces cranberry juice
- 3 ounces Champagne (or to the top of glass)
- Cranberries fresh, for garnish
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- Add Grand Marnier and cranberry juice to Champagne flute, and stir. Alternatively, you can add these ingredients plus ice to your cocktail shaker.
- Top with champagne.
- Garnish with cranberries skewered by rosemary sprig.
Julie’s Tips
- Play around with amounts of each ingredient to see what suits your tastes.
- Love a sweeter cocktail? Choose a sweet champagne.
- Sugared cranberries would be a beautiful addition to this cocktail, if you want to go the extra mile!
- Make it non-alcoholic by using sparkling grape juice and orange juice instead of champagne and orange liqueur.
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
