Classic Champagne Cocktail

By Rebekah Peppler

Updated June 10, 2024

Classic Champagne Cocktail
Kate Sears for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Rating
4(527)
Comments
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This minimalist drink of sugar that’s been soaked in bitters and topped with Champagne was first mentioned in Jerry Thomas’s book 1862 “How to Mix Drinks.” It’s both festive and resplendent with bubbles as written, but there’s also room to customize: Split the amount of Angostura bitters with a lesser-used bitter (grapefruit, celery, orange, persimmon, for example) from your bar. Trade granulated or Demerara sugar for the sugar cube: The drink’s flavor will remain the same, lacking only in the drama of the cube bubbling to its demise at the base of the glass. Finally, use Champagne if you’re on a champagne budget, and dry sparkling wine if you’re not.

Featured in: Toast to 2022 With More Than Just Champagne

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Ingredients

Yield:1 drink
  • 1sugar cube (or 1 teaspoon granulated or Demerara sugar)
  • 4 to 6dashes Angostura bitters 
  • 4 to 5ounces Champagne or dry sparkling wine
  • Long, thin lemon twist
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

124 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 7 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Add the sugar cube to a chilled champagne glass. Douse with bitters, then top slowly with Champagne. Garnish with the lemon twist.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
527 user ratings
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Comments

Roberto

You don’t need a high end champagne with this. In fact Cook’s makes a great champagne cocktail. My approach after decades of drinking this is to pour the champagne first, in a little glass saucer I drench the cube with bitters then drop it into the drink. Careful the bitters will will stain a non vitreous surface, also I found that pouring champagne onto the sugar cube gave the champagne a huge foamy head

Maggie

A champagne cocktail is my sunset ritual in the summer. As a solo sipper, I can't get through a whole bottle before it starts to go flat. I buy half bottles of Gruet Brut (from NM, of all places) and can get two sunsets' worth of cocktail from it. I add a splash of Triple Sec.

Russell Cherrin ,Perth,Western Australia.

I always had a nip of good brandy to my champagne cocktail.

Andy

I always thought Classic Champagne Coktail includes Brandy/cognac - drops of bitters onto the sugar cube, cover with brandy then top with champagne - but understand this is the original so I stand corrected. Still - waaaay better with the added brandy

Noelle

Mumm's Brut Prestige all the way. Cheers!

Muriel

The aesthetic of the cube with dashes of bitters is wonderful, particularly with luxe champagne with gentle bubbles. I find overall that the flavour is a titch medicinal.

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