A French 77 is a simple Champagne cocktail made with sparkling wine, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice. It's great for any special occasion, the holidays, or a New Year's party. It's a great cocktail to make both for a crowd or as one or two servings.
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Why This Recipe Works
Light and floral - French 77 is a simple, lightly sweetened, bubbly cocktail with floral notes. It's the perfect cocktails for date night on Valentine's Day but it's also great for Mother's Day or any special occasion.
Great all year round - Although this drink is very floral and spring-appropriate, it's also great during the holidays and especially for New Year's Eve. It's a very classic cocktail that's always a hit. Serve it at happy hour or even at brunch instead of a mimosa if you're feeling extra fancy!
Easy to make - This cocktail is made right in the glass you serve it in so there's no need for a cocktail shaker or any special bar tools. All you need are flute glasses and 3 ingredients. The cocktail has no ice so it's important to make sure everything is properly chilled before you start making the drink.
Ingredients
- Champagne - You can use either Champagne or sparking wine like Prosecco. I most often use Prosecco because it's more budget-friendly and just as good when used in a cocktail!
- Elderflower liqueur - St. Germain is the most commonly known elderflower liqueur and what I use in this recipe.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed is the best here but you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch. Try opting for one that's real juice and not from a concentrate.
- Lemon peel - This is optional but a nice garnish. I use a vegetable peeler to peel the lemon and then slice it into strips. Twist a strip between your fingers to make a lemon twist.
Variations and Substitutions
Non-alcoholic - You can use non-alcoholic Prosecco, sparkling water, or seltzer instead of the Champagne. To replace the elderflower liqueur, use elderflower syrup. You should be able to find it online or in stores that sell bar equipment, syrups, and such.
Simple syrup - If you like your cocktails sweeter, you can add ½ oz of simple syrup.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add elderflower liqueur and lemon juice to a champagne flute.
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- Slowly pour in the Champagne or Prosecco and garnish with a lemon twist. Enjoy!
- Stir the cocktail gently with a cocktail spoon to mix everything together before serving.
The recipe makes a single cocktail but you can easily serve it in a group setting. There's no need for a cocktail shaker so you can line up your glasses and make multiple cocktails at the same time.
Serving Suggestions
French 77 is most often served in a flute glass with a simple twist of lemon. You can also serve it in a coupe glass with a lemon slice.
Cocktail pairings:
- Crostini - Serve it with various crostinis or bruschetta. Try it with this Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini with Roasted Grapes or this Bruschetta with Mozzarella.
- Cheeses and prosciutto
- Dips or pates with crackers or chips
- Pizza (nothing too heavy)
Storing
This cocktail is best served right away but you can store your bottle of Champagne or Prosecco in the fridge for 3-5 days. Use a reusable hermetic cork to avoid oxygen getting into the bottle and flattening the sparkling wine.
I don't recommend storing it past 5 days because the Champagne will flatten and won't taste the same anymore.
FAQs
French 75 is a gin cocktail which makes it more alcoholic than French 77. It's made with gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, and Champagne. French 77 is a more floral version of the drink. It's made with Champagne, lemon juice, and St Germain elderflower liqueur. Elderflower liqueur adds both extra alcohol and sweetness so there's no need to add simple syrup.
Sparkling wine can only be called Champagne if it comes from Champagne, France. Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine, most often made in the Veneto region of Italy.
Similar Recipes
If you like this French 77 cocktail, below are four similar ones you might like. The first two are Champagne/Prosecco drinks, one with elderflower liqueur and one with freshly squeezed lemon juice. To see all the latest cocktails, head over to the Cocktails category page.
- Pomegranate Mimosa
- Grapefruit Mimosa with Rosemary
- St. Germain Elderflower Margarita
- Lemon Margarita
📖 Recipe
French 77
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A French 77 is a simple Champagne cocktail made with sparkling wine, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice. It's great for any special occasion, the holidays, or a New Year's party. It's a great cocktail to make both for a crowd or as one or two servings.
Ingredients
- 1 oz elderflower liqueur
- ½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 oz chilled Champagne or Prosecco
- Garnish: lemon twist or half of a lemon slice (optional)
Instructions
- Add elderflower liqueur and lemon juice to a champagne flute.
- Slowly pour in the Champagne or Prosecco and garnish with a lemon twist. Enjoy!
Notes
This cocktail has no ice so it’s important to make sure the Champagne is properly chilled, ideally overnight.
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Natalie says
Such a simple cocktail but so good. Love the floral flavor of elderflower liqueur, it's my favorite.