A Poinsettia is cranberry juice and a little orange liqueur, topped with Prosecco. The standard measure is 2 ounces of cranberry juice, ½ ounce of Cointreau or triple sec, and 3 to 4 ounces of chilled Prosecco Brut in a flute. It’s red, it’s festive, and it takes about 30 seconds.
It’s named for the plant every host buys in December and every host forgets to water by New Year’s. The drink is lower maintenance.
The recipe (one glass)
- 2 oz (60 mL) cranberry juice, chilled
- ½ oz (15 mL) orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or triple sec)
- 3 to 4 oz (90 to 120 mL) Prosecco Brut, chilled
- Garnish: three fresh cranberries, a strip of orange peel, or a small sprig of rosemary
Method
- Pour the cranberry juice and orange liqueur into a flute and stir once.
- Tilt the glass and top slowly with Prosecco.
- Drop in the cranberries (they float, which looks like effort).
Which cranberry juice?
This is the decision that matters.
- Cranberry juice cocktail (the sweetened kind most stores sell) is already sweet. Pair it with Brut Prosecco, which keeps the drink crisp.
- 100% cranberry juice is tart and deeper in color. It can take a little more sweetness, so add a teaspoon of simple syrup, or a touch more orange liqueur.
Whatever you use, avoid Extra Dry Prosecco with sweetened juice. Despite the name, Extra Dry is the sweeter style, and the drink tips into cough syrup.
Poinsettias for a party (pitcher version)
Mix the base ahead; add the bubbles last.
- Base, up to a day ahead: 2 cups (16 oz) cranberry juice + ½ cup (4 oz) orange liqueur. Keep it in the fridge.
- To serve: pour about 2½ oz of base into each flute and top with Prosecco.
- One 750 mL bottle of Prosecco makes 8 Poinsettias at 3 oz each.
The same proportions appear in Nigella Lawson’s well-known batch version: one bottle of dry Prosecco, 2 cups of cranberry juice and half a cup of orange liqueur, all chilled.
How many bottles for your crowd? Use our drinks calculator.
Alcohol-free Poinsettia
Cranberry juice and a squeeze of orange, topped with chilled sparkling water or an alcohol-free sparkling wine. Serve it in the same flutes, with the same cranberries. Nobody needs to explain their glass at a holiday party.
Variations
- Rosé Poinsettia: Prosecco Rosé Brut gives a softer pink and a little red-berry flavor. Bella Principessa Prosecco DOC Rosé works nicely.
- Pomegranate: swap half the cranberry for pomegranate juice and garnish with seeds.
- With ginger: add 1 oz ginger beer for a spicier, longer drink.
More ideas: Christmas Prosecco cocktails and our guide to Prosecco for the holidays.
Serve Prosecco at 43 to 46°F. Please enjoy responsibly: 21+ only, and plan a safe way home.
