Have your dessert and drink it too with this easy raspberry champagne float. Sweet berry sorbet and a touch of Chambord mingle with crisp champagne bubbles to make a dessert cocktail that's perfect for warm weather.
I may not be an avid wine drinker these days, but there's something whimsical about a champagne float that I can't deny. It's light, it's fresh, and it's perfect bubbly - what's not to love?! Berries and champagne are always a great pairing - my blackberry mimosas are a long-time blog favorite - and when you combine champagne with raspberry sorbet, you get the fruity equivalent of an elevated root beer float.
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Why you'll love this easy champagne cocktail
- Perfectly simple: Just 3 ingredients go into this cocktail - raspberry sorbet, chilled champagne, and a splash of Chambord (a raspberry liqueur).
- Part cocktail, part dessert: Like an amaretto sour or a creamy espresso martini, you'll love how this drink satisfies your cravings for a post-dinner treat!
- Great for a variety of occasions: With it's signature pink color and champagne elegance, this cocktail is an obvious choice for Valentine's Day, but it's also cool, sweet, and summery - great for bridal showers, baby showers, and other warm-weather occasions.
- Adaptable: You can easily switch up the fruit flavors in this recipe as you please, or turn this into a mocktail using my tips below! This recipe is also gluten free and vegan, so it caters well to a variety of diets.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Raspberry Sorbet - If desired, you can swap this with another sorbet flavor, like lemon, mango, or strawberry. Think of it like a sorbet mimosa, and let that guide your flavor choice.
- Chambord - This is technically optional, and you'll find that many recipes simply pair champagne with sorbet, but I was inspired by the classic kir royale and like the raspberry emphasis it adds here. Creme de cassis will also work.
- Champagne - Prosecco, cava, or any other fairly dry sparkling wine can be used, or you can even go wild and make a pink champagne cocktail by using sparkling brut rosé. No matter what, use one you enjoy sipping alone, since the flavor will definitely shine through.
For ingredient quantities, see the recipe card below!
Equipment Quick Tip
Small scoops of sorbet are ideal for this recipe, so rather than use a traditional ice cream scoop, try a cookie scoop or mellon baller.
How to make a sorbet champagne float
- Step 1: Spoon 2 small scoops (approx. 2 tablespoons/scoop) of raspberry sorbet into a champagne flute or coupe glass. Top with Chambord.
- Step 2: Add champagne to fill your glass, pouring slowly since it will fizz quite a bit once it meets with the sorbet.
- Step 3: Garnish with fresh raspberries and a sprig of fresh mint. Enjoy it while it's cold and bubbly!
Tips for a perfect cocktail
- Choose your glassware: Champagne flutes will give your cocktail a more traditional, classy elegance, while couple glasses are great if you're look for a more trendy retro vibe. Most of my champagne flutes are pretty narrow (hard to scoop sorbet into!) so I opted for the next best thing and used antique martini glasses. We use what we have!
- Chill your glass before assembling your cocktail to help the sorbet stay frozen longer and keep the champagne bubbles intact.
- Adjust the sweetness of your cocktail based on the wine you use. Prosecco is sweeter than champagne, and anything labeled "brut" will err on the dryer, less sweet side.
- To make a mocktail: Skip the Chambord and use non-alcoholic sparkling wine. These days, there are plenty of options available; here's a list of 40 booze free sparkling wines to help you choose!
Recipe FAQs
Since sherbet contains some dairy, there's the potential for it to curdle when combined with alcohol, so I wouldn't recommend it here. Stick to sorbet, which is dairy free.
The easiest option is a kir royale - you'll already have everything you need! Just skip the sorbet and continue with the recipe as written. Garnish with fresh raspberries and an optional lemon twist.
Dessert Pairings
Is double the dessert ever a bad thing? Pair your sorbet cocktail with one of these berry-forward favorites for a full dessert spread!
Have you made this recipe?
If so, I'd love to hear your feedback; you can leave a rating and review in the comments section below! It's also so helpful if you help spread the word by sharing this post on your favorite social media channel. If you happen to snap a photo of what you've baked, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me (@brighteyedbaker) so I can give you a shoutout!
Recipe Card
Raspberry Champagne Float Recipe
This sorbet and champagne float pairs raspberry sorbet with Chambord and sparkling wine to create an elegant, summery dessert cocktail.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Category: cocktails
Ingredients
- 2 small scoops raspberry sorbet (approx. 2 tablespoons/scoop)
- ½ ounce Chambord
- 4 ounces champagne, or enough to fill glass
- fresh raspberries, for garnish
- fresh mint, for garnish
Instructions
- Scoop sorbet into a champagne flute or coupe glass and add Chambord.
- Slowly top with champagne to fill glass (it will bubble quite a bit!).
- Garnish with fresh raspberries and a mint sprig before serving.
Notes
Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
- Feel free to experiment with other flavors of sorbet in this recipe. Lemon, mango, or strawberry would all be great choices.
- For a slightly different flavor profile, you can substitute the Chambord with another berry liqueur, like creme de cassis. You can also omit it, especially if you're making this cocktail with a different sorbet flavor that might not pair as well.
- Champagne can be substituted with prosecco, cava, or any similar, fairly dry sparkling wine. Try sparkling rosé for some extra pink color!
- To make this cocktail non-alcoholic, omit the Chambord and use alcohol-removed sparkling wine.
jess larson | plays well with butter
i'm obsessed with the simplicity of this! it would be SO refreshing this summer when berries are in season too! pinning to try soon :)
sandra
That's a beautiful yet simple drink! :)