Grapefruit Champagne Cocktail
These simple and bittersweet Grapefruit Champagne Cocktails are a breeze to make and they showcase my favorite liquor, Campari. They are perfect to serve instead of orange juice mimosas at your weekend brunch. I think they would also make a fun drink for a ladies night, because they are pink, and because !!!bubbles!!!
Table of contents
Why We Love Grapefruit and Champagne Together
There is something deliciously quaffable about this combination of bittersweet Campari, plus the juicy bittersweet grapefruit plus the ice cold bubbly dry Prosecco! Gulp! It is super fun and unusual but thankfully only has 3 simple ingredients! Prosecco, fresh grapefruit juice and Campari. Easy peasy!
I used Prosecco instead of Champagne since this has an Italian liquor in it, but you can also use Champagne. Look for a less expensive one that says Methode Champenoise on the label. Seriously, don’t go crazy on an expensive sparkling wine here because the other ingredients will mask any subtleties that the finer sparklers have. You just want to find one that is good and dry. When in doubt ask your wine guy or gal. I always do.
Key Ingredients For This Grapefruit Juice Champagne Cocktail
Ruby Red Grapefruit
Ruby red is the most popular grapefruit and is sweeter than the pink and white varieties. One ruby red grapefruit makes about a half a cup of fresh grapefruit juice.
Campari
Campari is a bright red Italian apéritif made from a proprietary blend of herbs and spices. It has a strong bittersweet flavor and is used in many different cocktails.
Champagne or Prosecco
Both are sparkling wines, but Champagne is made in France and Prosecco is Italian. Either will work in thus recipe. Just make sure to find a dry sparkling wine.
Step By Step Instructions For This Recipe
Step 1: Juice the grapefruit, add remaining ingredients, stir to combine and serve.
Cut grapefruit in half. Slice one 1/4-inch slice from one half and cut that into four quarter rounds for garnish. Juice the grapefruit halves. Transfer to a glass measuring cup. Add 1 tablespoon Campari and stir to combine. Divide among four champagne flutes. Top with Champagne. Garnish with the grapefruit slices.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Champagne contains about 12.2% of alcohol just slightly lower than red wine, but because of the bubbles it is absorbed by the stomach faster than wine often making people feel tipsier more quickly.
The grapefruit juice can be squeezed ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, but the Campari and Champagne should be added just before serving.
Aperol is another Italian apéritif that contains less alcohol and is slightly sweeter than Campari. Or for a non alcoholic option try pomegranate juice or a few drops of bitters.
Additional Cocktail Recipes To Try
Don’t miss this collection of Festive Winter Cocktail Recipes!
This Strawberry Lemonade Cocktail that may just be your new favorite summer drink.
These Smoky Mescal Margaritas, made with Cuantro, freshly squeezed lime and orange juice have a salted rim with a surprising ingredient!
Don’t miss how to make killer Micheladas, also known as red beer.
These Vanilla Pear Moscow Mules are super simple to stir together, and are a fun and festive cocktail for the holidays!
This Pomegranate Lemon Drop Martini is a festive cocktail for the holiday season. It only takes 5 minutes to whip up!
These Maple Mint Vodka Spritzers are so fresh and light tasting.
Here is a recipe for a from-scratch whiskey sour cocktail with maple and Meyer lemon.
Ricky Bobbies are quite simple and extremely quaffable.
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
PrintGrapefruit Champagne Cocktail
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 cocktails 1x
Description
Just three simple ingredients is all you need to make this elegant pink brunch cocktail. It is a bitter sweet and refreshing alternative to traditional orange juice mimosas.
Ingredients
- 1 ruby red grapefruit
- 1 tablespoon Campari
- 1 bottle dry Champagne or Prosecco
Instructions
- Cut grapefruit in half. Slice one 1/4-inch slice from one half and cut that into four quarter rounds for garnish. Juice the grapefruit halves. Transfer to a glass measuring cup. Add 1 tablespoon Campari and stir to combine. Divide among four champagne flutes. Top with Champagne. Garnish with the grapefruit slices.
Notes
To Make Ahead:
The grapefruit juice can be squeezed ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, but the Campari and Champagne should be added just before serving.
Substitute for Campari:
Aperol is another Italian apéritif that contains less alcohol and is slightly sweeter than Campari. Or for a non alcoholic option try pomegranate juice or a few drops of bitters.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 ounces
- Calories: 159
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
Deliciously simple and refreshing! Thanks for sharing this recipe. We loved it!
So pretty and fun! Would be perfect for a bridal shower or brunch
Love this simple cocktail recipe — going to make this for New Years!
Happy early New Year! Let me know how it goes, Allie.
Oooh, I love this. A big fan of Campari in small amounts in drinks, too. I used pink grapefruit juice from the bottle and Prosecco, we really enjoyed this last weekend.
Wonderful! I’m so glad that you enjoyed my recipe, Irena!
Hi Katie,
I want this NOW! Looks awesome and all that bubbles…beautiful pics and you’re making me very thirsty! Can you share some more cocktail recipes? This is perfect for relaxing and having a quite time while reading.
Ooh, I love this post! 🙂 Thanks
You are most welcome Helen. Enjoy!
i read about campari a while ago and bought me a bottle but…i dont think i used it correctly. i absolutely hated it and no matter what recipe i tried, it tasted just baddd. i wish i had kept the bottle and make this recipe. it sounds so refreshing!
I happen to love Campari. It is really bitter though, there is no way around that. Who knows, maybe this grapefruit drink will be a good gateway recipe for you, since you’ll already be expecting that bitter sweet taste associated with grapefruit.
The perfect brunch beverage! They’re so beautiful too!
Thank you Allison. Have a wonderful day.
Thinking about subbing these for my planned mimosas on easter morning. They look amazing – I LOVE grapefruit!
Oh well, in that case you should. I love grapefruit too. I love the balance of sweet, sour and bitter. It is a nice change with the sparkling wine. Thanks for visiting today Barbara.
Grapefruit AND Champagne?! Sign. Me. Up.
It is sooo good. I love this alternative to orange juice!
Love the color and simplicity of this bubbly drink! Adding to Sunday brunch menu!!!
Yay! Sounds like you and I have a similar menu this weekend since I am totally making your lamb! Ha ha.
This would be the perfect drink to sip on while the kids hunt for Easter eggs this Sunday 🙂
I agree and they do make such a festive drink for a holiday brunch!