Name: Poinsettia Cocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 Ounce Vodka; 1/2 Ounce Cranberry Juice; 2 Ounces Champagne; Fresh Cranberries; Fresh Rosemary

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With a gorgeous festive color, this Poinsettia Cocktail features vodka, champagne, and the sweet-tart flavor of cranberries for the perfect holiday cocktail!

Inspired by the vibrant red poinsettia flower, this cocktail takes simple ingredients and turns them into a delicious and refreshing cocktail that’s ideal to sip for the holidays.

With a gorgeous rosemary garnish to channel the green poinsettia leaves, this drink is bursting with festive cheer and sweet, satisfying flavors.

With a classic holiday color scheme, this vibrant cocktail is inspired by the well-known poinsettia flower and is a great way to add festivity and cheer to any occasion!

This recipe is perfect when you want something with a bit of sparkle for a holiday party, or just for a chilled, bubbly drink to enjoy while you sit by the fire or decorate the tree.

Grab your favorite sparkling wine, a handful of fresh cranberries, and get ready for a wintry drink that’s as easy to make as it is delicious! And, if you’re looking for more pretty holiday cocktails, try this delicious and elegant Santa Clausmopolitan.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS POINSETTIA COCKTAIL WITH VODKA

Sweet and bubbly with a beautiful and striking red color, this cocktail is your new go-to holiday drink. It only requires 3 ingredients and can be made in just a few minutes, so it’s majorly convenient but still elegant and satisfying!

With a combination of vodka, champagne, and cranberry juice, this simple drink is topped off with fresh cranberries and rosemary for a garnish.

It’s inspired by poinsettia flowers, commonly used to decorate for Christmas and the holidays, and channels classic wintry flavors.

Pair it with a cute batch of Christmas Light Cookies, or sip casually to relax after you’ve had a fun round of Christmas Jello Shots!

However you choose to enjoy this Poinsettia Cocktail, you’ll love the vibrant flavors and gorgeous red hue of this instant classic.

WHAT’S IN A POINSETTIA COCKTAIL?

Ingredients for poinsettia cocktail on a counter.

All you need are three ingredients and a few optional garnishes to make this delicious and bubbly holiday cocktail.

Vodka – Use your favorite kind of vodka for best results. I like to use Grey Goose for most of my vodka cocktails, but any brand will work!
Cranberry Juice – Gives your cocktail its signature beautiful red flavor and wintry, festive cranberry flavor.
Champagne – Provides some added festivity by adding bubbly effervescence. Any sparkling wine of your choice could be used here.
Fresh Cranberries – Add fresh cranberries on a skewer or float them in your drink for added fruitiness and red color.
Rosemary – A garnish of fresh rosemary ties in the green color of poinsettia leaves and adds another layer of aromatic holiday aroma.

HELPFUL TOOLS AND SUPPLIES

Glasses – All you need for this cocktail is a couple of your favorite cocktail glasses. I recommend something with a little extra flair ( these beautiful cocktail glasses are so elegant!) to really make these cocktails shine, but any kind of glass will work just fine.

HOW TO MAKE THIS POINSETTIA COCKTAIL RECIPE

Pour champagne into a cocktail glass or champagne flute.

Start with a nice generous pour of champagne or sparkling wine of your choice.
Follow this with vodka, then add the cranberry juice.
Add some vodka for a little extra punch, and cranberry juice for flavor and its red color.
Garnish with fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.

Poinsettia cocktails in glasses, with fresh cranberries on a cocktail spear and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Poinsettia cocktail – such an elegant drink for Christmas time!

RECIPE VARIATIONS

For some orange flavor in your poinsettia drink, add a splash of triple sec or any orange liqueur. If you find your drink strong enough already, a little bit of orange juice also works great.
Another potential add-on is Grand Marnier, which also has a citrus flavor but is a bit more on the bitter side.
Use a flavored vodka for an extra layer. I recommend something citrusy, but you could also use a cranberry vodka to lean into the cranberry flavor.
Champagne is one option for the sparkling wine, but you could also use other sparkling wines like Prosecco (which tends to be more affordable) or Cava.

ESSENTIAL TIPS

Use toothpicks or cocktail spears to arrange the cranberries into a garnish that’s easy to pick up and eat.
If you want to emphasize the bubbly nature of this drink, mix everything together and top with champagne for a final splash of carbonation.
Play around with the proportions of juice and liqueur to get a drink with your desired strength.

Adding fresh cranberries provides some more authentic fruit flavor, as well as a fun edible garnish that you can enjoy as you sip!

FAQ

What are poinsettia flowers?

These large red flowers are native to Central America and Mexico and have long been used in floral displays around Christmastime thanks to their vibrant red petals and green leaves.

Are poinsettia flowers edible?

No, these flowers are not edible. A common misconception is that they’re toxic to consume, but this is actually untrue!

That being said, I wouldn’t recommend eating them either, as they can cause some irritation or an upset stomach.

What is the best sparkling wine to use for cocktails?

While champagne is sometimes touted as the most popular and well-known sparkling wine, when it comes to cocktails Prosecco is sometimes a better option.

It tends to be a bit less expensive, and it has crisp citrus notes that work well with lots of ingredients (like the cranberry juice in this poinsettia drink).

What should I serve with this cocktail?

If you’re looking for a festive snack or appetizer to pair with your poinsettia drink, try these tasty Deviled Eggs with a pomegranate garnish, or this White Bean Hummus with Cranberries.