Elderflower Cocktail With Champagne

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/23/21
Tested by
Tom Macy
Photo of Tom Macy
Tested by Tom Macy
Tom wears many cocktail hats. He is a professional bartender, bar owner, recipe creator, and drink writer, though he prefers the title "obsessive cocktail nerd."
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Elderflower Cocktail Recipe With Champagne

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

An elderflower cocktail is a fantastic, refreshing cocktail that will make a delightful addition to brunch or any garden party. It is both floral and sparkling, the perfect drink to enjoy on a spring day.

This simple drink is also called the St. Germain cocktail, because of the elderflower liqueur that is often mixed into it. If you prefer, you can skip using the St. Germain and ​make your own elderflower cordial, which is a fun springtime project when the tiny white flowers come into bloom.

"The introduction of elderflower liqueur as a cocktail ingredient was a revelation to many. It's at once accessible, delicious, exotic, and unexpected. Sparkling wine is probably the easiest application because it's dry enough to withstand the sweetness and provides an ideal backbone of complex floral notes to build on. Plus, it couldn't be easier." —Tom Macy

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces elderflower liqueur

  • 3 ounces Champagne, or dry white wine

  • 1 ounce club soda, or soda water

  • Lemon twist, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Elderflower Cocktail Recipe With Champagne ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Pour the liqueur and Champagne over ice in a chilled collins glass.

    Pour the liqueur and Champagne over ice in a chilled collins glass

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Top with club soda.

    top liquor and champagne with club soda

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Stir well.

    stir cocktail

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Garnish with a lemon twist. Serve and enjoy.

    Elderflower Cocktail Recipe With Champagne

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • The Wine. When it comes to choosing the wine for the Elderflower Cocktail, you have a number of options. Because of the liqueur's sweetness, it is often best to choose a dry Champagne (those marked "Brut"). If you like, switch to another sparkling wine like Italy's Prosecco or Spain's Cava.
  • We are also adding soda to this cocktail, which means that your wine does not have to sparkle. Instead, you can choose a dry white wine such as a Pinot Grigio, Riesling, or Sauvignon Blanc.
  • The Elderflower Liqueur. Prior to the 2007 release of St. Germain Liqueur, we needed to make our own elderflower cordial for this cocktail. While St. Germain makes the drink even easier to make, you can revert to the old ways and take on this fun DIY project anyway.
  • Elderflower cordial is a favorite in the U.K. because the islands are plentiful with the flowers in spring. If you're lucky enough to have elderflower in your area, harvest the blossoms (you'll need a lot) and use this recipe to make a non-alcoholic elderflower cordial at home. Spike it with a little vodka if you like.

Variations

  • You can make an elderflower liqueur by starting with a flower-infused simple syrup. Add this to your favorite vodka and play around with the syrup to liquor ratio until you get a nice, soft, floral flavor with just a hint of sweetness.
  • Another option is to infuse the vodka directly with elderflower then add simple syrup to sweeten it. However, many people have not had as much success with this approach.
  • A Non-Alcoholic Variation. If you would like to serve the same drink to guests who are skipping alcohol, it's very easy. Simply begin with an alcohol-free elderflower cordial or syrup and top it with club soda or ginger ale.

How Strong Is the Elderflower Cocktail with Champagne?

The elderflower cocktail is a delightfully light cocktail. With the addition of soda, the drink's strength comes back down to that of the average bottle of Champagne, despite adding a liqueur. On average, you can expect this drink to have an alcohol content of about 13 percent ABV (26 proof).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
309 Calories
0g Fat
36g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 309
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 11mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 8mg 39%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 93mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)