Relish the deep caramel and vanilla notes of bourbon in a lighter bubbly cocktail, a vanilla bourbon fizz.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Whether you’re celebrating or just chillin’ with your honey, a bourbon champagne cocktails is a great sipper that’s easy to make.
How long it takes: 2 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: cocktail shaker
Servings: 1 (make as many as you like)
Bourbon’s unique caramel and vanilla qualities, enhanced by charred oak barrel aging, is perfectly represented in this bourbon champagne cocktail. It’s perfect for celebrations (think New Year’s Eve!) or a quiet evening at home, with the fireplace blazing, a comfy blanket, and a good book.
The prosecco adds just the right touch of lightness and fizz without diluting the deep warm flavor of bourbon. Just a touch of vanilla extract is added to accentuate the natural vanilla flavor in bourbon and you may even notice spice notes of cinnamon or nutmeg. This bourbon cocktail is great for those of us for whom bourbon straight up is maybe a little much.
Serve this special cocktail with small bites like bacon wrapped dates, wild mushroom crostini with goat cheese, candied bacon, or smoky roasted almonds.
And because this cocktail is on the sweet side, you might like to serve a little something sweet to go with it. Vanilla bean cookie bars or ginger sparkles are perfect, with vanilla and spice. Another really perfect go-along is sweet and spicy candied bourbon pecans. A match made in heaven!
So toast the New Year with a really delightful cocktail, whether it’s with a group of friends or with your special someone! And please, like always, drink responsibly.
About this vanilla bourbon fizz
- A simple cocktail recipe! A vanilla bourbon fizz is a simple recipe with only four ingredients. You’ll need ice and a cocktail shaker.
- It’s super easy to make. Simply add bourbon, vanilla extract, and simple syrup to the shaker with ice, shake for fifteen seconds, and pour into a tall narrow glass or a champagne flute. Top with chilled prosecco or another bubbly and serve. Isn’t that easy?
- The more prosecco you add, the lighter the drink will be. I like to add about four ounces of prosecco to each drink so there’s plenty of bourbon flavor but lots of sparkly, too.
What’s in this recipe?
- Bourbon
- Pure vanilla extract
- Simple syrup
- Prosecco
What’s the difference between whiskey and bourbon?
I think the easiest way to clarify the difference is that all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Bourbon is made in the United States, mostly in Bourbon County, Kentucky, according to strict criteria. A popular brand is Jim Beam.
Whiskey can be made in a variety of different ways, Scotch being one of the most well-known types of whiskey. Jack Daniels is another popular type of whiskey, a sour mash whiskey, that is made in Tennessee.
Bourbon is used to make familiar cocktails, like a Whiskey Sour or an Old Fashioned. One of my favorite bourbon cocktails is a Maple Old Fashioned made with real maple syrup.
Changes You Could Make
- Vary the ratio of bourbon and prosecco. Add more bourbon for a stronger drink, more prosecco for a lighter cocktail.
- Simple syrup options: If the cocktail seems too sweet to you, omit the simple syrup. Another option is to make a vanilla simple syrup. You’ll find directions for how to do that on the recipe card. Or add bourbon extract instead. I also have a full post on simple syrup know-how, including how to make simple syrup.
- Choose your favorite bubbly: Prosecco, champagne, sparkling wine, cava, asti spumante.
- Garnish with whole spices, like a cinnamon stick or star anise. You’ll love how the spices enhance the flavor of your cocktail. Have you tried this orange gin and tonic, with a garnish of cinnamon stick and star anise? I love it!
Prepare the simple syrup ahead, up to a month in advance. Store it in a jar in the fridge.
Make sure you have a good supply of ice and the prosecco is chilled.
I don’t advise making this cocktail ahead of time because you’ll lose the carbonation, plus it literally takes about two minutes to make.
More Cocktail Recipes
Vanilla Bourbon Fizz (Bourbon Champagne Cocktail)
Ingredients
- Ice
- 1 ½ ounces bourbon
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or more to taste
- 4 ounces prosecco, or bubbly of your choice, chilled
Instructions
- To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add bourbon, simple syrup, and vanilla extract; shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled champagne flute or tall narrow glass and top with prosecco.
Notes
- Homemade vanilla simple syrup can be used in place of the simple syrup and vanilla extract. To make vanilla simple syrup, add 1 cup water, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 2 vanilla beans split down the center) to a small saucepan and bring to a light simmer for 10 minutes. Then allow the syrup to cool to room temperature before discarding the beans (if using) and using or bottling.
- For a lighter cocktail, add 6 oz. of prosecco instead of 4 oz.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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