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Consider a classic Kir Royale cocktail for your next celebration! This effervescent French champagne cocktail is made with sparkling wine and crème de cassis, a black currant liqueur with a deep berry flavor. It’s bubbly, a little fruity, and plenty of PARTY!

glasses filled with kir royale cocktail

Why You’ll Love This Kir Royale Drink Recipe

  • Just Two Ingredients. Start with crème de cassis, a black currant liqueur that has a deep, moody berry flavor that reminds me of a blackberry and raspberry combined. Then, finish with dry sparkling wine.
  • Ridiculously Easy. You don’t have to be a professional mixologist to make a Kir Royale (or a Raspberry Champagne Float, or Peach Bellini). Simply spoon a teaspoon of crème de cassis into each glass, top with champagne, and santé.
  • Perfect for a Party. Fruity with a bubbly bite, a Kir Royale will be your new favorite way to clink glasses at your next get-together, whether it’s a casual brunch with friends or a bridal shower. This Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail is not a bad choice either.
  • Highly Customizable. As with any classic cocktail (ahem, Apple Cider Mimosa), there are countless ways you can adapt and experiment with this drink recipe to suit your tastes using any kind of berry liqueurs.
Three kir royales cocktails in champagne glasses garnished with lemon and black berries

Kir Vs. Kir Royale

A Kir cocktail (vs. Kir Royale) is a similar drink also made with cassis but instead tops it with crisp white wine as opposed to champagne.

How to Make a Kir Royale

The Ingredients

  • Champagne. You can splurge on a bottle of champagne produced in the Champagne region of France, or go with Crémant de Bourgogne, a sparkling wine produced in Burgundy, the same region as cassis. Make sure it is well-chilled.
  • Crème de Cassis. This deep, dark black currant-flavored liqueur has an intense berry flavor. It’s relatively affordable and can be found at most liquor stores. Don’t buy the cheapest bottle, but you don’t need to go all out either.
  • Garnish. While a fresh black currant would make the most sense, they’re not the easiest fruit to track down. A simple lemon twist or a few fresh blackberries or raspberries are my favorite ways to finish off a freshly poured Kir Royale.

Substitution Tip

Kir Royale with prosecco, cava, or really any dry sparkling wine is excellent. Make sure your wine is dry, not sweet. Look for a bottle labeled “brut,” which confusingly is actually dryer than bottles labels “dry” or even “extra dry.” To help you remember, think “brutally dry.”

The Directions

creme de cassis in a champagne glass
  1. Start With the Liqueur. Add a teaspoon of crème de cassis to each champagne flute.
pouring champagne over creme de cassis for a kir royale cocktail
  1. Finish. Pop open a bottle of champagne or other dry sparkling wine and top off each glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or fresh berries. ENJOY!
Two Kir Royale drinks garnished with a lemon twist and blackberries and the ingredients, champagne and cassis liqueur in the background

Recipe Variations

  • Black Raspberry Kir Royale. If you don’t enjoy the flavor of black currant, try making a Kir Royale with Chambord (a raspberry liqueur) instead.
  • Kir Royale with St. Germain. If you love a St. Germain Cocktail as much as I do, you’ll also enjoy a Kir Royal made with this elderflower-flavored liqueur
  • Pomegranate Kir Royale. Another fun fruity twist on the traditional recipe is to swap the cassis for your favorite pomegranate liqueur.

What to Serve with a Kir Royale

A close up of a classic Kir Royale cocktail in a champagne flute made with creme de cassis or chambord
  • Champagne Flutes. If you haven’t bought yourself a pair of fun champagne flutes, a Kir Royale is an excellent excuse to do so.
  • Sharp Knife. If you’d like to attempt to make some pretty lemon twists for garnish.
  • Champagne Opener. If you don’t trust yourself to pop the cork without shooting it towards your Mother-in-Law’s expensive antique chandelier.

How to Make an Easy Lemon Twist

Learning to make a lemon twist is a fun way to take your cocktail game to the next level. They’re elegant, fun, and easier than you think.

  • Method 1: The easiest way to make a lemon twist is to use a vegetable peeler. Working around the circumference of the lemon in a corkscrew-like direction, cut a long, thin ribbon of lemon peel from a large lemon (larger lemon = longer curls).
  • Method 2: Cut a 1/4-inch slice from a large fresh lemon. Next, use a sharp knife to cut through one side of the lemon slice and then begin to work around the peel to cut away and remove as much of the flesh and bitter rind as possible. Wrap the remaining ribbon of lemon peel around your finger (or use a chopstick) to create a twisted curl and voilà perfect lemon curl.
champagne being poured into a glass to make a kir royale cocktail

Kir Royale

5 from 6 votes
Kir Royale is an easy French champagne drink made with black currant crème de cassis liqueur. Perfect for brunch and celebrations!

Cook: 1 minute
Total: 1 minute

Servings: 4 – 6 drinks

Ingredients
  

  • Crème de cassis liqueur (see notes for recipe variations)
  • 1 (750 mL) bottle of champagne or crémant de Bourgogne or other dry sparkling white wine
  • lemon twists or blackberries, raspberries, lemon twists, or currants (for garnish)

Instructions
 

  • Pour 1 teaspoon of crème de cassis in each glass.
  • Top with champagne, garnish as desired, and serve!

Notes

  • RECIPE VARIATIONS: While a Kir Royale is traditionally made with creme de cassis, you can also make a black raspberry Kir Royal by swapping for an equal amount of Chambord. Pomegranate liqueur is another fun twist on the classic recipe too.
  • Unfortunately, there is not a non-alcholic Kir royale I am aware of. For a low alcohol version, top the creme de cassis with a non-alcoholic sparkling wine.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 107kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gPotassium: 167mgSugar: 4gCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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  1. Made this Kir Royale for a girls’ night in and it was a total hit! The balance of sweet and bubbly was perfect, and the crème de cassis definitely adds a touch of sophistication. Bonus points for being so Instagrammable!5 stars

  2. The balance between the sweetness of the crème de cassis and the crispness of the champagne is spot-on. Thank you for such a refreshing and delicious twist on a classic!5 stars

  3. I’m not usually a fancy cocktail guy, but I wanted to impress my date with something a little special. This Kir Royale recipe did the trick! It’s surprisingly simple to make, but it looks and tastes like it came straight out of a Parisian bistro. Plus, the crème de cassis is surprisingly versatile – I’m already thinking about using it in a dessert recipe. Highly recommend it!5 stars