This Raspberry Champagne Float recipe is a little party in a glass that doesn’t care if your plans to ring in the new year include a glittery skirt and a cover charge or your comfiest sweatpants and a 9:30 p.m. bedtime.
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While I’ve had New Year’s Eves that fall on both sides of the glittery skirt/sweatpants spectrum, I’ve always enjoyed celebrating it.
The eternal optimist and calendar junkie in me relishes the idea of a scheduled fresh start.
Plus, I’m a lover of any excuse to celebrate with some bubbly (especially Strawberry Champagne), a cheese ball, and sharing a night with a few people I care about.
This year, I’ll be pouring these raspberry champagne floats when the clock strikes midnight (and maybe Hot Buttered Bourbon for a nightcap).
All you need to do is scoop the sherbet and pop the cork—or find a semi-brave, able-bodied person to do it for you—and it’s a party.
To eat these sherbet or sorbet champagne floats, start with your spoon (unlike these traditional Champagne Punch)—the first few bites taste like a fizzy, grown-up sundae—then ditch the flatware and progress to sipping.
As the sherbet melts, the frothy liquid becomes rich, creamy, and fizzy. It’s nearly impossible not to have a good time when you have one of these silly pink drinks in your hand (the same goes for a Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail).
How to Make Raspberry Champagne Floats
This easy New Year’s Eve cocktail (and dessert) is here to be sweet, flirty, and fun, and made with just two simple ingredients (like this Kir Royale).
The Ingredients
- Champagne. Makes any gathering feel instantly festive and fancy. You could also go for cava or prosecco or any other nice, dry bubbly that looks like a good deal at the liquor store. (Buy a second bottle and try an Apple Cider Mimosa for New Year’s brunch.)
- Sherbet. Turns everyday bubbly into a creamy dreamy dessert perfect for celebrating any occasion. You could also go for sorbet as a dairy-free alternative.
Champagne Float Recipe Variations
- Strawberry Champagne Float. Swap in strawberry sherbet and fresh strawberries.
- Blueberry Champagne Float. Swap in blueberry sherbet and fresh blueberries.
- Blackberry Champagne Float. Swap in blackberry sherbet and fresh blackberries.
- Orange Champagne Float. Swap in orange sherbet and fresh orange slices.
The Directions
- Place a scoop of sherbet into each glass.
- Top with champagne and garnish as desired. ENJOY!
What to Serve with Champagne Floats
- White Chocolate Creme Brulee with Strawberry
- Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
- Heart Shaped Strawberry Hand Pies
HAPPY NEW YEAR. See you next year!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! I would suggest swapping the champagne for sparkling water (flavored to match the sherbet if you please) or club soda. You could also go for sparkling grape or apple juice but it will make this drink VERY sweet.
Despite what you make think, they are not the same thing. Sherbet contains dairy. Not as much as traditional ice cream, but enough to make it rich and creamy. Sorbet, on the other hand, contains no dairy making it a great dairy free option (and sometimes vegan too).
I like to finish champagne floats off simply with a few fresh berries. You can get as fancy as you’d like. You can also serve these without any garnish at all too.
Raspberry Champagne Float
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Ingredients
- Raspberry sherbet* or sorbet—1 scoop per person—I used sherbet for the creamier texture, but sorbet is a delicious dairy-free option
- Champagne or sparkling wine—about 1/4 cup per person, plus more as desired—I recommend choosing a brut or extra dry
- For serving: Fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Place a scoop of sherbet in each glass.
- Top with champagne and fresh raspberries. Enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe Variations: If you don’t enjoy raspberry, you can swap for a different flavor of sherbet such as strawberry, orange, or blackberry. They’re all equally festive, beautiful, and delicious.
Nutrition
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For the non-alcoholics amongst us I imagine this would work just as well with some nice apple cider/sparkling apple juice? Well done, looks superb and I love things that are simple yet effective! :)
PS – Made several of your recipes over the Christmas celebration period – Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese (big hit!), one bowl brownies, just to name a couple, love that these recipes always work out even when you’ve never made them before, thanks! :)
Bridget, I’m so excited to hear that you loved the recipes you tried over the holidays! That means so much to know, thank you :-) As far as a non-alcoholic option for the floats, you could certainly try sparkling apple juice, though be warned that it will be much sweeter, since champagne is pretty dry. If you don’t mind that much sweetness, and like the idea of apple and raspberry flavors together, that certainly could be worth experimenting. You could also try plain soda water. You’ll still get a delicious raspberry flavor and fizz, but it won’t be too overpoweringly sweet.