How do you make Prosecco taste like strawberries without turning it into a blended drink? You make a syrup. Strawberries, water, a split vanilla bean with seeds scraped out, and sugar, simmered together for twenty minutes, then strained. The syrup is bright red and smells like strawberry jam. Two tablespoons in a glass, lemon juice, and cold Prosecco poured on top.
The vanilla bean is the detail most people miss. It rounds out the strawberry flavour and stops it from tasting one-dimensional. The lemon juice sharpens everything so the drink is not just sweet.
Tips for Making Sparkling Strawberry Cocktails
Simmer the syrup for the full twenty minutes
Strawberries, water, vanilla bean, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for twenty minutes. The berries break down and the liquid turns deep red.
Strain through a fine sieve. Press the solids to extract all the syrup. Discard the pulp and the vanilla pod.
Chill everything before serving
The syrup, the lemon juice, and the Prosecco should all be cold. Warm syrup in cold Prosecco kills the bubbles.
Pour the syrup and lemon juice into the glass first. Then pour the Prosecco slowly down the side of the glass to preserve carbonation.
Sparkling Strawberry Cocktail
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Enjoy the taste of fresh summer strawberries in this delightful Prosecco and vanilla sparkling cocktail, perfect for a sunny day at the beach.
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic strawberries (sliced)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 vanilla bean (split and seeds scraped)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 bottle Prosecco (chilled)
Instructions
- For the syrup: place the first four ingredients (strawberries, water, vanilla bean, and sugar) in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then strain the mixture to remove solids.
- Let the syrup cool, then mix with lemon juice.
- To serve, pour 2 tablespoons of syrup into a glass and top with chilled Prosecco.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 5
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 1
Frequently Asked Questions
How much syrup per drink?
Two tablespoons per glass. This makes a moderately sweet cocktail. Add more for sweeter, less for drier. Taste and adjust.
Can I make the syrup ahead?
Yes. It keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. The flavour deepens over a few days.
Can I use sparkling wine instead of Prosecco?
Yes. Any dry or semi-dry sparkling wine works. Cava, Cremant, or champagne. The syrup handles all the sweetness, so use a dry sparkling wine rather than a sweet one.
