Kir Royale

Kir Royale is a delicious champagne cocktail that features only two ingredients. This simple champagne cocktail is perfect for special occasions and celebrations. It’s lightly sweet, fruity, and bubbly!

End of the year parties are a time of celebration, and where there is a celebration, champagne cocktails are usually nearby. Whether it’s a French 75, a Royale Kir, or another sparkly cocktail, there are plenty of options to help you celebrate the end of year!

Kir Royal is not a sweet cocktail but pleasantly refreshing one with a slight touch of sweetness and berry flavor. This is a perfect cocktail to sip while mingling at a party or to make a New Year’s Eve toast. It’s great to make for bridal showers, baby showers, birthdays, and Valentine’s day as well!

What is in a Kir Royale?

There are just two ingredients in this drink, but the flavor profile is perfect. The balance of champagne and berry flavors in a Kir Royale taste amazing!

• Champagne: Any dry, extra dry or brut champagne are perfect for this cocktail recipe. You can also use Prosecco or another sparkling wine, just make sure it is dry and not sweet.

• Liqueur: Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant), Crème de Framboise (raspberry), or Chambord (raspberry) are the popular and most commonly used liqueurs for this cocktail. You are looking for a sweet berry liqueur with deep flavor, which all three options provide. Choose one that you prefer!

Choosing Liqueur for Kir Royale

Chambord is a raspberry French liqueur that, like most liqueurs, is known more for its flavor profile than for it’s alcoholic potency. It’s made with extracts of black raspberries and blackcurrants, French cognac, sweet Madagascan vanilla, and fragrant herbs to complete this sweet and smooth spirit. The flavor is fresh and clean tasting.

Crème de Cassis is made from macerated blackcurrants and it has a strong, almost overly sweet flavor. It is actually more syrupy than most other liqueurs. A little goes a long way with this one! In addition to its use in cocktails, it is also sometimes served as a dessert liqueur.

Crème de Framboise also has a raspberry flavor, but the fruit comes from Serbia rather than France. Framboise has a spicy/peppery aftertaste, a hint of orange, and darker color than Chambord.

If you choose Crème de Cassis, use half the amount of Chambord because of the sweetness.

Tools and Barware Needed

• Champagne Flutes
• Jigger to measure the ingredients.
• Sharp paring knife, Y peeler, or zester – If you decide to add lemon to your cocktail, you’ll need this to make the perfect lemon twist garnish.

How to make a Kir Royale cocktail

1. Chill the champagne flutes.
   This is easiest to do while you prepare the other ingredients. Simply fill the flutes with ice and cold tap water and let them stand until ready to make the cocktails. (Empty the glass before making the cocktail.)
   
2. Add liqueur to the champagne glass.
   You’ll want to add the liqueur to the glass first. Otherwise, the champagne and liqueur will not mix properly.

3. Fill the glass with champagne slowly.
   To account for bubbling, avoid filling your glass more than 3/4 full at first and pour slowly. Otherwise, you may end up with bubbly champagne overflowing the glass. Add more as bubbles settle.

5. Garnish and serve.
   If you use Chambord or Crème de Framboise liqueur, your Kir Royale will be a beautiful pink or pinkish-red color. So, the addition of fresh raspberries makes the perfect finishing garnish. You can also use a lemon twist.

FAQ

Can I use something other than champagne?

Yes! There is another version of this cocktail recipe, for those who don’t love the bubbles. It is actually the traditional Kir cocktail, which uses dry white wine like Chablis or Chardonnay instead of Champagne.

Do liqueurs have to be refrigerated?

With the exception of cream based liqueurs like Baileys Irish cream, most liqueurs are perfectly fine kept at room temperature. In fact, if you store them in a cool, dry location, many of them will last for months without spoiling!

Where else can I use these liqueurs?

There are a lot of other ways to use Chambord liqueur (as well as Crème de Cassis)! You can:

• Add it to ice cream, or drizzle it over an ice cream sundae.
• You can also use it with sherbet or sorbet. (Crème de Cassis is especially good poured over creamy sherbets.)
• Use it in desserts like poke cake and tiramisu.
• Make other cocktails with it, like a Chambord Bramble or a Zipper.

MORE COCKTAIL RECIPES

For those who prefer cocktails without champagne, consider making a Lemon Drop Martini or a Cosmopolitan. It has the perfect combination of sweet and sour in a refreshing cocktail to have with, before, or after dinner. 

Or, keep the festive holiday drinks circulating with this coquito recipe, for a delicious Christmas drink that feels like a tropical dessert and cocktail all in one!

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!

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