Made with a homemade cider-spiced honey simple syrup, whiskey, and champagne, this special sip is impressive and delicious!

The Harvest Sparkle

I like my cocktails to be extra special. Extra special, my friend, is the theme of this recipe. This sip comes by way of a cider spice-infused honey, a dash of a smoky whiskey, and a good glug of champagne or prosecco. Garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary and let the bubbly, fall-flavored goodness transport you to falling leaves and other happy things.

Harvest Sparkle Drink Ingredients

The ingredients here are pretty simple! Here’s everything you’ll need:

  • Honey – 1/2 of a cup of honey heads into a pot to boil with a few other ingredients for a really delicious cider-spiced simple syrup.
  • Spices – a 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, a 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and an 1/8th teaspoon of ground cloves head into the syrup to bring the spiced flavors to life!
  • Orange Juice – 1 cup of orange juice finishes off the spiced syrup!
  • Whiskey or Bourbon – for the cocktail itself, you’ll need whiskey/bourbon. If you’re making a pitcher, you’ll need 2 1/4 cups, and if you’re making a single cocktail, you’ll need 1 ounce.
  • Prosecco, Champagne, or Sparkling White Wine – another main ingredient in the cocktail itself! For a pitcher, you’ll need 2 1/4 cups, and for a single drink, you’ll need 1 ounce.
  • Rosemary Sprigs – garnish your drinks with sprigs of fresh rosemary for a sweet, festive touch!
The Harvest Sparkle

How to Make

For as special as this sip is, it’s also incredibly easy to throw together! To make it, you’ll need to…

  1. Make the syrup – to a small saucepan over medium heat, add the honey, spices, and orange juice. Whisk together until it starts to bubble, then remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Mix together the whiskey and syrup – in a pitcher or shaker, mix the syrup and whiskey together with a good amount of ice so that it’s completely chilled. Strain the mixture into a different pitcher or serving glass (be careful not to let the mixture sit in the ice for too long — it’ll get watered down!). Keep the whiskey and syrup mixture (no longer on ice) in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
  3. Add prosecco, garnish, and enjoy – just before serving, pour the whiskey/syrup mixture into glasses and top with prosecco. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired, and serve!
The Harvest Sparkle

I honestly don’t think this cocktail needs to be modified at all to be enjoyed as a Christmas sip! The flavors are spot-on for both the fall and winter months. If you’re looking for a cranberry-style Christmas cocktail, though, this cranberry margarita is a great option.

This drink is best sipped on with good friends and family and is really delicious next to a tasty charcuterie board!

Bourbon and Champagne Cocktail (Harvest Sparkle Drink)

4.59 — Votes 12 votes
By Cassy
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 or 18 servings
Made with a homemade cider-spiced honey simple syrup, whiskey, and champagne, this special sip is impressive and delicious!

Ingredients  

For the cider honey syrup:

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup orange juice

For a large batch/pitcher (serves 18):

  • 2 1/4 cups whiskey or bourbon
  • 1 1/2 cups of the cider honey syrup entire batch
  • 2 1/4 cups prosecco champagne, or sparkling white wine
  • 9 sprigs of rosemary

For a single cocktail:

  • 1 ounce whiskey or bourbon
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cider honey syrup
  • 1 ounce prosecco champagne, or sparkling white wine (or enough to top off the glass)
  • 1/2 sprig of rosemary

Instructions 

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk the honey, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and orange juice together until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
  • In a pitcher or shaker, mix the honey syrup and whiskey together with a good amount of ice so that it is completely chilled. Strain into a different pitcher or serving glass. (Note: caution that you don’t let the honey and whiskey mixture sit in the ice for too long so that it doesn’t get watered down.)
  • Keep refrigerated.
  • Just before serving, add prosecco to top off the glass and garnish with a ½ sprig of rosemary.

Nutrition

Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 0.02g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Additional Info

Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 or 18 servings
Calories: 139
Keyword: champagne cocktail, harvest drink

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About the Author

Cassy Joy Garcia, NC

Cassy Joy Garcia, a New York Times best-selling author, of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed & Fit.


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Recipe Rating




38 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was a delightful (and strong!) pre-Thanksgiving dinner treat! I’ve since swapped out the champagne for soda water for a slightly less sweet (and less strong!) option, and it has become my favorite fall/winter cocktail. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    Awesome! Made these for (socially distanced) Thanksgiving! We used the pitcher size for a group of 4, which allotted us a few refills each. I’d scale up the size for larger groups.

  3. 5 stars
    Made this for my very small thanksgiving gathering (3 people). We all loved it!! I made a half batch and it was a tiny bit excessive bc these are very strong! The good news is that everything keeps, so we’ll be having them all weekend.

  4. 5 stars
    I made this cocktail for Christmas Eve, and it was a big hit! All of the flavors combine for a festive and delicious cocktail that’s sure to please both bourbon and Prosecco lovers. The honey cider syrup is delicious, and the rosemary is both a pretty garnish and a subtle taste of something woodsy. I’ve already made another batch of syrup for more of these cocktails!

  5. 5 stars
    I have made this multiple years and adore it! Fall in a glass indeed. Just pulling up again in preparation for the holiday next week and thought I’d let you know it’s been a hit many parties over!

  6. 5 stars
    I made this last year for a holiday bunco party and I’m still thinking about it! Very, very good.