Bubbles always make it better! This simple & elegant Sparkling Honey, Cranberry Prosecco cocktail with spiced syrup is a winter treat sure to delight!

To be perfectly honest, I made this Sparkling Honey Cranberry Prosecco I wanted to see how fennel would taste in a cocktail. I mean I have had absinthe and star anise in many cocktails. But I wanted to see if the more subtle and almost sweeter flavor of fennel would be a great addition. I wanted to figure out if I could use the parts of fennel that I often discard. Since I had some fennel roasting for the food pairing, Roasted Beet, Fennel and Orange Salad with Honey Vinaigrette I just threw the fronds into the cranberry and honey I was reducing to see what would happen.

Well I can say some magic happened. First, the beautiful fennel notes permeate the syrup. The fennel interacts incredibly well with the clove, orange and honey and give a layered spice note that is different and less intense than star anise. The fennel also brings a beautiful vegetal and spice characteristic to the Prosecco. It helps to emphasize some of the fruity notes, but in a way that doesn’t create an overwhelmingly sweet cocktail. Further by using tart cranberry juice and sweetening with honey, the floral notes in Prosecco come out again in a delicate but beautiful way.

The best part about this recipe is that after steeping, the fennel fronds soak in the flavors of the syrup and are delicious! I thought about using them as a garnish but to be perfectly honest I just ate them all myself. If you can save them for others garnish the drinks with them or share, otherwise you’re cooking so enjoy!

Recipe Notes & Substitutions

Gin– You could use vodka or gin for this, or honestly leave it out. They will all work well. I went with gin because I love the flavor the botanicals add to the cocktail. I think it brings a holiday warmth with the juniper. Also, use your favorite gin for this. I went with a dry gin, but any with nice juniper, citrus, cucumber, lavender and/or spice will work incredibly well.

Lemon– Use fresh lemon juice for this cocktail. I love the bright acidity that the lemon juice brings to the recipe. I honestly contemplated using orange juice instead, but I wanted more acidity to balance out the sweet syrup and prosecco.

Cranberry Juice– I like to use real unsweetened cranberry juice, not the cranberry cocktail for this. However, it would work if you use the cranberry cocktail. If you do use cranberry cocktail reduce the honey to 1-1.5tsp otherwise it will be overly sweet. Keep in mind that Prosecco has some natural sugars so I like a syrup that is a little more tart to balance this out. If you like a sweeter syrup add more honey.

Fennel Fronds– This is the top parts of the fennel. Throw in as much or as little of this as you would like. I added about 2 stalks cut into 1.5-2in pieces. It gave a beautiful flavor while not being overpowering. If you do not have fennel or want to omit it star anise would be an acceptable substitute. However, if you make the food bite paired with this use the parts of the fronds you would throw away and toss them in the pot.

Honey– Use whatever kind you have. I love buying local honey because the flavor is better, it is healthier and I love supporting local bees. Honey is sweet so you end up not needing a lot and it also brings about beautiful flavor. While honey is delicate, it is robust so it won’t easily be hidden and that is amazing. If you like a sweeter drink add up to 1 tsp more. Conversely if you like a more tart drink reduce by up to 1 tsp. This will also depend on the sweetness of the sparkling wine used.

Clove– Use whole cloves for this. I often add cloves to tea. So, if you are like me and love clove feel free to add more! Conversely, if you hate clove, you can leave this out but it works incredibly well with the botanicals in gin. It also adds to the holiday feel and the warmth of the cocktail. If you kind of like clove, keep it in you won’t be sorry!

Prosecco– Use Prosecco, Cava, Champagne or any other sparkling wine you enjoy. Just make sure it isn’t too sweet. If you have a sweet sparkling wine reduce the honey amount in the syrup. It will still work but won’t be as balanced. Conversely, if you have a very dry sparkling wine or like a sweet drink add a little extra honey into the syrup. Get the sparkling wine you like best or that you would use with mimosas and it will work well. If you want to learn a little more about sparkling wine styles, check out this page by Wine Folly, or this one by Tasting Tables.

Why this Sparkling Honey Cranberry Prosecco pairing works… In my mind.

One of my favorite juices is cranberry apple juice. It has the sweetness of the apples but is balanced by the tart cranberry juice. I like to think of this somewhat as the grown up cranberry apple juice. With Prosecco, sparkling wine and most white wines apple is a classic tasting note. Honestly, if you are tasting a white wine, you can pretty much always safely say you taste green apple. So in that way the cranberry and Prosecco makes a perfect combination. Then adding in honey to the simple syrup brings out the incredible honeysuckle and floral tones of Prosecco. This is counterbalanced by the nutty, creamy and almost bread-like flavors the yeast bring to champagne.

The fennel and honey in the syrup are the bridge ingredients to the food. Since roasted fennel is part of the salad, having the fennel aromatize the syrup helps those wonderful base notes tie together. The honey does the same thing as a component of the vinaigrette and the syrup. These base layers tie the food and drink together in a seamless transition from bite to sip. The reduced cranberry juice adds a nice tart counterpart to the earthy and sweet beets. It also also classically pairs with the orange wedges of the salad. The clove ties this paring together, bringing the beautiful holiday and winter spices.

Finally, Prosecco, and sparkling wine in general, is made for food. The tart acidity and minerality pair with food and don’t overshadow it. But more importantly, the carbonation is a key feature of Prosecco and sparkling wine. Carbonation helps lift the flavors off your palate and tongue, essentially cleaning/refreshing after each sip. This means that Prosecco works well with so many different types of food. The drink mimics the food in all the right ways while bringing in unique components that bring delightful nuances with each sip and bite.

Give this Sparkling Honey Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail and Roasted Beet, Fennel and Orange Salad with Honey Vinaigrette a try and see for yourself!