We’re always down for a good cocktail, especially if prosecco’s involved. The bubbly drink, that’s become a staple at brunches and is more popular at high teas than actual tea, is an Italian sparkling white wine named after the medieval village Prosecco. It’s similar to a Spanish Cava or French Champagne in terms of taste and effervescence. Prosecco is absolutely brilliant on its own, but also adds an extra oomph to cocktails. So on this National Prosecco Day (August 13), we’re featuring five simple recipes that will have you relaxing with a drink in hand in less than five minutes.

1. Strawberry Mimosas

Husband and wife team Sonja and Alex Overhiser’s Strawberry Mimosa recipe is perfect for a summer brunch at home.

Ingredients:

2 cups (1 pint or 12 ounces) fresh strawberries (or frozen strawberries*)
1 cup orange juice
1 750mL bottle Prosecco, champagne or other sparkling wine

Method: Remove the tops from the strawberries. Add them to a blender with the orange juice and blend. (If you prefer a sweeter mimosa, you can add 1 ounce simple syrup.)

For each drink, add ½ cup of Prosecco to the champagne flute. Then pour in ¼ cup of the strawberry purée.

Notes:
*Frozen strawberries are usually a little more tart than fresh berries. If desired, you can add a little drizzle of maple syrup or simple syrup to sweeten.

Source: A Couple Cooks

 

2. Basil Limoncello Spritz

Get a double dose of Italy in this drink that Elise Shivamber of Elise Tries To Cook calls “light, herbaceous and refreshing”. Limoncello is a lemon Italian liqueur typically produced in Southern Italy.

Ingredients:

3 oz Prosecco
2 oz Limoncello
2 oz Club Soda or Sparkling Mineral Water
2 Fresh Basil Leaves washed thoroughly
Ice
Garnish (optional):
1 Lemon cut into wheels
1 Basil Leaf

Method:

Muddle the basil leaves.
Add ice to fill the glass.
Pour in limoncello, prosecco, and club soda or mineral water.
Stir.
Garnish with a basil leaf or lemon wheel.

Source: Elise Tries To Cook 

3. Cranberry Pomegranate Prosecco Cocktail

Trial and Eater’s Kelly made this drink as a holiday treat but it’s perfect for any time of year.

Ingredients:

For sugar-rimmed glasses:
2 tablespoons sugar
lime wedges, (keep for garnish too)

For the drink:
750 ml bottle of Prosecco Sparkling Wine, chilled
12 tablespoons cranberry-pomegranate juice *

For garnish:
Fresh cranberries
Pomegranate seeds

*If you can’t find a cranberry-pomegranate blend, use half cranberry half pomegranate (i.e. 1 Tablespoon of each juice per glass)

Method:

Pour sugar in a small, shallow bowl. Cut a slit on the inside of a lime wedge and rub around the rim of a champagne flute, and then dip the glasses into the sugar bowl. Repeat for remaining glasses.
Fill glasses with prosecco and cranberry-pomegranate juice (2 tablespoons per glass, more if you want it to be fruitier!).
Garnish with fresh cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and lime wedges as desired.

Source: Trial and Eater

4. Ginger & Prosecco Cocktail

Add a bit of razzle dazzle to your New Year’s Eve plans — it’s only four months away — with this bubbly confection courtesy of Freutcake.

Ingredients:

Prosecco or Champagne – chilled
Ginger Beer- chilled
White cotton candy
Edible gold star sprinkles- available at Michaels or cake supply stores
Ground ginger
Sanding sugar

Method:

In a small dish, mix 3 Tbs sanding sugar with 1 tsp ground ginger and set aside.
To rim champagne flutes, dip in ginger beer and then in the ginger-sugar mixture.
Fill champagne flutes 1/3 of the way full with ginger beer and then slowly top with Prosecco.
Garnish with a small puff of cotton candy. Sprinkle with more ground ginger and a pinch of edible gold star sprinkles. Enjoy!

Source: Freutcake

 

5. Aperol Spritz

You can’t go wrong with a classic Aperol Spritz. It’s guaranteed to mentally whisk you away to an Italian vacay. Cookie and Kate shared their go-to recipe.

Ingredients:

Ice
3 ounces (1 part) Aperol
3 ounces (1 part) dry Prosecco
1 ounce (a splash) club soda or unflavored sparkling water
Orange slice, for garnish

Method:

Add ice to a wine glass until it is nearly full. Pour in the Aperol (I usually eyeball this and pour until I’ve filled about one-third of the glass).
Pour in an equal amount of Prosecco. Top your drink off with a splash of club soda and add a slice of orange. Enjoy!

Notes:
Make it less bitter: Use less Aperol and more Prosecco.

Make it less boozy: Use more club soda, and less Aperol and Prosecco.

Source: Cookie and Kate