Elegant and simple, you’ll never guess how easy it is to make a French 75 cocktail. A bubbly, refreshing and fruity cocktail that packs a punch, the French 75 isn’t just a fancy cocktail for New Year’s. Instead of cracking open that bottle of wine for every celebratory occasion, why not make a bubbly and festive cocktail instead?

Like many classic cocktails such as a margarita or mimosa, the French 75 cocktail contains those few simple ingredients that make it taste crisp and delicious. Because of its versatility, the ingredients in this cocktail can be customized to your flavor preference. Whether you want your French 75 to be more fruity, more bubbly or have more of an alcoholic taste, each base of the cocktail can be enhanced. If you don’t have the direct ingredients to make this drink, you can also use sparkling wine or tequila instead. Another great aspect, for those doing a Dry February or those who don’t drink alcohol, this drink can be made into a mocktail as well.

Here’s how to make a French 75 Cocktail.

What You’ll Need

• Shaker
• Champagne Glass
• Champagne
• Gin
• Lemon Juice
• Simple Syrup
• Ice
• Lemon Peel

How to Make a French 75 Cocktail

To make this cocktail, you’ll want to start off by making your simple syrup. While you could order this online, it’s so simple to make it at home. In a saucepan, combine your sugar and water and bring to a boil. Let it simmer over medium heat and now you have simple syrup. Store in a jar or airtight container.

To make your French 75 cocktail, combine your champagne, gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. Add ice to your shaker, shake and pour in your champagne glass. If you want your French 75 to have a more citrusy taste, add more lemon juice. For more bubbles, add more champagne and for a stronger alcoholic taste, add more gin. Garnish your cocktail with a lemon peel and enjoy.

Using the best type of champagne and alcohol is key to drinking this elegant cocktail. Brut Champagne or prosecco are the best types of bubbly to use. London Dry Gin, the Tanqueray and the Plymouth Gin are classic gins to use for this cocktail that will amplify the taste.

Turn it into a Mocktail

While Dry January is over, it’s not too late to start a new streak in a Dry February. For those who don’t drink or like the taste of alcohol, you can make a French 75 Mocktail that’s just as delicious as the cocktail. To make this into a mocktail version, use a non-alcoholic sparkling juice instead of wine. Make sure you leave out the gin. You can replace it with sparkling water or another drink of your choice, but it’s not needed. Combine the same ingredients, lemon juice, simple syrup and sparkling juice into a shaker with ice. Pour into a champagne glass. You can also make this a fun drink for the kids and put it in a kid-friendly cup!