This Sparkling Apple Champagne Cocktail Is The Ultimate New Year's Eve Toast

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When the clock strikes midnight and you herald in the New Year with loved ones, you'll want to have a glass in hand to raise a toast to the year that has passed, as well as the adventures that await you in the coming year. For such a joyful and celebratory moment, you will need the perfect drink to match, and for that we recommend this sparkling apple Champagne cocktail, from the kitchen of recipe developer Jennine Rye.

Subtly sweet and sophisticated, this sparkling beverage is the perfect cocktail option to see you into the New Year, and it provides something a little more exciting than just a plain glass of Champagne. Simple to rustle up, this beverage can be assembled in just a minute or two, and is easy to make in larger numbers — meaning you can treat your guests to an elegant tipple without any fuss. The sweetness of apple juice is tempered by the earthy and woodsy spiced notes of the French apple brandy, Calvados. A dash of black walnut bitters adds further earthiness and a complex, nutty depth to the cocktail, which is finished off with a bright and sophisticated Champagne, the perfect sparkling wine choice to accompany any celebration. 

To make this cocktail recipe, you will need apple juice, Calvados (a type of French brandy), walnut bitters, and Champagne. To garnish, you might additionally want a few slices of apple.

Add the apple juice, Calvados, and walnut bitters to a glass.

Top with chilled Champagne.

Garnish the cocktail with sliced apple and serve.

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This sparkling apple Champagne cocktail is sophistication and celebration in a glass, and there are plenty of ways to adapt it depending on your personal preferences. If you tend to lean away from sweeter cocktails, the apple juice in this recipe can be swapped out for apple cider instead, giving you a less sweet, more sharp and tangy apple-based cocktail. A spiced apple cider will also add warming spiced flavors, perfect for the season. If you would like to lean further into warming winter spices for this cocktail, a cinnamon apple liqueur or Fireball cinnamon whiskey can be added in place of the Calvados. Alternatively, the cocktail can be served up with a stick of cinnamon, star anise, or rimmed with cinnamon sugar for a simple way to add a spiced element to the beverage.

For different flavor options, the walnut bitters can be swapped out for almond bitters or a dash of amaretto to add a nutty warmth to the cocktail. For a brighter, more zesty finish, a small amount of fresh lemon juice or a strip of lemon peel will do the trick. Using rosemary sprigs as a garnish is a great way to add a subtle yet sophisticated herbaceous note to the cocktail, as well as an elegant visual element. Finally, if you really want to embrace the celebration, consider some creative Champagne add-ins like rock candy or edible glitter to really ring in the New Year.

This apple cocktail uses Champagne to add plenty of elegance and fizz, perfectly befitting for a New Years celebration. Champagne, along with its prestige, adds brightness and acidity to the cocktail, with complex flavor profile often boasting crisp fruity accents and nutty, toasted notes. However, there are other sparkling wines that can also be used in this cocktail recipe that will be equally appropriate for your New Year's toast.

The Italian sparkling wine Prosecco is probably one of the most popular options out there, and for good reason. Fresh and crisp with fruity and aromatic notes, this sparkling wine is light and delightful to drink. It pairs well with the other elements in this apple-centered cocktail, and, importantly, there are plenty of affordable Prosecco options out there.

German Sekt may well be a little less known, but it can still offer you a pleasing alternative to Champagne. Cava, from Northeastern Spain, will pair well with the other fruity elements of this cocktail. Although not traditionally known as a wine producing country, recipe developer Rye also recommends taking a gamble on English sparkling wines, or perhaps sourcing a regional sparkling wine nearest to your area for a special, close-to-home twist.

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