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Made with Champagne and crème de cassis (a blackcurrant liqueur), this Kir Royale Recipe (or Kir Royal) is a fruity French cocktail great for sipping before dinner.
This classic French cocktail is named after Félix Kir, a priest and the mayor of Dijon in Burgundy, France. He popularized the Kir cocktail after World War II by serving it to many traveling dignitaries in his city. The drink is made with crème de cassis and France Champagne.
An authentic Kir Royale must be made with French Champagne! If you substitute another dry sparkling wine such as Italian Prosecco or Spanish Cava, the drink is called a Kir Pétillant.
While the French Champagne is non-negotiable, French bartenders are known to offer the cocktail with crème de cassis (blackcurrant), de mûre (blackberry), de pêche (peach), or framboise (raspberry).
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Creme de cassis: This French berry liqueur is made with blackcurrants.
- Champagne: Authentic Kir Royales must be made with French Champagne. If you substitute another dry sparkling wine such as Italian Prosecco or Spanish Cava, the drink is called a Kir Pétillant.
Step-by-step instructions
- To a chilled Champagne flute or wine glass, add 1 ounce creme de cassis. Pour in champagne.
- Garnish and serve.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
- Glassware: The Kir Royale cocktail is traditionally served in a fluted glass or a coupe glass.
- Garnish: Garnish your classic Kir Royale with fresh blackberries, a lemon slice, or a lemon twist.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 8 cocktails, combine 4 ounces (¼ cup) crème de cassis and 40 ounces (5 cups) dry sparkling wine in a pitcher. Have champagne flutes and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
- Kir: To make the original Kir cocktail, substitute chilled white wine for the dry sparkling wine.
- Kir Imperiál: Substitute Chambord (a French black raspberry liqueur) for the crème de cassis.
- Kir Pétillant: Substitute another dry sparkling wine, such as Italian Prosecco or Spanish Cava, for the French Champagne.
- Champagne Cocktail: For a festive holiday drink recipe or to add some sparkle to any happy hour, a classic Champagne Cocktail is a showy, yet remarkably simple, low-alcohol cocktail idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Kir Royale recipe is made with créme de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur, and French Champagne. It is a sweet liqueur with a berry flavor and plenty of bubbles from the champagne.
An aperitif is an alcoholic drink or cocktail consumed before a meal. It is intended to stimulate the appetite.
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Kir Royale Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 ounce creme de cassis (1 tablespoon, see note 1)
- 5 ounces Champagne (¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons, see note 2)
- 1 slice lemon or fresh blackberries, for garnish
Instructions
- To a chilled fluted glass, add 1 ounce creme de cassis. Top with Champagne and garnish.
Notes
- Creme de cassis: This sweet liquor is made with blackcurrants.
- Champagne: Authentic Kir Royales must be made with French Champagne. If you substitute another dry sparkling wine such as Italian Prosecco or Spanish Cava, the drink is called a Kir Pétillant.
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
- Glassware: The Kir Royale cocktail is traditionally served in a fluted glass.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.