A Cherry Fizz Cocktail: The Golden Cherry Royale
If this Cherry Fizz Cocktail doesn’t feel celebratory and nostalgic, I don’t know what does. Sparkling wine, Angostura bitters, brown sugar cubes, and those bright maraschino cherries. It sounds like it might lean sweet, but it’s surprisingly balanced. The bitters and the acidity from the bubbles keep everything in check.
The maraschino cherries absolutely bring the party vibes. I can’t help but think back to those special nights out at a restaurant with my family when I was a kid, ordering a Shirley Temple like it was the height of sophistication. I swear, the second that skinny red straw hit my lips, I felt like I’d been promoted to “official grown-up status.”
I’m also fully obsessed with the brown sugar cubes. They fizz their way through the cocktail and turn it into this gorgeous golden sip. It’s perfect for Christmas, New Year’s, or any night you want to feel a little fancy.
They’re not the easiest things to find at the supermarket, so if you’re planning to make this cocktail, go ahead and grab a box on Amazon. Total generational moment, if you grew up in the eighties, you definitely remember sugar cubes. I say bring back the cube! I love that you can’t rush a sugar cube. It takes its own sweet time to dissolve. I respect that.
One more thing before we get into the ingredients: don’t skip the rim. A quick dip in the maraschino cherry syrup and granulated sugar gives every sip that bright cherry flavor right from the start. And a festive dress up to the flute with a light pink rim.
Let’s get to the ingredients. And forget the cherry-on-top, these cherries cannonball right into the flute.
Golden Cherry Fizz Ingredients
- Maraschino cherry syrup – Dip your glass in it before the sugar. It gives the drink that instant cherry pop.
- Granulated sugar – Just for the rim. Adds sparkle and a hint of sweetness right from the first sip.
- Brown sugar cubes – These little guys fizz their way through the drink and give it that golden color and warm flavor. They’re not easy to find in stores, so Amazon is your friend.
- Angostura bitters – The classic bitters. A few drops add depth and keep it from being too sweet.
- Maraschino cherries – Bright, nostalgic, and a total party starter. They sit at the bottom of the glass, infusing every sip.
- Sparkling white wine – Any dry, bubbly white works here. Prosecco and Champagne work. (I’ll get into that later). The bubbles lift the cocktail, and the dryness keeps it from getting too sweet.
How to make golden cherry fizz Cocktails
This recipe makes four cocktails, so grab four champagne flutes and let’s do this.
Set up two shallow bowls, one with maraschino cherry syrup and one with granulated sugar. Take each flute, flip it upside down, and dip the rim into the syrup. Let the extra drip off for a second, then dip it straight into the sugar for that sparkly edge.
Drop one brown sugar cube into each glass, then add 2–3 dashes of Angostura bitters. Add three maraschino cherries to each glass because they’re fun.
Slowly pour in your sparkling wine. Take your time here so it doesn’t bubble over the top. Serve immediately and enjoy the sugar cube fizzing its way through the whole cocktail.
Cozy Moments to Serve this cherry fizz
This Golden Cherry Fizz shows up strong for any celebration. Here are a few of my favorite excuses to pour a round:
- Christmas Eve toasts
- New Year’s cheers
- Girls’ night welcome drink
- Kicking off a dinner party
- Valentine’s Dinner with your sweetie
- A fun signature sip for holiday gatherings
- Anytime you want a little sparkle without the effort
Let’s Clear Up the Bubbly Bits; faq’s
Can I use Prosecco or Champagne in this cocktail?
Yes. Fun fact: Prosecco and Champagne are sparkling white wines under the same bubbly umbrella, and “Brut” just tells you how dry they are.
“Brut” isn’t a type of wine; it’s the sweetness level. Brut means dry, which is perfect for this cocktail because the sugar cube and cherries already bring the sweetness. Using something sweeter will tip the whole drink into dessert territory.
I wouldn’t. Brown sugar tastes different and it’s way denser. It melts instantly and turns the drink sweeter right away. The sugar cube is the whole experience, that slow fizz, the golden color, the little nostalgic moment. Stick with the cube.
A champagne flute works best. It shows off the fizzing sugar cube and keeps all the bubbles dancing.
More Festive Fizzes You’ll Love
If you’re in the mood to keep the party going, here are a few more festive sips I love. Oh, and give them your own signature name. I always do.
- Violet Spritz— Also very celebratory with e secret ingredient you’ll have to check out for yourself
- Pink Petal Spritz— Sweet, delicate and a little floral.
- Cranberry Gin Fizz — Tart, bright, and bubbly. The perfect little sparkler for winter.
- Limoncello spritz(feeling a little Elvis-y) — A creamy, citrusy bubbly dream.
Don’t stop there, check out all my spritz creations.
Before You Sip Off…
If you give this Cherry Fizz cocktail a try, I’d love to hear about it. And if you’re a fellow member of the Fabulous-But-Now-We-Need-Readers 50s Club and you remember the glory days of sugar cubes, definitely tell me, I want to know I’m not alone. We’ve earned our nostalgia.
Love cherry cocktails as much as I do? Be sure to check out my Cherrytini Cocktail for a smooth, retro-inspired sip that keeps the maraschino cherry front and center. Tried one of my other festive cocktails and gave it your own signature name? Share it.
And if you spot sugar cubes at the grocery store, give a big ol’ high five to the manager… and welcome yourself to the Bring Back the Cube Campaign. We’re making it a thing.
And before you go, don’t forget to join the Cozy Crew so you never miss a new cocktail or recipe.
A Cherry Fizz Cocktail: The Golden Fizz Royale
Ingredients
- Syrup from maraschino cherries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 12 maraschino cherries
- 4 brown sugar cubes
- 12 dashes Angostura bitters 2-3 each flute
- 1 bottle sparkling white wine chilled
Instructions
- Pour maraschino cherry syrup into one shallow bowl and granulated sugar into another.
- Working with 4 champagne flutes, rim each one by inverting the flutes and dipping it into the syrup, letting the extra drip off, then dipping it into the sugar.
- Place one brown sugar cube into each glass.
- Add 2–3 dashes of Angostura bitters to each flute.
- Drop three maraschino cherries into each glass.
- Slowly pour sparkling wine over the sugar cube to fill each flute.
- Serve immediately and watch the sugar cube fizz through the cocktail.
