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    Home » Champagne & Prosecco » French 77

    Published: Dec 4, 2021 by Lisa · This post may contain affiliate links, which means we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

    French 77

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Filled Champagne flutes on tray with lemon half and lemon twists.
    Stemless wine flutes filled with sparkling wine.
    champagne flutes filled with lemon drink and garnished with lemon twist.
    single champagne flute filled with drink and lemon wedge.

    Bubbles make every occasion special, but this French 77 recipe takes cocktails to a whole new level! Filled with elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, gin, and sparkling wine, this easy cocktail is a light and refreshing alternative to a French 75.

    Two flutes of French 77 on dark metal tray. this recipe

    This French 77 recipe has 3 of my favorite spirits in it: elderflower, gin, and Prosecco. And you know you are in for something special with that combination of alcohol.

    But this cocktail is so much more than just bubbles. It's a cocktail for many occasions. You can break it out for a special occasion or just to enjoy it with a few friends. But don't let the frilly presentation fool you, this French 77 packs a punch.

    Some might even say it's a strong drink in disguise. But whatever you choose to call it, it's delicious!

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love a French 77
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Expert Tips for the Best French 77
    • More Prosecco Cocktails
    • Recipe

    Why you will love a French 77

    ▶︎ It's fun! Bubbles are always fun to sip on and it's a drink that a lot of people won't make for themselves at home. But once they find out how easy it is to do (and how delicious it tastes) you can bet they will ask for the recipe.

    ▶︎ It's easy to make a batch. Simply multiply the ingredient amounts by the number of drinks desired and use a large shaker to mix!

    ▶︎ It's not too sweet. Many brunch cocktails tend to be on the sweet side. The gin and lemon juice in this drink balance out the sweetness of the elderflower liqueur giving it a subtle sweetness that pairs well with many dishes. Serve them with this Easy Frittata or make-ahead Overnight Breakfast Casserole.

    Ingredients

    It only takes a few ingredients to make this tasty sparkling wine cocktail.

    Ingredients needed for French 77.

    Ingredient Notes:

    • Fresh Lemon Juice is a must for this recipe. It truly makes a difference in the taste.
    • If you need more drink ideas to finish your bottle of elderflower liqueur, check out all of our elderflower cocktails!

    Instructions

    Don't worry, this isn't a hard drink to make. Follow these simple steps.

    Steps 1-3 for making a French 77.

    Fill a shaker with ice and add gin, elderflower liqueur and lemon juice.

    steps 4-6 for making french 77.

    Shake for 30 seconds and pour into a champagne flute, top with sparkling wine, and serve.

    Glasses of lemon and prosecco in a tray.

    FAQs

    What is the difference between a French 75 and a French 77?

    A French 77 replaces the simple syrup in a French 75 with elderflower liqueur, other than that the ingredient list is the same. The sweetness of the elderflower liqueur gives the French 77 a delicate floral taste that is delicious!

    What does elderflower taste like?

    The liqueur has a delicate floral flavor that is more subtle than you’d expect. Since elderflower liqueur is rather sweet, you can easily use it to replace other sweeteners in your cocktail recipes like simple syrup, agave, and maple syrup.

    Can I make these ahead of time?

    You might be surprised, but yes you can! Simply combine the gin, elderflower, and lemon juice in a mason jar without ice and refrigerate until ready to serve. When it is time to serve the drinks, transfer the mixture to a shaker filled with ice (or simply add ice to the mason jar), shake for 30 seconds, and pour into flutes. Top each flute with sparkling wine and serve.

    Single cocktail in a tall flute garnished with a lemon slice on a dark background.

    Expert Tips for the Best French 77

    ✘ Don't feel like you need to limit yourself to a French Champagne for this drink. You can also use a quality American sparkling wine, Italian Prosecco, or Spanish Cava. You'll find solid choices anywhere between the $15-20 range.

    ✘ Make sure your sparkling wine is very dry. The elderflower liqueur adds a bit of sweetness to the drink, so if your wine is already somewhat sweet, your cocktail will be too sweet.

    ✘ Fresh lemon juice is essential for the recipe. Avoid using bottled juice, if possible, as it contains preservatives that affect flavor.

    ✘ There are many brands of elderflower liqueur available. St. Germain is probably the most well-known, but we love the flavor (and price tag) of Drillaud Elderflower Liqueur.

    More Prosecco Cocktails

    • Kir Royale
    • mimosa featured image
      Tequila Breakfast Mimosa
    • Cranberry gin cocktail in a footed glass filled with ice and garnished with cranberries and a lime twist.
      Sparkling Cranberry Gin Cocktails
    • martini glass being filled with prosecco gin ccoktail.
      Elderflower, Gin and Prosecco Cocktail

    Tequila and Prosecco are a match made in heaven with these Mimosa Margaritas or check out all of our Champagne & Prosecco Drinks.

    Cocktails in stemless champagne flutes on a mottled silver tray with mint and a lemon wedge for garnish.
    Did you make this recipe? We'd love to hear your thoughts! 
    
    Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Your feedback helps us and your fellow readers! 
    
    
    

    Recipe

    Tall champagne flutes filled with cocktails with lemon slices for garnish.

    French 77

    Garnish With Lemon
    Bubbles make every occasion special, but this French 77 is a fun update to the classic French 75!
    4.49 from 79 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Course Elderflower Liqueur
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 cocktail
    Calories 269 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Cocktail Shaker
    • Mini Measuring Beaker Set
    • Citrus Juicer
    • Champagne Flutes

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 ounces Gin
    • 1 ounce Elderflower liqueur
    • 1 ounce Lemon juice
    • 2 ounces Prosecco

    Instructions
     

    • Pour gin, elderflower and lemon juice in a shaker and combine.
      2 ounces Gin, 1 ounce Elderflower liqueur, 1 ounce Lemon juice
    • Strain shaker contents into champagne flutes.
    • Top with chilled prosecco.
      2 ounces Prosecco
    • Garnish with a lemon twist.
    • Serve immediately

    Notes

    Make-ahead Directions
    • Combine the gin, elderflower, and lemon juice in a mason jar without ice and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    • When it is time to serve the drinks, transfer the mixture to a shaker filled with ice (or simply add ice to the mason jar), shake for 30 seconds, and pour into flutes.
    • Top each flute with sparkling wine and serve.
    Best sparkling wine for Cocktails 
    Don't feel like you need to limit yourself to a French Champagne for this drink. You can also use a quality American sparkling wine, Italian Prosecco, or Spanish Cava. You'll find solid choices anywhere between the $15-20 range.
    The key is to make sure your sparkling wine is very dry. The liqueur adds a bit of sweetness to the drink, so if your wine is already somewhat sweet, your cocktail will be too sweet.

    VIDEO

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6ouncesCalories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 10gSodium: 11mgSugar: 8g

    Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.

    Did you make this recipe?Tag us on Instagram or leave a comment!

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    French 76 »

    About Lisa

    Hi, I’m Lisa! Looking for the party? It’s probably at my house. Nothing brings me more joy than sharing good food with friends and family. That and a seriously good cocktail.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brenda Wilkins says

      April 19, 2022 at 9:52 pm

      Had these for Easter cocktail hour. Everybody loved them they were refreshing did some with gin and some without. I even had time to make lemon curls. This is the 1st time that I have been on your site . Thanks for all of the information it was so very helpful

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        April 27, 2022 at 9:38 am

        Hi Brenda! Welcome! I'm so happy the drinks turned out well!

        Reply
    2. Paula Boutwell says

      January 24, 2021 at 3:58 pm

      Can I substitute vodka in place of gin? Gin gives me a headache? I LOVE elderflower!

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        January 25, 2021 at 9:21 am

        You sure can! It will taste a little different, but equally delicious! Cheers!

        Reply
        • A says

          February 20, 2022 at 6:13 pm

          5 stars
          Yes! Used vodka instead of gin and it was delicious

    « Older Comments

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