Kir Royale Recipe: Crème de Cassis + Champagne Made Easy
Approx. 4 min read
Easy Kir Royale recipe
Recipe details
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 2 minutes
- Tools: Jigger or small measuring glass
- Glass: Champagne flute or small coupe
- Taste: Blackcurrant, crisp, sparkling and lightly sweet
- Calories: Approx. 90 kcal
- Serves: 1 cocktail
- Best served: Very cold, without ice, straight after pouring
Ingredients
- 10 ml crème de cassis (about 1/3 oz)
- 90 ml chilled brut Champagne (3 oz)
- Fresh berry or lemon twist, optional
How to make it
- Chill the Champagne and glass before you start.
- Pour the crème de cassis into the glass.
- Top slowly with chilled Champagne so the bubbles stay lively.
- Let the drink settle for a few seconds. There is usually no need to stir.
- Add a small berry or lemon twist if you like, then serve immediately.
Quick tip
Keep both ingredients properly cold. A Kir Royale has nowhere to hide warm Champagne or flat bubbles, and chilling everything first means you do not need ice or extra dilution.
The best crème de cassis-to-Champagne ratio
A great starting point is 10 ml crème de cassis to 90 ml Champagne, or roughly 1:9. It keeps the drink crisp and sparkling while still giving you clear blackcurrant flavour.
The International Bartenders Association lists a Kir as 90 ml dry white wine with 10 ml crème de cassis, with Champagne used for the Kir Royal variation. That makes 10:90 a useful benchmark for the sparkling version too.
Want it fruitier or sweeter?
Move the cassis up in small 5 ml steps rather than pouring heavily from the start.
- 10 ml cassis + 90 ml Champagne: crisp, lightly fruity and balanced.
- 15 ml cassis + 90 ml Champagne: rounder and more blackcurrant-forward.
- 20 ml cassis + 90 ml Champagne: richer and noticeably sweeter.
Crème de cassis brands vary in sweetness and intensity, so taste before adding more. It is much easier to make the drink sweeter than to rescue a syrupy glass.
Champagne or another sparkling wine?
Champagne is the classic choice, but a good dry sparkling wine works well too. The important part is having enough freshness and acidity to balance the cassis.
- Champagne: the classic option, crisp and elegant.
- Crémant: a natural French alternative with plenty of freshness.
- Cava: usually dry and crisp, so it balances sweet cassis nicely.
- Prosecco: softer and fruitier. Choose Brut or Extra Brut if you want to keep the finished drink on the crisper side.
If you already have sparkling wine open and want another easy two-ingredient direction, our Mimosa ratio guide shows how one simple proportion changes the whole drink.
Kir vs Kir Royale: what is the difference?
A Kir combines crème de cassis with dry white wine. A Kir Royale replaces the still wine with Champagne, giving you the same blackcurrant character with a livelier, more celebratory finish.
If you want a Champagne cocktail with more citrus and a little more structure, try our French 75 recipe next.
Quick serving tips
- Skip the ice: chill the glass and ingredients instead.
- Keep the garnish small: one berry or a thin lemon twist is enough.
- Serve immediately: the bubbles are part of the appeal.
- Make it to order: you can pre-measure the cassis, but add Champagne only when you are ready to serve.
It is an easy choice for brunch, date night, weddings, holiday parties or a midnight toast. For a larger celebration, our easy New Year’s Eve cocktail guide has more simple sparkling ideas.
Kir Royale FAQ
Can I make a Kir Royale with Prosecco?
Yes. It will taste a little softer and fruitier than the Champagne version, but Brut or Extra Brut Prosecco works well. Start with 10 ml cassis and adjust from there.
Do you pour the crème de cassis or Champagne first?
Pour the crème de cassis first, then top slowly with Champagne. The sparkling wine helps lift and distribute the liqueur through the glass.
Should you stir a Kir Royale?
Usually, no. Let the Champagne combine naturally with the cassis. If the liqueur stays heavily concentrated at the bottom, one very gentle stir is enough.
Is it Kir Royal or Kir Royale?
You will see both spellings. The International Bartenders Association uses “Kir Royal,” while “Kir Royale” is also very common in English-language cocktail recipes. They refer to the same sparkling cassis drink.
Final sip
For a Kir Royale that still tastes like Champagne, remember one simple starting point: 10 ml crème de cassis and 90 ml cold bubbles. Pour slowly, taste before making it sweeter and serve it straight away.
Two ingredients. About two minutes. A drink that feels much fancier than the work involved.
