Tangerine And Thyme Prosecco Cocktail Recipe
It’s all about fresh tangerine juice, aromatic thyme, and crisp Prosecco. With the right tools and a handful of ingredients, I can whip up a drink that’s perfect for parties or just a chill evening.
Equipment
- Jigger: I use this to measure juice and syrup so I don’t go overboard.
- Cocktail shaker: Shaking the juice and syrup with ice really brings it together.
- Fine mesh strainer: Helps me get rid of any pulp or ice bits—nobody wants a chunky cocktail.
- Muddler: I gently press the thyme, just enough to release its flavor without smashing it to bits.
- Citrus juicer or reamer: Fresh juice is a must, so I squeeze it myself.
- Champagne flute or coupe glass: Keeps those bubbles in the Prosecco alive.
- Bar spoon: Stirring in the Prosecco gently keeps it bubbly (trust me, don’t skip this).
- Small saucepan (for syrup): For the thyme simple syrup, I simmer sugar, water, and thyme together.
Ingredients
- 2 oz fresh tangerine juice
- 1/2 oz thyme simple syrup
- 4 oz chilled Prosecco
- 1 small sprig fresh thyme plus extra for garnish
- Ice cubes
- 1/2 tsp tangerine zest optional, for garnish
For thyme syrup:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Add tangerine juice and thyme simple syrup to your cocktail shaker.
- Toss in a sprig of fresh thyme and give it a gentle muddle.
- Fill the shaker with ice and shake it up for about 10 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled glass—no pulp, please.
- Slowly top with Prosecco. Pour gently, or you’ll lose those bubbles.
- Give the drink a gentle stir with a bar spoon.
- Garnish with a little thyme and, if you’re feeling fancy, a sprinkle of tangerine zest.
- For the thyme syrup, I mix water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar’s dissolved. Then I add the thyme sprigs, let it simmer for a couple minutes, remove from heat, and let it steep until cool. Strain out the thyme and you’re good to go.
Notes
I always go for freshly squeezed tangerine juice—the flavor just pops more. Bottled stuff? It’s usually pretty flat. If I can’t find tangerines, I’ll use clementines or mandarins, but I keep an eye on the sweetness and adjust as needed.
Prosecco should be super cold. I never shake it with the other ingredients—shaking kills the bubbles, and nobody wants a flat cocktail.
The thyme syrup keeps for about a week in the fridge. I sometimes make extra since it’s great in other drinks, too. You can play with the sweetness by tweaking the syrup amount. If you want it less sweet, just use 1/4 ounce.
Garnishing with thyme and a bit of tangerine zest makes the drink smell amazing. I always serve this cocktail right away—those bubbles won’t wait.