The pop of a champagne cork gives us all of the celebratory feels. There’s just something about bubbly that makes any occasion more festive. Even if you don’t like drinking the effervescent stuff, there’s a lot you can do with it. And if you find yourself with an unfinished bottle, we have ideas on what to do with leftover champagne.
Full disclosure: there is rarely unfinished champs in my house. But on the rare occasion this does happen, pouring it down the drain just feels wrong. From vinaigrettes to body scrubs, keep reading to find out how to make the most of this alcohol-fueled elixir.
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1. Make champagne vinegar.
For use in a champagne vinaigrette later, make a batch of champagne vinegar (a key ingredient) first. You’ll need just one cup of champagne. Pour it into a glass container, then cover with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes in the top of the wrap, then leave the container at room temp for four to six weeks. Thanks to science, the spores that liven the air will turn that leftover champagne into vinegar.
Related: Best Cheap Champagne
2. Keep it sweet with champagne cupcakes.
What to do with leftover champagne? Make some sweets, of course. Pour some bubbly in with your favorite vanilla cupcake batter for a light and airy texture. This would make a great dessert for New Year’s Eve or any milestone birthday party. You’ll only need half a cup of champs for this treat.
Get the full recipe here.
TIP: Top them with champagne buttercream frosting.
3. Make a champagne body scrub.
Champagne is great for softening skin. To whip this up, put one cup of sugar and tablespoon of room temperature coconut oil in a glass bowl, then mix. Once combined, add 1/4 cup of champagne to loosen the mixture, resulting in a body scrub consistency.
4. Make some champagne gummies.
Yes, you can make your own gummy bears from scratch. But who has time for that? Buy a bag of gummy bears and soak them in one cup of champagne for two to three days (don’t worry, they won’t go bad). The end result is a delicious adults-only treat.
5. Get fancy and make some meringues.
Remember when we said just go store-bought with the gummy bears? Our attitude towards meringues are different. These are so deceptively easy. All you need is four egg whites, 3/4 cup sugar, and two teaspoons pink champagne. The pink will give it a subtle hue that you won’t regret.
Whip them together, pipe ’em out on a cookie sheet, then bake at 200 degrees for an hour. So good.
6. Make breakfast better with champagne and pear crepes.
Let’s say it’s the day after a celebration and you notice a little bubbly left in the bottle. If you have some pears on hand, there’s a delicious idea for how to use leftover champagne (or Prosecco, sparkling wine, etc). Poach those pears in Champagne.
For a single serving:
- Slice 1 pear into 8 pieces
- Combine 2 cups of champagne with 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 cup water, and a cinnamon stick.
- Heat in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat, then add the pear slices. Allow them to poach in the liquid over low heat for 20 minutes.
Voila! You have poached pear slices perfect for topping crepes or pancakes.
TIP: Poach your pears the night before when possible to make your life a lot easier.
7. Make a champagne “poptail.”
When considering what to do with leftover champagne, just chill. We mean literally. Mix water, sugar, lemon juice, raspberries or strawberries, and champagne. Pour into a popsicle tray or ice cube tray, then throw ’em in the freezer.
TIP: These are the perfect boozy addition to a summer brunch.
8. Make a romantic dinner even better with champagne and risotto.
Swap out champagne for white wine when you cook up your risotto for a well-rounded flavor. Typically risotto recipes call for one cup of white wine, so just use the same amount of champagne in its place.
9. Put a sparkling champagne twist on fettuccini Alfredo.
This recipe is done in one pot and would make a super simple (and fancy!) New Year’s dinner. Plus, it includes truffle oil. Is there anything more decadent than champagne and truffle? Nope.
10. Three words: Champagne Jello Shots.
Mix up the traditional jello shot by adding champagne in with your vodka. And remember to keep kids far away from these intriguing treats.
TIP: Top them with sprinkles to make them truly celebration-worthy.
11. Put a champagne twist on chocolate-covered strawberries.
Soak your strawberries in champagne overnight, then let them dry on a paper towel.
Melt your favorite chocolate in a double-broiler or in the microwave, then dip your strawberries. Let them cool on wax paper before serving the best treat ever.
12. Make a New Year’s champagne pound cake.
The bubbles in champagne make for a super light and fluffy cake (similar to those champagne cupcakes above). Try it with this pound cake recipe and you won’t be sad.
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13. Try some pink champagne cake pops.
These would make a perfect addition to a bridal shower. Make them even more festive by rolling them in sparkling sugar. Here you’re really just replacing the liquid you would typically use in a cake recipe with two cups of champagne.
14. Whip up some homemade champagne marshmallows.
These fluffy little treats are a little more work, but they will steal the show at your next get-together.
15. Make a classic champagne truffle.
Chocolate truffles are the champagne dessert. If you’ve never tried them, now is your chance.
16. Be as French as possible by making champagne macarons.
Seriously, though. This recipe will make you feel like you’re basically living in Paris. Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt at macaron-making goes south. They can be a little tricky to get on the first try. But they are delicious regardless.
17. Start a buzz with some boozy champagne lollipops.
Make this spiked treat with champagne, water, sugar, and corn syrup. Again, let’s keep the kids away from these. The best part is that this recipe only calls for 1/4 cup of bubbly, so you don’t need much leftover to complete the recipe.
18. Make the most luxurious champagne bubble bath ever.
You just need eight ounces of soap concentrate and four ounces of champagne for this DIY bubble bath.
Mix them slowly (to avoid wasting the bubbling effect). Then pour it straight into your bath.