If you're searching for a really distinctive cocktail for a special occasion, or just for a fun night among family and friends, here's one I know you'll love. I've taken my homemade lavender liqueur (liqueur de lavande) from my garden, and paired it with a deep, rich vanilla bean syrup and some bright, sparkling champagne for an elegant, floral, and spiced libation you'll always remember. Our friends and family who have tasted this have loved it. And if you don't have homemade lavender liqueur on hand, you can use store-bought lavender vodka. This smooth and enchanting Lavande Vanille Royale Champagne Cocktail is sure to make your gathering memorable!
The word "royale" in a French cocktail has its origins in a classic apéritif from Dijon in northern Burgundy. Canon Félix Kir, who was a Catholic priest and mayor of Dijon from 1945 until his death in 1968, welcomed his guests with a simple blend of local white Burgundy wine and crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur). This delicious drink became known by his name, the kir.
This refreshing and delightful apéritif was soon followed by a second version with champagne instead of white wine. This sparkling version became known as a kir royale.
Both of these drinks are still commonly served in France today. And you'll find variations of royale champagne cocktails like the pêche royale (made with peach liqueur), framboise royale (with raspberry liqueur), mûre royale (with blackberry liqueur), and violette royale (with violet liqueur).
I'm excited to follow this naming convention by combining my homemade lavender liqueur (liqueur de lavande) with champagne, as well as a deeply-aromatic homemade vanilla bean syrup (recipe included below) and calling it a lavande vanille royale. I love that this celebrated historic kir royale drink has such a special origin and paves the way for me to include this cocktail within this wonderful family of botanical apéritifs. Especially since my husband Cyril is from Burgundy, and we've enjoyed a kir or kir royale on many occasions together with his family there.
Jump to:
- 💕Why this recipe is special
- 📓Ingredient notes for homemade vanilla bean syrup
- 📓Ingredient notes for lavande vanille royale cocktail
- 📒Step by step instructions & photos
- 💡Tips for success
- 🔀Substitutions
- 🍶Homemade lavender liqueur vs store-bought lavender vodka taste test notes
- 🥣Equipment
- 🍲Serving suggestions
- ❓FAQ
- 🛒Resource
- ✨More recipes you'll love
- ✏️Did you make this recipe?
- Lavande Vanille Royale Champagne Cocktail
💕Why this recipe is special
Fresh and botanical
Below are the hidcote (first photo) and munstead (second photo) lavender from my garden that I've used to create my homemade lavender liqueur pictured below. Both of these English lavenders are well-known for their aromatic and flavorful culinary potential in the kitchen.
My homemade lavender liqueur (pictured below) has a base of 80 proof (40% ABV) vodka, and includes vanilla beans and lemon zest to elevate the botanical aromatics in this special homemade drink. And it's sweetened with sugar to make it an elegant sipper all on its own. You can make this smooth floral liqueur as little as 2 weeks and up to a year or more in advance to have it ready to include in this cocktail.
But not to worry if you don't have a batch of the homemade liqueur on hand. You can also make this cocktail with store-bought lavender vodka. I've tested two brands of them to give you an idea how well they work in this cocktail compared to the homemade liqueur. I've added my tasting notes in the taste-testing section below.
Sublime homemade vanilla bean syrup
I'm calling this my "turbo" vanilla bean syrup. It's a rich syrup, with a 2:1 sugar to water ratio. This type of syrup is thicker, with a smoother mouthfeel than one with a 1:1 ratio. It also lasts longer in the fridge because of the higher sugar content. Another advantage is that since it's more intensely-flavored, you don't need to use as much of it and won't dilute your drinks.
In testing early rounds of this cocktail, I was using regular strength levels of vanilla beans in the simple syrup. And I could barely taste the vanilla flavor. So I decided to go "turbo" and make the vanilla bean flavor really decadent and pronounced. This ended up being the perfect balance for this cocktail with an incredibly flavorful and deeply spiced note of vanilla in every sip.
And if you have leftovers of your vanilla syrup, you can use it for all kinds of cocktails and desserts. The sky's the limit!
Smooth and deep floral flavors with the sparkle of champagne; beloved by taste-testers
This cocktail is so well-rounded. One friend who taste-tested it said it's "crisp but not harsh. I can taste the vanilla and lavender, but neither is overwhelming. The smell alone is a pleasure."
Another friend said he "loved the floral overtones and the vanilla essence made for a smooth finish."
And a third friend said "The fragrance draws you in. It's crisp, clean, and bright. Such a wonderful blend. Love this!"
📓Ingredient notes for homemade vanilla bean syrup
- Step 1: Split the vanilla beans lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both seeds and pods to a small saucepan.
- Step 2: Turn the heat to low, and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Make sure the mixture does not boil. Remove the pan from heat, cover, and allow to steep until cool or overnight for strong vanilla flavor.
- Step 3: Strain out the vanilla pods and store the syrup in a clean airtight bottle in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least a month.
- Water
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla beans
See recipe card for quantities.
📓Ingredient notes for lavande vanille royale cocktail
- Homemade lavender liqueur (or store-bought lavender vodka)
- Homemade vanilla bean syrup (recipe included here)
- Brut champagne or crémant
- Garnish of fresh lavender sprig, vanilla bean section, or lemon twist (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
📒Step by step instructions & photos
- Step 1: Gather your ingredients.
- Step 2: Place a champagne flute in the freezer for a few minutes to chill. Add the lavender liqueur and the vanilla syrup to the flute. Gently pour in the chilled champagne, pouring down the inside of the glass to preserve bubbles. Stir gently with a bar spoon to combine. Garnish with a fresh lavender sprig, vanilla bean section, or twist of lemon. Enjoy!
💡Tips for success
- Use a brut (dry) champagne or crémant (French sparkling wine from outside of the Champagne region) to balance the sweetness of the vanilla and the floral notes of the lavender.
- Make sure your ingredients are chilled, including the champagne flute, to keep the cocktail crisp.
- Pour the champagne down the side of the flute to prevent excess foam and to keep the bubbles fine and delicate.
- Adjust the vanilla bean syrup quantity based on the sweetness level of your lavender liqueur or vodka.
- Use high-quality grade A or B vanilla beans, and let the syrup steep overnight for the strongest flavor.
- Don't over-stir the cocktail. A gentle swirl is best to keep the carbonation intact.
- Garnish with a sprig of fresh lavender, a vanilla bean segment, or a twist of lemon for a beautiful presentation of this elegant drink.
🔀Substitutions
Lavender liqueur
If you don't have any of my homemade lavender liqueur, you can substitute lavender vodka that you can find in the store. Please see my taste-testing section in this post where we've tasted 2 store-bought lavender vodkas and compared them to my homemade version. The results differ, but every version made a special cocktail that was enjoyable to drink.
Vanilla bean syrup
The homemade vanilla bean syrup in this recipe is thick, rich, and has "turbo" vanilla bean flavor. I really made sure to amplify the vanilla flavor so it would shine through in this delightful cocktail.
If you don't have time to make the homemade version, you can use store-bought vanilla syrup. Just know that it may be harder to taste the vanilla in the finished cocktail. My earlier trials of regular levels of vanilla bean flavor were harder to detect in the finished drink. I highly recommend making your own strong vanilla bean syrup per the included recipe for the best and most flavorful results.
Champagne
Please use a brut (dry) champagne or crémant (a French sparkling wine made outside of the Champagne region of France) if you can. It doesn't have to be a highly-priced one, but it should be a variety with good flavor that will really shine in this elegant cocktail.
🍶Homemade lavender liqueur vs store-bought lavender vodka taste test notes
We've taste-tested my homemade lavender liqueur (which has a vodka base) vs 2 brands of lavender vodka that we were able to buy locally here in the US upper midwest: one from CopperMuse Distillery Infusionist Series and the other Mammoth Rock Distillery (from northern Michigan in my home state).
I wanted to give everyone an option to make this cocktail even if they don't have a batch of my homemade liqueur already made, aged (from 2 weeks to a year, depending on your taste), and ready to serve.
Please keep in mind that these 2 store-bought lavender vodkas below are not sweetened like my homemade liqueur is. So if you'll be using the unsweetened ones, I've adjusted the vanilla bean syrup quantities in the recipe card accordingly. All 3 variations yielded eminently drinkable and enjoyable cocktails.
CopperMuse lavender vodka
A sip of this vodka yielded a discernible lavender fragrance and a strong alcohol burn.
We adjusted the vanilla bean syrup by adding more to account for this vodka being unsweetened compared to my homemade liqueur. When added to the lavande vanille royale cocktail, CopperMuse was bright and light in lavender flavor, but enjoyable.
Mammoth lavender vodka
The Mammoth Rock vodka was less fragrant in terms of lavender scent, and the lavender flavor was commensurately less detectable. It had an alcohol edge when tasted on its own.
Like with the CopperMuse vodka, we added more vanilla bean syrup to compensate for this vodka being unsweetened. We found the flavor of Mammoth in the lavande vanille royale cocktail to be light, refreshing, and crisp, with markedly less lavender flavor. But the drink still had good flavor.
Shell's homemade lavender liqueur
In designing this cocktail, I used a batch of my homemade lavender liqueur (liqueur de lavande) that happens to be 16 months old. If you'd like to make some, you can age it as little as 2 weeks and still have great flavor. But for the sake of this taste test, the batch we've tested is nicely aged.
Here are our notes when testing the liqueur by itself: This one is way, way more flavorful than the other two, with no burn. The sweetness is so nice. I can enjoy the smooth flavors, and also taste the vanilla and lemon zest.
And in the cocktail with the homemade liqueur, we had these notes: Rounded, smooth, floral, beautiful lavender and vanilla notes that pair perfectly with the bright sparkle of the champagne. Really enjoyable, bright, soft, and refined.
Homemade lavender liqueur vs store-bought lavender vodka results
We found that all 3 options made a beautiful lavande vanille royale champagne cocktail. The homemade lavender liqueur version was the clear winner in flavor. It's so easy to make, and lavender is really easy to grow. But even if you don't have your own herb garden, hopefully you can find a lavender farm near you where you can buy some culinary-grade lavender blooms to make your own. It's simple to make, and then no effort at all to wait from 2 weeks to 1 year until it's ready.
But if you don't have any homemade lavender liqueur, it's still absolutely worthwhile to use a store-bought lavender vodka that you can find near you to make this cocktail. Just remember to adjust the vanilla bean syrup quantities per the recipe card since the commercial lavender vodka isn't sweetened like my homemade liqueur. And if you make this cocktail any way at all, please let me know in the comments how it turns out. I hope you love it as much as we do!
🥣Equipment
- Digital scale: To weigh sugar and vanilla beans for the syrup
- Measuring cup: To measure the water for the syrup
- Cutting board and knife: For scoring the vanilla beans and scraping out the seeds.
- Small saucepan: To heat and steep the syrup
- Strainer or tongs: For removing the vanilla beans from the syrup
- Funnel: To pour the vanilla bean syrup into a bottle
- Bottle with airtight seal: To store the syrup, especially if you'll have leftovers
- Champagne flute: For serving the cocktail
- Jigger or measuring spoons: For measuring the cocktail ingredients
- Bar spoon: To gently stir the cocktail
🍲Serving suggestions
Apéritif
This cocktail is a light and refreshing drink to serve in a gathering of friends and family before a meal. It wakes up the palate without overwhelming it.
Celebratory toast
With the base of champagne, this gorgeous sparkling botanical cocktail is perfect for toasts: holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, or to commemorate any special occasion among family and friends.
Brunch cocktail
Lavender and vanilla are perfect flavors to accompany a beautiful brunch. It's the perfect drink for any gathering where you need a refreshing drink that's elegant and light.
❓FAQ
Yes, you absolutely can. Please reference our taste-testing section in this post comparing store-bought lavender vodka to the homemade version. Either type will make a special and delicious cocktail.
I recommend that you use brut (dry) champagne or crémant, which is a French sparkling wine from outside of the Champagne region of France. It doesn't have to be an expensive bottle, but please look for one with good quality and flavor.
Yes, like the classic kir royale champagne cocktail from Burgundy which has inspired this royale name, this cocktail is perfect to serve among friends and family before the meal to stimulate the appetite. It's light and refreshing, and helps to facilitate a special moment together before a meal.
🛒Resource
I bought the beautifully thick and organically-shaped champagne flutes in this post from the FleahopperFinds store on Etsy. They also have a Fleahopper store on Ebay. I found this seller so friendly and happy to help, and the global vintage store items there are well-curated and charming. Please check this seller out!
✨More recipes you'll love
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✏️Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know in the reviews and comments below!
Lavande Vanille Royale Champagne Cocktail
Ingredients
For the vanilla bean syrup (makes about 375 ml)
- 1½ cups (375 ml) water
- 3¾ cups (750 g) granulated sugar
- 10 vanilla beans
For the lavande vanille royale champage cocktail
- ½ - ⅔ ounces (15-20 ml) homemade lavender liqueur, adjust to taste; can substitute store-bought lavender vodka
- 1-1½ teaspoons (5-7 ml) vanilla bean syrup (from included recipe), if using sweetened homemade liqueur; use 1-1½ teaspoons (7-15 ml) of syrup if using unsweetened store-bought lavender vodka
- 4 ounces (120 ml) chilled brut champagne or crémant, or other good quality sparkling wine
- 1 fresh lavender sprig, vanilla bean section, or lemon twist, optional garnish
Instructions
Make the vanilla bean syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar.
- Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add both the seeds and pods to the saucepan.
- Turn the heat to low, and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Make sure the mixture does not boil.
- Remove the pan from heat, cover, and allow to steep until cool or overnight for strong vanilla flavor.
- Strain out the vanilla pods, use a funnel to pour the syrup into an airtight bottle, and store in the refrigerator.
Make the cocktail
- Place a champagne flute in the freezer for a few minutes to chill.
- Add the lavender liqueur and the vanilla syrup to the flute.
- Gently pour in the chilled champagne, pouring down the inside of the glass to preserve bubbles. Make sure not to overmix.
- Stir gently with a bar spoon to combine.
- As an option, garnish with a fresh lavender sprig, vanilla bean section, or a lemon twist.
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