Ritz Cocktail
Ritz Cocktail is made with cognac, orange and maraschino liqueurs and lemon topped with Champagne, served cold.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a Champagne flute and prepare the garnish before mixing.
Add all measured ingredients except champagne to a shaker.
Add ice, seal the shaker and shake until the tin feels thoroughly cold.
Strain into the prepared Champagne flute.
Add the reserved measured sparkling ingredient gently; if the source specifies a top-up, fill to taste rather than inventing a fixed volume.
Squeeze a fresh orange peel over the surface for its oils, then rest it against the glass.
A thoughtful finish
- Shake the four still ingredients first and add the Champagne only after straining.
- Keep the carbonated ingredient cold and open it close to serving.
- Chill the serving glass as well as the mixture so the first sip stays cold.
Common mistakes
- Topping a warm base with cold wine quickly loses the crisp temperature of the finished drink.
- Over-stirring the finished drink drives off the bubbles that give it lift.
- A warm serving glass quickly undoes the chilling achieved during mixing.
A few good questions.
What is in a Ritz Cocktail?
Ritz Cocktail is made with cognac, orange and maraschino liqueurs and lemon topped with Champagne.
Can I scale a Ritz Cocktail for more servings?
Multiply every measured ingredient by the same serving count. Prepare the measured still ingredients ahead if useful, but chill, shake or stir each serving as directed; add any carbonated finish at service.
Should I shake the fizzy ingredient?
Add carbonated ingredients outside a sealed shaker. Follow the finishing step so the bubbles remain in the glass rather than being shaken away.
Who created the Ritz Cocktail?
The cited source credits Dale DeGroff, with no verified creation year recorded here. The recipe-version note identifies any later adaptation.
Variations
- Another dry sparkling wine — Editorial bottle variation: use a different dry sparkling wine for the same finishing measure or top-up instruction; flavor changes, and it should not be labeled Champagne unless it is Champagne.
- Alternate citrus garnish — Editorial presentation variation: use a different fresh citrus peel or slice for aroma without changing the measured liquids; garnish quantity is not an added juice measure.
Where it comes from
New York City, USA · Dale DeGroff
Ritz Cocktail is made with cognac, orange and maraschino liqueurs and lemon topped with Champagne, served cold.
Sources
- Difford’s Guide — Ritz Cocktail Recipe (reference) link
Strength. About 1.56 US standard drinks at an estimated 18.4% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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