Nothing says holiday magic like a glass of bubbly and a tray of festive cookies. While champagne often takes center stage at celebrations, pairing it with the right cookies can make your holiday gatherings unforgettable. Whether you're hosting a Christmas movie night, a cookie exchange, or your annual holiday dinner, these cookie and champagne pairings will impress your guests and elevate the holiday cheer.

1. Classic Sugar Cookies + Brut Champagne

Light, buttery, and delicately sweet, sugar cookies are a holiday staple. Their simplicity pairs beautifully with the crisp, dry notes of a Brut champagne. The high acidity and subtle yeastiness of Brut balance the sweetness, creating a refreshing contrast that enhances both the cookie and the bubbly.

How to make:

• Ingredients: 2 ¾ cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, 1 cup softened butter, 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp almond extract.
• Instructions: Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Combine dry ingredients and add gradually. Chill dough for 30 minutes, then roll out, cut into shapes, and bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. Decorate with royal icing.

2. Gingerbread Cookies + Blanc de Noirs

Gingerbread cookies bring a warm spice blend that complements the fuller body of Blanc de Noirs champagne, made from darker Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier grapes. The deeper, fruitier notes of Blanc de Noirs enhance the cinnamon, ginger, and molasses in gingerbread, creating a cozy holiday flavor explosion.

How to make:

• Ingredients: 3 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp cloves, ¾ cup molasses, ½ cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 stick butter.
• Instructions: Cream butter and sugar, add egg and molasses. Combine dry ingredients and gradually mix into wet. Roll out dough, cut into shapes, and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.

3. Peppermint Chocolate Cookies + Rosé Champagne

The refreshing pop of peppermint and rich chocolate in these cookies pairs delightfully with a Rosé champagne. The bright berry notes and slight sweetness of Rosé enhance the cool peppermint, making this pairing festive and indulgent.

How to make:

• Ingredients: 1 cup flour, ⅓ cup cocoa powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt, ½ cup butter, ½ cup sugar, 1 egg, ½ tsp peppermint extract, crushed candy canes.
• Instructions: Cream butter and sugar, add egg and peppermint. Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in crushed candy canes. Roll dough into balls, bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.

4. Shortbread Cookies + Extra Dry Champagne

Buttery and crumbly shortbread pairs beautifully with Extra Dry champagne, which is slightly sweeter than Brut. The light sweetness highlights the rich butteriness of the shortbread, creating a smooth and decadent combination.

How to make:

• Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 cup butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla.
• Instructions: Mix butter and sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and flour. Shape into a log, chill, then slice and bake at 325°F for 10-12 minutes.

5. Christmas Snowball Cookies + Demi-Sec Champagne

Christmas snowball cookies—those delicate, buttery bites rolled in powdered sugar—pair wonderfully with Demi-Sec champagne. The light sweetness of the champagne enhances the nutty richness of the cookie, while the powdered sugar coating adds an extra festive touch to this pairing.

How to make:

• Ingredients: 1 cup butter, ½ cup powdered sugar (plus more for coating), 2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), ¼ tsp salt.
• Instructions: Cream butter and powdered sugar, add vanilla. Mix in flour, nuts, and salt. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes. Once cooled, roll in powdered sugar until fully coated.

These cookie and champagne pairings are sure to make your holiday dessert table sparkle. Whether you’re indulging in the nostalgia of snowballs or the sophistication of shortbread, there’s a bubbly pairing to match every sweet treat. Cheers to a delicious and festive season!

Sue