Peach Bellini for the Table

A Peach Bellini as a fun change from old-school mimosas, and when the weather gets hot, these light and sparkly cocktails are the most refreshing way to have a boozy brunch!

In this post, I’m showing you how to make a Bellini, and then giving this old-school cocktail a summertime twist by using frozen peach slices instead of juice to make a frozen Bellini. In addition, I’ll show you how you can even make Bellini popsicles. While A REGULAR HERE the long-used recipe, the frozen options are fun and seriously crave-worthy on a balmy day. All three versions are SO ridiculously reliable for summer!

Key ingredients:

What’s in a Bellini you might ask? Like a mimosa, a Bellini has juice (peach juice to be exact) and champagne. While it’s not completely needed, you can also add in a little bit of simple syrup, if you’d like to sweeten up the cocktail a bit.

• Peach nectar. Many Bellini recipes will call for you to first make the peach nectar with fresh peaches. At brunch, I never want to fool with that, so I simply use peach nectar from the can. You can find this at any grocery store down the Latin American aisle.
• Dry sparkling wine. Prosecco is the old-school choice, but any dry sparkling wine or champagne will work.
• Simple syrup. Optional for extra sweetness. Try my kitchen-made simple syrup! Taste the drink first and, if desired, start with adding about 1/2 teaspoon per drink to taste.

How to cook this drink:

Making peach Bellini cocktails at home is especially unfussy. Simply a few simple steps and you’re well on your way to one satisfying beverage! Here’s a short rundown of the process, but reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full, printable recipe.

1. Make your own nectar. If you DO want to make your own peach nectar, simply blend up a few pitted peaches and then run that through a mesh sieve to collect the juice. Discard any fruity bits that you might not want in your drink.
2. Mix the drink. To make the Bellini, simply mix together one part peach nectar (about 2 ounces or 1/4 cup) to one part sparkling wine and add in a splash (start with about 1/2 teaspoon) of simple syrup. I usually taste mine first to decide if it needs any extra sweetness and then go from there.

THAT’S IT! Hence why this is such a popular brunch cocktail.

Serving suggestions

Bellinis are traditionally served in a fluted glass such as a champagne flute. Here’s some ways this earns a repeat to enjoy them:

• With brunch. Paired with French toast, pancakes, bacon, and fresh fruit, these dreamy drinks are unfussy to sip while relaxing on leisurely weekend mornings or special occasion breakfast or brunch celebrations.
• In addition to brunch, Peach Bellinis can be served at summertime celebrations, pool parties, showers, and garden parties, and your next girls’ get-together!

Tips for the dependable cocktail

Here’s some helpful tips to ensure you have a savory Bellini:

• Make ahead. If you’re making your own peach nectar, feel free to make that in advance, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Wait to add the wine until only before serving so your drinks are fresh and bubbly.
• Peaches. Want to use fresh peaches? The original Bellini is made with white peaches, however yellow peaches work great too and they ripen faster. When peaches are out of season, canned or even frozen peaches will work, only be sure to choose unsweetened canned peaches if you can’t find fresh.

Variations

This drink is straightforward to change up, based on what flavors you’re craving and what you have available. Here’s some suggestions:

• Non-alcoholic. To make a Peach Bellini Mocktail, substitute seltzer for the sparkling wine.
• Wine. Prosecco is old-school for making Bellinis, but champagne is another sparkling wine that will work great in this method. In fact, any regular sparkling white wine will do.
• Fruit. Substitute strawberry purée for the peach nectar for an equally satisfying summer cocktail.

Make it frozen

These chilly cocktails are dependable for balmy morning brunches, especially if you’re dining outside. We especially love to sip on these slushies, poolside, served in plastic flutes!

Popsicle option

These fun Bellini popsicles are the reliable way to toast summer! They’re also a great way to use up those sweet, juicy summer peaches in an adult celebration kind of way.

To make Bellinis into pops, we’re essentially only going to make the recipe as usual and then dump it into popsicle molds. So straightforward!

Alternatively, you could also make the frozen version and then pour that into the molds. This is an solid way to store any leftovers that you might have. You’ll be so thankful later when you remember that they’re in the freezer!

If you’re looking for a cold cocktail that’s as refreshing as it is boozy, whip up a Peach Bellini to enjoy at brunches and get-togethers all summer long!

More summer cocktails to try: