Bellini Cocktail

Here’s how to make a peach bellini! This sparkling Italian cocktail pairs peach puree and Prosecco for bubbly fresh flavor.

Here’s a sparkling cocktail that’s full of beautiful fresh flavor: the Peach Bellini! The bellini is a classic cocktail that comes from Italy. The combination of bubbly Prosecco and sweet peaches couldn’t be more refreshing! It’s ideal in the summer during peach season, as a signature drink for cocktail hour. And of course, it’s natural for brunch like its cousin the mimosa. Luckily, you can use either fresh or frozen peaches: so you can make it anytime! Ready to get started?

What’s a bellini?

The bellini is an Italian cocktail made with peach puree and Prosecco, invented in Venice in the 1940’s. The founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice made the drink and named it for its color, which reminded him of a painting by the artist Giovanni Bellini. The name stuck! Back then, the drink also had raspberry or cherry juice, which gave it a sort of pink glow. Since then, it’s lost that feature and goes straight peaches and bubbles.

This cocktail is on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, meaning that it has an “official” definition. The ingredients in a peach bellini are:

• Peach puree
• Prosecco

Use fresh or frozen peaches for a peach bellini

This peach bellini is best with fresh peaches, but you can use frozen peaches too! Here are a few notes about the peaches to use:

• Fresh peaches: Fresh peaches are preferred here for their ripe, juicy flavor. A traditional Italian peach bellini uses white peaches. But you can use any variety.
• Frozen peaches: If it’s not peach season, go for frozen peaches! The conversion ratio: 3 large peaches = 1 pound frozen peaches. Make sure to thaw them before using: run them under warm water until they come to room temperature.

How to make peach puree

The bellini requires a specialty ingredient: peach puree! Some recipes use store-bought peach nectar or liqueur, but it’s just not the same. You’ll want to make a batch of homemade peach puree for this recipe. It only takes a few minutes to whip up! Here’s what to do:

• Peel the peaches (fresh peaches only). Here’s the easy way to peel the peaches: dunk them in boiling water for 45 seconds! Remove them to an ice bath, and then the skin peels right off. You don’t even need a knife or vegetable peeler.
• Blend in a food processor or blender. Remove the pits, then blend the peaches until a smooth puree forms.
• Add optional sweetener. Keep reading…

Adding sweetener is optional!

Some peach bellinis use peach puree that’s been sweetened. Others use puree that relies on the natural sweetness of the peaches. If you make it using perfectly ripe fresh peaches, you won’t need any sweetener at all.

But frozen peaches can be less sweet than fresh peaches. Fresh peaches also vary in ripeness. Taste your puree and if it tastes tart, add a little sugar and blend again. (You can also add honey or maple syrup.) Customize the sweetness to your liking.

How to make a peach bellini (2 steps)

Once you’ve made the peach puree…there’s not much to a bellini! Here’s what to do:

• Add peach puree to a glass. Use ¼ cup puree per glass.
• Add a splash of Prosecco and gently mix it with the puree.
• Top off the glass with Prosecco. You’ll want to preserve all those bubbles. Cheers!

Got peach schnapps? Add a swig to each glass for even more pronounced peach flavor.

Mix it up: bellini variations

There are a few ways to mix up your bellini! You can use different fruit purees to customize the drink. Here are some ideas:

• Pomegranate juice: it becomes the Tintoretto
• Strawberry puree: it becomes the Rossini
• Mango puree: it becomes a Mango Bellini
• Strawberry rhubarb puree: it becomes a Rhubarb Bellini
• Add Aperol: it becomes a Bitter Peach Bellini

When to serve a peach bellini

The peach bellini is perfect for many occasions, especially as a brunch drink! But it’s also great for summer afternoons and evenings. Here are some great times to serve it:

• Brunch drink (Mother’s Day, etc)
• Summer drink
• Happy hour drink
• Bridal shower drink
• Bachelorette party drink
• Luncheon drink

Also try our other juicy Peach Cocktails!

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More Prosecco cocktails

Here are a few more Prosecco cocktails you can use to highlight this bubbly Italian sparkling wine:

• Prosecco Cocktail Sophisticated and classy, with citrus notes from Grand Marnier and lots of bubbles.
• Aperol Spritz Worth the hype! It’s light and bubbly, with hints of citrus and herbs: one of the most refreshing mixed drinks of all time.
• St Germain Prosecco Cocktail Mix Prosecco with elderflower liqueur with champagne, lemon, and gin.
• Prosecco Mimosa The best mimosa! Made wtih Italian Prosecco, orange juice, and a dash of Cointreau for the perfect bubbly citrus flavor.
• Negroni Sbagliato A spin on the classic cocktail using sparkling wine instead of gin. It’s bitter, sweet, and bubbly all at once: an improvement on the original!