How to Make Flavored Mimosa Cocktails

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Create delicious cocktail-bar-worthy mimosas at home with this simple drink guide! You can make a traditional mimosa or build YOUR best flavored mimosa recipe using your favorite sparkling wine or champagne, orange juice, fresh fruit juice or purée, and an optional touch of liqueur. Pop a bottle of bubbly and celebrate your next holiday, special occasion or Sunday brunch with fizzy champagne cocktails!

Hi friends! Happy almost Easter! Can you believe it – just three days and counting!!

For me, Easter Sunday is all about an elegant brunch or lunch. And, I’m a firm believer that celebrating a holiday brunch (and Sundays in general) needs to involve a bubbly, festive cocktail of some kind. So, today I’m sharing a guide to the best brunch drink in all the land – a champagne mimosa.

Below you will find all the tips and tricks for making the best champagne cocktails at home. Everything from the best wine to use, along with the best fresh fruit juices, to the best ratio of sparkling wine to juice, and MORE. Plus, you can find simple mimosa recipes for some classics, such as the Bellini and French Mimosa, along with plenty of fun and delicious ideas for mimosa cocktail variations.

And, if you’re looking for more fruity, refreshing cocktail recipes, try these reader favorites next: elderflower liqueur cocktail, strawberry and basil cocktail, kiwi cocktail with tequila, and rum runner punch.

About this recipe for mimosas with champagne 

Sunday brunch and (bottomless!) mimosas may be a famous combination; however, these bubbly wine cocktails are more than just a brunch drink! They make the perfect special treat to celebrate any holiday or event! The mimosa is effervescent, refreshing and downright delicious! And, since it skips hard liquor in favor or sparkling wine, it makes a wonderful choice for morning and pre-noon consumption! These champagne mixed drinks are a bubbly celebration in a glass and everybody loves them!

Traditional mimosas are made with a blend of fresh orange juice, champagne, and orange liqueur; however, you can make any flavor of mimosa you desire!

This simple template will help you with making your best mimosas – using your favorite champagne or sparkling wine, along with your preferred liqueurs, juice flavors and fresh fruits! Below is everything you need to know to easily build your own mimosa cocktail!

Shown here is a mango raspberry mimosa, featuring champagne and chambord along with a simple mango purée. However, you can use a variety of fresh fruit, such as peaches or pineapples, for purées! Keep your champagne cocktail simple with fresh-squeezed orange juice, or get fancy with purées and deliciously-flavored liqueurs, like blood orange! Create your best mimosas and celebrate (or brunch!) your way!

What is a mimosa?

A mimosa is a stirred (not shaken) alcoholic mixed drink. While some may think a mimosa drink is simply made up of orange juice and champagne, there’s technically more than that in the classic bubbly cocktail! A traditional mimosa recipe is a blend of Champagne with orange juice and a generous touch of triple sec. However, you can use any orange liqueur you prefer, for example, Grand Marnier and Cointreau also taste great in traditional orange juice mimosa!

Ingredients for mimosa drink

You’ll need three simple ingredients to make this flavored mimosa drink recipe!

• Champagne: For each mimosa you will need 4 ounces of chilled champagne or sparkling wine!
• Liqueur: A traditional mimosa uses an orange liqueur; however, you can use 1/2-ounce of any flavoured liqueur you prefer, such as Chambord. (shown here!)
• Fruit Juice or Puree: I like to use 2 ounces of fresh fruit juice in my mimosa; however, you can use up to 4 ounces of juice for a more mellow cocktail.

Kitchen equipment 

You don’t need anything fancy to make the best champagne drinks at home!

• Champagne Flute(s)
• Blender (to make fresh fruit purees!)

Flavored mimosa variations

Below are a few of my favorite flavor variations of a champagne cocktail:

Classic Mimosa

To make the classic orange champagne cocktail, combine 4 ounces of chilled Brut champagne with 2 ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice and a 1/2 ounce of triple sec.

French Mimosa

A French champagne cocktail is a blend of 4 ounces chilled champagne with 1/2 to 1 ounce of Chambord. This mixed drink has a beautiful deep-red hue, making it a wonderful option for Christmas and wedding showers.

Bellini

A Bellini uses prosecco along with peach puree, while mimosa uses champagne with orange juice. To make a fruity champagne cocktail, swap out the mangos for peaches and omit the Chambord in the mimosas recipe below.

Peach Raspberry Mimosa

This easy mimosa is perfect for summer! Simply swap out the mangos for peaches in the mimosa drink recipe below.

Melon Mimosa

If you love the flavor of honeydew, try making a Melon Mimosa. Mix 4 ounces of sparkling wine or champagne with 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of Midori and 1 to 2 ounces of sour mix to create a melon sparkling cocktail.

Champagne Fizz

Unlike other champagne cocktails, this regular strength cocktail boasts a full serving of gin, making it great drink option for lunch or dinner. To make a gin champagne cocktail, mix 3 to 4 ounces of sweet champagne with 1 1/2 ounces of gin, 1 ounce of fresh lemon juice and superfine sugar to taste.

San Remo

A San Remo cocktail is similar to a mimosa cocktail, except stronger and more appropriate as a an after dinner drink or apéritif. This orange cocktail mixes 3 to 4 ounces of champagne with 1 ounce of white grapefruit juice and a half ounce of each, triple sec and mandarin liqueur.

Mockmosa

A mock mimosa, also known as a mock-tail or non-alcoholic mimosa, is perfect for baby showers or if you are entertaining non-drinkers. To make this non-alcoholic cocktail, simply blend 2 ounces of fresh O.J. with 4 ounces of sparking white grape juice.

FAQs: frequently asked questions

What‘s the best champagne for mimosas?

The type of champagne or sparkling wine you use to make mimosas is definitely a question of personal taste. It’s also a question of how much money you want to drop on brunch cocktails! There are a few different varieties of “bubbly” you can use to make any classic mimosa recipe, including the raspberry mimosa shown in the photos here.

• Champagne: True champagne is from the champagne region of France. Most mimosa recipes call for a Brut champagne, which is the driest available. However, you can use Dry or Extra Dry bubbly to make a mimosa.
• Sparkling Wine: Any bubbly wine not from Champagne, France.
• Prosecco or Cava: Cava is from Spain, while Prosecco is from Italy; however, they’re both delicious dry sparkling wines that blend well with juice.
• Rosé: Rosé champagne is a type of pink champagne which is distinguished by its slightly reddish color. Swapping out traditional champagne for rosé will give your mixed drink a stunning pink hue.

Take away: If you prefer your champagne drinks on the sweeter side, use a bubbly with the label “dry” or ‘extra dry”. Despite the label, dry champagnes are sweeter than a “brut” champagne. Alternatively, you can also use a bottle of Prosecco for sweeter orange juice cocktails.

Tips for selecting champagne

While you can use champagne, sparkling wine, prosecco, cava or rosé to make the best mimosa, there are a few simple cocktail “guidelines” you should follow!

• Make sure your wine pairs well and balances your other ingredients! For example, if your champagne is on the sweet side, you may want to use Cointreau (drier flavor) instead of Grand Marnier (sweeter flavor) to balance it out.
• Use a nice, drinkable bottle of wine! While I would avoid purchasing the cheapest bottle of sparkling wine (steer clear of those hangovers!), you don’t need to use the most expensive champagne either! You really can’t go wrong with a decent bottle of bubbly. And, if you are watching your budget, I typically use cava or prosecco for champagne cocktails and this mango mimosa recipe.

How many bottles of champagne do I need for a mimosa bar?

The amount of wine bottles will depend upon how many guest you are looking to serve. However, a good rule of thumb is to plan on one 750 mL bottle of champagne or wine for every 3 guests. One bottle of wine will typically yield 6 to 8 mimosa drinks and most guests will enjoy 2 mimosas.

What is the best mimosa ratio?

A mimosa is not simply a champagne and Orange juice beverage. It’s a classic champagne cocktail; the juice should complement the wine, not overwhelm it.  A champagne to juice ratio of 2-parts sparkling wine, 1-part juice and half-a-part liqueur accomplishes just that.

However, you should use the ratio as a starting point and adjust your mimosa mix according to your specific taste. You can use use more sparkling wine for a stiffer mimosa drink and more juice for a toned-down wine cocktail.

The best orange juice and champagne ratio

4 ounces brut champagne + 2 ounces juice from fresh oranges + 1/2 ounce orange liqueur

What are the best fruit juices and purees for mimosas?

While a mimosa is traditionally made with orange juice, you can use a variety of fruit juices in your champagne cocktail! Freshly squeezing your juice or pureeing fresh fruit will result in the best flavor! However, if you need to purchase juice for your mimosa, I recommend selecting a high-quality, non-concentrate, pulp-free orange juice for the closest freshly-squeezed flavor!

When choosing fruit juice(s) for making mimosas, consider the sweetness or acidity of the wine! It’s best to use a juice flavor that will complement and balance the flavor of the sparkling wine!

Juice ideas

• Orange juice: Mimosas are traditionally made with fresh orange juice.
• Pomegranate juice: A blend of pomegranate juice and orange juice makes a yummy mimosa cocktail!
• Grapefruit juice: You will want to balance the bitterness of the grapefruit with agave or a honey simple syrup!
• Cranberry juice: Try pairing cranberry juice with tart lemon juice and a sweeter sparkling wine for a holiday mimosa!
• Pineapple juice: Make a prosecco mimosa by using pineapple juice and triple sec.

Puree ideas

Fruit purees have a richer mouthfeel and slightly sweeter flavor than fruit juices.

• Mango purée: Use mango puree along with chambord to create a brut champagne mimosa! (Shown here!)
• Peach purée: Pair white peach puree with prosecco to create a Bellini!!
• Strawberry purée: Combine strawberry puree and sparkling wine to make a classic Rossini!
• Pineapple purée: Create a tropical mimosa perfect for summer by using pineapple puree and grenadine!
• Apple cider: Fresh apple cider mimosas are a must come fall season!
• Club soda: Instead of sparkling wine, offer a non-alcoholic option, such as club soda to ensure your mimosa bar is a family friendly event!

How to garnish a champagne mimosa cocktail?

A cocktail garnish is an edible decorative item that adds visual appeal and a touch of elegance to your drink! Garnishes should complement the mimosas flavor, either by contrasting with it, tying flavors together, enhancing flavors, or perfectly complementing them. A drink garnish is much like a condiment or a prepared food garnish, you can use it to customize or personalize the taste of your alcoholic cocktail or non-alcoholic drink!

The most popular cocktail decorations include fresh fruit wedges, slices, or citrus twists, along with whole berries and elaborate cocktail garnish sticks.

5 easy garnishes for champagne with orange juice

Edible garnishes are a great way to bring the cocktail-bar experience home! Whether you are hosting a cocktail party or simply want to spruce-up your five-o’clock drink, these cocktail garnish ideas will have you looking like a mimosa pro!

• Fresh Berries: Suffuse your champagne drink with fruity flavor by decorating your glass with seasonal berries. Berries, such as fresh strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and even pineapple wedges or kiwi rounds pair perfectly with champagne cocktails.
• Citrus: Inject a touch of juice or citrus oil into your drink by garnishing your flavored mimosas with slice or twist of citrus! An orange wedge or slice is the most traditional garnish for a mimosa.
• Dress up the Rim: Give your drink an easy decorative touch by dressing up the rim with salt, sugar or spices. For example, pair cocktails on the sweeter side with a sugared rim. Or if your drink is on the cozy side, try mixing different spices, such as cinnamon or cayenne, to play up the drink’s flavors.
• Fresh herbs: Fresh herbs, such as mint, are a great way to infuse your sparkling wine cocktail with herbal flavor. Or take your libation over the top by using herbs with sturdy stems, like rosemary or lavender, as a cocktail skewer. You can put anything from fresh fruits to citrus rounds a skewer.
• Candied Fruit: Elevate both the flavor and visual appeal of fresh fruit by candying them in sugar and spices. Thread a few candied gems onto a cocktail skewer and float it over your drink for a sparkly perfect pairing.

How to create a fruit and mimosa bar?

Whether you are looking to relax with friends for brunch or celebrate a wedding shower, a DIY champagne bar is a refined, yet easy way to impress! Set out a few bottles of chilled champagne or bubbly sparkling wine, along with carafes of fresh juices, bowls of seasonal fruits and cups of fresh herbs to garnish the champagne flutes. A mimosa bar is a fun way to encourage your friends and family to get creative and experiment with different flavor combinations!

Tips to DIY a holiday mimosa bar

• Roomy location! Be sure to set up the mimosa bar in an area where guests can easily move around and help themselves! If you are serving food along with your champagne bar, consider keeping them in different areas. You may want to create separate stations, such as a drink station and food station!
• Select your sparkling wine! If you are entertaining, don’t waste your money on expensive champagne. Instead, opt for a dry or semi-dry sparkling wine, an Italian Prosecco or a Spanish Cava.
• Keep the bubbly cold! Mimosas are best served chilled, without ice, so you’ll want to use wine buckets or a beverage tub to keep the champagne cold!
• Presentation! Make sure you plan out what type juices you plan on offering and think about the number of pitchers or carafes for serving. Also, you will need to pull out your champagne flutes or grab some plastic champagne flutes online. Lastly, grab some small bowls for holding your cocktail garnishes!

Serving champagne and orange juice

Traditional mimosas – a blend of champagne or sparkling wine, such as prosecco, and orange juice – is generally considered a brunch drink. However, since the mimosa cocktail is light on alcohol, it makes a great anytime drink!

When pairing food to go with flavored mimosas or a champagne bar, you will want to consider your choices of juices and fresh fruit! If you are using sweet fruit juices with sweet sparkling wines, opt for salty, savory or fatty foods which will complement or cut through the sweetness of the fruit!

Brunch mimosa food pairings

A mimosa is the best brunch drink for many reasons! First of all, it’s light on the alcohol. And secondly, the fizzy champagne bubbles and fresh orange juice or citrus pair terrifically with breakfast foods. Below are a few breakfast and brunch dishes that work well with champagne!

• Eggs Benedict: Luxurious, rich Eggs Benedict is a brunch classic for a reason.
• Brunch Spreads: Set up a brunch bar complete with fresh fruits, breakfast egg muffins, candied bacon, danishes, and plenty of bubbly mimosas.
• Avocado Egg Toast: If you’re entertaining family or friends, try this easy avocado toast with these brunch cocktails.
• Bakery Treats: Rich homemade cheese danishes, easy powdered sugar donut holes and cinnamon sugar donut muffins, or a large blueberry muffin are the perfect decadent pairing option for a mimosa.
• Breakfast Meats: Fatty breakfast meats, such as sausage patties, sausage links, and ham are a great way to cut through the sweetness of a brunch mimosa! Alternatively, salty bacon and candied bacon also work well with the sweet notes of the cocktail.
• Parfaits: Try pairing crunchy chocolate granola and fresh fruit-topped yogurt or smoothie bowls with mimosas. The tangy parfaits work well with this light cocktail!
• Quiche: Rich, dense egg quiches and mimosas are a combination that’s easy to love.
• Breakfast casseroles: Savory sausage and egg casseroles, sweet breakfast casseroles, or pumpkin breakfast casseroles pair wonderfully with sweet bubbly cocktails.

Appetizers with champagne cocktails

You can serve sparkling wine cocktails as an apéritif or appetizer! These refreshing alcoholic champagne drinks are great to serve before a dinner party, because they are light enough to stimulate the appetite and not get anyone tipsy before the meal! Below are a few finger foods and appetizers that go well with sparkling wine cocktails

• Cheese Dips: The savory, rich flavors in cheese dips, such warm goat cheese dip or cold smoked salmon dip, offer a perfect balance to the bubbles and citrus!
• Charcuterie board: An assortment of rich cheese, salty crackers and dense meats pair perfectly with bubbles!
• Sliders: The savory flavors of hamburger sliders pair wonderfully with the sweetness of an orange cocktail!
• Mac and cheese balls: Rich macaroni and cheese and a light cocktail, such as champagne and orange juice, are an ideal pairing!

Tell me, what festively fun flavored Mimosa cocktail will you make!?  Until next time, friends, Cheers! May your holiday be marry and the Easter cocktails be plenty!

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More bubbly champagne cocktails!

If you love these brunch mimosas try one of these mixed drink recipes next!

• Sorbet Rosé Float (a fizzy treat for summer!)
• Champagne Sangria (featuring bubbly and sweet white wine!)

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