We love making cranberry mimosas on a slow Saturday morning or during the holidays.
Cranberry Mimosa
While we always love a classic mimosa, adding cranberry to this brunch staple cocktail makes it even more refreshing and festive. In this cranberry mimosa recipe, the traditional orange juice and sparkling wine combo gets spiced up with pureed cranberries and a hint of lemon. We recommend squeezing the orange juice fresh, rather than buying store-bought, and using a high-quality, dry sparkling wine for the best results. Top with fresh mint and serve alongside your favorite brunch recipe—and you’ve got all the makings of a truly memorable weekend morning. Â
Cranberry Mimosa Ingredients
- Fresh or frozen cranberries:Â The sweetness of cranberries is a wonderful counterpart to the acidity of the orange juice.
- Orange juice:Â The fresher the orange juice, the better; we’d recommend juicing your own oranges (and straining the pulp) to get the punchiest flavor.
- Lemon juice:Â Lemon juice adds a slight tartness that pairs well with the other ingredients.
- Champagne:Â Use a good, dry sparkling wine like Prosecco or cava, as these mix well with orange juice.
- (Optional) Fresh mint leaves:Â While optional, fresh mint leaves add a fresh herby flavor and a pretty pop of green to cranberry mimosas.
Directions
Step 1: Puree the ingredients
Place the cranberries and 1 cup of orange juice in a blender; cover and process until pureed, stopping to scrape down the side of the jar with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the lemon juice and remaining orange juice; cover and process until blended.
Step 2: Prepare the mimosas
Pour 1/3 cup of the cranberry mixture into each champagne flute or wine glass. Top with 3/4 cup of the sparkling wine; garnish with mint if desired.
Cranberry Mimosa Recipe Variations
- Use cranberry juice instead of fresh (or frozen) cranberries:Â If you’d rather use cranberry juice instead of fresh cranberries, this is perfectly fine; use a couple ounces of juice, instead.
- Substitute oranges for clementines or blood oranges: Feel free to swap regular oranges for blood oranges, clementines or whatever your favorite orange citrus is if you’re squeezing your juice fresh (which we highly recommend doing).
How to Store Cranberry Mimosas
Store any leftover mimosa mixture in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 24 hours. After this, the sparkling wine will lose its carbonation. In fact, if you have leftover sparkling wine, it’s best to store it separately, by sealing it off with a champagne stopper.
Can I pre-mix cranberry mimosas?
You could, but you’d lose some of the carbonation of the sparkling wine if you make them too far in advance. We’d recommend mixing a pitcher of these mimosas and storing the pitcher in the fridge just before serving.
Cranberry Mimosa Recipe Tips
What is the ideal ratio of sparkling wine, orange juice and cranberries?
If you want a stronger drink, go with two parts sparkling wine and one part OJ and cranberry juice. If you want a sweeter (less strong) mimosa, start with more of a 50/50 ratio and add in more juice to your liking.
Should I stir my mimosas before serving them?
No, you shouldn’t stir your mimosas. Stirring disrupts the bubbles in the sparkling wine and makes them go flat.
What are some other garnishes I can use for cranberry mimosas?
Aside from mint, we love using orange wedges or berries to garnish your glass.
Cranberry Orange Mimosas
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 3 cups orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 bottles (750 ml each) champagne, chilled
- Fresh mint leaves, optional
Directions
- Place cranberries and 1 cup orange juice in a blender; cover and process until pureed, stopping to scrape down side of jar with a rubber spatula as needed. Add lemon juice and remaining orange juice; cover and process until blended.
- Pour 1/3 cup cranberry mixture into each champagne flute or wine glass. Top with 3/4 cup champagne; serve with mint if desired.
Nutrition Facts
1 serving: 163 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium, 11g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.