This brunch-time staple is one of my all time favorite cocktails. A mimosa's combination of fresh, sweet, and bubbly makes it a great sidekick for friends and the morning sun! I'm going to show you how
to make a classic mimosa recipe (the best in my opinion) and offer suggestions for fun and tasty variations.
Step 1: SuppliesDry Sparkling WineBecause you're mixing it with orange juice, you don't have to worry about buying super high quality wine, but I do recommend spending at least $10 (and up to $15) per bottle. If you spend less there's a good chance you'll end up with a big headache in exchange for your dollars saved.
My favorite sparkling wine for making mimosas is Presto, a prosecco brut - inexpensive and delicious!
Orange Juice
For the best tasting drink, it only makes sense to buy the best quality juice! And to me that means fresh squeezed, NOT concentrate. If you don't have time to juice it yourself, there are good commercially squeezed options available at most grocery stores.
Glasses
For a classic mimosa look, champagne flutes are the way to go (pictured), but don't hesitate to change that up if your occasion calls for it. As an example, canning jars as glasses would look great at a barn brunch!
Garnishes
Orange slices and mint make great garnishes!
Cold is Gold!
It's important to keep both the sparkling wine and the OJ in the fridge right up until it's time to mix and serve the drinks. This ensures that the bubbles stay bubbly and the flavor stays fresh!
Step 2: The Golden RatioThe classic mix ratio is 50% sparkling wine / 50% orange juice.
Always pour the sparkling wine in first! This ensures that the wine gets mixed into the orange juice without having to stir it, which can flatten the wine.
* For my Instructable on how to open a champagne bottle without blowing it,
click here!Step 3: Mix Using GravityTop up the glass with your fresh squeezed OJ.
Step 4: Garnish & Serve!Add garnish of choice and immediately serve.
Step 5: Recipe VariationsSome great recipe variations to try are:
- using orange / mango juice (This juice is thicker, so make the ratio 60% wine to 40% juice.)
- adding cut strawberries, lemon, and basil, 40% sparkling water, and only a splash of OJ to the 50% sparkling wine
- using fresh squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice instead of OJ
- adding some pineapple juice to your OJ before mixing it with the wine
Let me know which one turns into your favorite and happy brunching!