I don’t know about you, but I am welcoming sweet sweet summertime every moment I can, despite the vibe-killing double-whammy May Gray/June Gloom smackdown this 2023 season. To say the least, summer has been shy this go around the sun, so if I can’t have the pure vitamin D straight to my veins– I’ll simulate it.
Big floppy sun hats are ON. Sundresses are FLORAL. And I am clutching onto a mimosa Anywhere. I. Can.
That’s right, I am bringing the mimosa beyond the brunch and bridal shower scene. These stunning (and perfectly chuggable) sparkling wine cocktails are fit for all day, any day. Yep, I said it. I’ll take the classic OJ and Champagne mimosa with ANY MEAL. Bold, I know, but I just love them that much… Stay with me, you’ll love them just as much as I do by the end of this article.
Classic Mimosa Recipes
Look, you don’t need anyone to tell you how to mix Champagne and orange juice together. The beauty of the mimosa is its foolproof simplicity, but there are some insider tips that are worth knowing if you’re ready to level up your mimosa game.
The fundamentals are bubbly, juice, garnish, and a simple syrup (if you’re extra fancy.) With these fundamentals in mind, you can conquer the world with your sparkling wine cocktails! Let’s break it all down.
Choose the Right Bubbly
Who said mimosas can only be made with Champagne? Definitely not us. Last Bubbles has high-end beginner bubbles for all occasions from all over the world, so be sure to join our email list to get access to mimosa-ready sparklers at entry-level price points.
Mix it up! Add Prosecco, Cava, Franciacotra, Sekt– whatever , floats your boat. Your sparkler will be the base of your drink, so take the sugar level into account when choosing your juices and mixers. If you have a sweeter bottle get a lighter mixer, if you have a brut to extra dry wine, go for a sweeter mixer.
Try These Juices and Mixers
Classic OJ is a crowd pleaser, but these juices can help mix things up. You can juice them yourself, or buy them bottled or canned at the grocery store. Here are our favorite mimosa mixers that should be on your radar, feel free to mix and match to your heart’s content.
- Cranberry juice
- Pineapple juice
- Grapefruit juice
- Peach puree
- Pomegranate juice
- Pear nectar
- Lychee juice
- Strawberry puree
- Watermelon juice
- Mango puree
- Lemonade
- Limeade
- Maraschino cherry juice
- Grenadine
- Iced green tea
Add a Homemade Simple Syrup
If you want to add some depth, make a simple syrup. Homemade is best, and often cheapest. Adding a simple syrup is one of the fanciest things you can do for your sparkling cocktail without putting in too much elbow grease. Turn your strawberry mimosa into a strawberry rose mimosa with just one splash of DIY syrup. Simple syrup is the ultimate customizer, it’s my little secret for an elevated at-home mimosa bar.
Simple syrups are, well…simple. Just add your fruit or herb of choice to a standard simple syrup recipe and there you have it! You’re officially that home bartender.
Here is some simple syrup inspiration to add to your mimosa.
- Mint Simple Syrup- Pairs well with watermelon juice and limeade
- Cinnamon Simple Syrup- Pairs well with cranberry and pomegranate juice
- Ginger Simple Syrup- Pairs well with cranberry and grapefruit juice
- Rosemary Simple Syrup- Pairs well with blood orange, grapefruit juice, and lemonade
- Thyme Simple Syrup- Pairs well with blood orange, cranberry, and grapefruit juice
- Elderflower Simple Syrup- Pairs well with lemonade, passionfruit, and grapefruit juice
- Lavender Simple Syrup- Pairs well with pear nectar, lychee juice, and lemonade
- Rose Simple Syrup- Pairs well with strawberry, watermelon, and blackberry juice
- Jalapeño Simple Syrup- Pairs well with pineapple and mango juice
Get Weird with Garnishes
Don’t overlook the garnish! This is crucial to the pizzazz of an unforgettable sparkling cocktail. There are no limits– slices of fruit, berries, edible flowers, sprigs of herbs, sugared rims, whipped cream– throw in anything your heart desires.
The Perfect Picnic Mimosa
Need a pre-made mimosa you can toss in your picnic basket? I was inspired by the Corona Sunrise, which is made right th the bottle. Your traditional party mimosa requires setting up an entire bar, and let’s face it– that’s a lot of effort, counterspace, and dishes that I’m just not willing to do when I’m ready to lay out the picnic blanket and relax.
Cue the Mis en Bouteille Mimosa! Named after the sparkling wine term meaning “made in bottle,” this is the world’s most portable mimosa. Here’s what you need to make it happen.
- One bottle of sparkling wine (If you have an opened bottle with some leftover bubbly on hand, this will work great– let’s face it, we often do have an opened bottle we aren’t sure what to do with.This is my favorite way to use up my leftover sparklers.)
- Orange juice (fresh squeezed or pre-packaged)
- 1 small jar or marmalade or jam
Start by scoping out 1-2 tablespoons of jam into a glass (some flavors we enjoyed were orange marmalade and raspberry jam). This step is optional, but a killer choice if you want to maximize sweetness and add an extra element of flavor.
Muddle your jam in your glass to crush any large pieces.
Then, pour a few oz of your sparkling wine into the glass with the jam and mix! Try to incorporate the jam as much as possible. After it has been incorporated, add the jam and sparkling wine mixture back into the bottle. We call this step the mimosa dosage.
Then, pour your juice of choice into the bottle. Yep, straight into the bottle, the perfect picnic mimosa requires portability, people! For the most portability possible, just pack a couple of oranges and a juicer in your basket and assemble at your picnic location. OJ is customary, but feel free to go wild with your mixer of choice, or leave the juice out– jam does the trick just fine if you prefer a drier glass.
Once the jam dosage, juice, and bubbly are married in the bottle, you’re ready to serve!
Elevated Mimosas That Will Knock Your Socks Off
We have dreamed up 5 elevated mimosa recipes that will turn you into a sparkling wine cocktail fiend. Don’t be scared, I turn into one every summer– it’s sort of like the turning of a werewolf but way more chic. Serve these at parties, sip ‘em by the pool, down ‘em as you watch the next season of Love Island… The options are endless.
Blood Orange Rosemary Mimosa
This one is sophisticated but (let’s keep this between us) it’s easy! Here’s how the Blood Orange Rosemary Mimosa comes to be:
- Blood orange juice (fresh squeezed is best)
- Bubbly of choice (prosecco and cava are great options here)
- Blood orange slices to garnish
- Fresh sprigs of rosemary to garnish
Add a 2/1 mixture of sparkling wine to blood orange juice. Then add thinly sliced blood orange pieces into the glass. Place a sprig of rosemary into the glass and serve!
Moscow Mule Mimosa
We like to get the best of both worlds as often as we can around here. This mimosa/mule lovechild is refreshing and fun. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sparkling wine of your choice
- Ginger beer
- Orange juice
- ½ lime, sliced into rounds
- Fresh mint
Get your copper mule cups, and add in equal parts ginger beer and orange juice, about 2 oz of each. Then, top with sparkling wine of your choice and garnish with thinly sliced lime and a sprig of fresh mint.
Lemon Raspberry Mimosa
This one is summer through and through. Perfect pool time sipping ahead! Here’s how it’s done:
- Sparkling wine of your choice
- Raspberry simple syrup, try this simple recipe
- Lemonade, try this brand or this DIY lemonade recipe
- Fresh raspberries to garnish
- Lemon rind to garnish
Add roughly 1 oz raspberry simple syrup to your glass, then add 2 oz lemonade and top with sparkling wine. Finally, garnish with fresh raspberries and lemon peel.
Mimosa Floats
Ice cream. Sparkling wine. Hell. Yeah. This is the most simple recipe on our list, and one of my all time favorites. These mimosa floats feel like a celebration and they receive fanfare whenever I serve them. Here’s how I make them:
- Bubbly of your choice (I like prosecco when using a sorbet and crémant or Champagne when mixing with an ice cream)
- A fruity sorbet or ice cream of your choice. Note that sorbet will be fresher, and ice cream will result in a richer float. (For sorbet, I like Talenti’s Roman Raspberry and for an ice cream float I go with Straus Family Creamery Strawberry ice cream.)
- Fresh mint to garnish
Add one scoop of ice cream or sorbet into a coupe glass, then top with sparkling wine of your choice and garnish with a small bunch of mint leaves. Enjoy!
Let’s not forget that the base to your sparkling wine cocktail is sparkling wine! Stock up on bubbles so you can soak up mimosa season!
Cheers!
We'd love to hear your thoughts! Comments can be sent by email to cheers@lastbubbles.com!