Apple Cider Mimosa

Name: Apple Cider Mimosa
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar; 2 ounces apple cider (or unfiltered apple juice); ½ ounce bourbon or spiced rum; 2 ounces sparkling wine; Apple slices (to garnish)

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Gluten Free Vegetarian

Apple cider mimosas are so simple, refreshing, and festive! With fresh apple cider, bourbon, sparkling wine, and a cinnamon sugar rim, they're the perfect fall cocktail for seasonal celebrations. They're easy to make and they're ready in just 5 minutes!

For more tasty fall cocktails, also try our apple bourbon smash or spiced cranberry hot toddy recipe.

two Apple Cider Mimosas in champagne flutes

We're putting an autumnal twist on the classic brunch cocktail with these apple cider mimosas. We swap the orange juice for apple cider and use bourbon instead of grand marnier, which gives it lots of fall flavor and makes it taste like apple pie.

They're easy as pie to make, too. We start by dipping a champagne glass in cinnamon sugar to give it a tasty rim. Then we pour in the apple cider and bourbon (or rum) and then top it with sparkling wine to make it all bubbly. We garnish the glass with a fresh apple slice, and that's it!

It's the cinnamon sugar rim that really does it for us, though. It's sweet with lots of cinnamon flavor and it looks elegant, too.

Apple mimosas are a crowd-pleasing drink that look fancy without being fussy, and are perfect for cozy brunches or sipping by the fire.

Apple mimosa ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this crisp and refreshing mimosa recipe with apple cider:

Cinnamon sugar – we use our homemade cinnamon sugar blend. It's easy to make your own by mixing one part cinnamon with four parts sugar.
Apple cider – fresh apple cider is ideal, but unfiltered apple juice tastes great, too.
Bourbon or spiced rum – bourbon has notes of caramel and vanilla, while spiced rum is sweeter with notes of vanilla and cinnamon. Use your favorite or what you have on hand. Both add lots of flavor to this festive cocktail.
Sparkling wine – brut works best for mimosas because it's not overly sweet so it balances out the sweetness of the apple cider. If you prefer a sweeter cocktail, use prosecco or cava. We recommend a mid-priced bottle of champagne; something we'd enjoy sipping on its own that won't break the bank.
Apple slices – for garnish.

sparkling wine being poured into a champagne flute with apple cider

How to make an apple pie mimosa

Apple cider mimosas are festive and refreshing, making them perfect for special occasions or autumn nights. Here's how to make it in a couple of easy steps:

Give your glass a tasty cinnamon sugar rim by dipping the wet rim in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Now pour the apple cider and bourbon (or rum) into the glass and top it with sparkling wine. To finish it off, garnish it with an apple slice. Cheers!

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

How to make a pitcher of apple cider mimosa

If you're entertaining, it's easy to turn this recipe into a pitcher for parties by using cups instead of ounces. Use 2 cups of apple cider, ½ cup of bourbon (or spiced rum), and 2 cups of sparkling wine. To serve, simply rim your champagne flutes with cinnamon sugar, and pour.

FAQS

What kind of sparkling wine works best with this recipe?

We like making mimosas with brut as the drier taste is a nice balance with the sweet juice. If you prefer to sip something sweeter, go ahead and use prosecco or cava. For this recipe, a mid-priced bottle works best. Pick something that you'd enjoy sipping on its own but isn't overly expensive.

Can I prepare them ahead of time?

You can rim the glass the day before your party. And you can mix the apple cider and bourbon (or rum) in a pitcher a day in advance and leave it in your fridge. Make sure to wait until you're ready to serve it to add the sparkling wine so it's cold and bubbly.

What's the best mimosa ratio?

The perfect ratio of juice to sparkling wine is really up to you. In the recipe, we use a 50/50 ratio of apple cider to sparkling wine, so that's a good place to start. Then you can experiment by adding more or less juice depending on your taste.

Can I make it a virgin cocktail?

Yes! To turn it into a mocktail (aka no alcohol), simply omit the bourbon (or spiced rum) and use sparkling water instead of sparkling wine. Or you can choose to opt for a dealcoholized sparkling wine.

What to serve with an apple cider mimosa

Like the classic mimosa, this apple cider cocktail pairs perfectly with pancakes, eggs, and bacon for brunch. It's also a great pre-dinner drink for holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas with appetizers like these three easy party dips.

Fall brunch recipes that taste great with an apple cider mimosa

Champagne flutes with Apple Cider Mimosa and an apple ring garnish.

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