Mimosa Recipe (Champagne Orange Cocktail)
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This champagne orange cocktail (also known as a mimosa) is the perfect beverage to serve for brunch with friends or at a party. It’s a simple recipe made with dry sparkling wine, orange juice, and a splash of Grand Marnier. It’s light, refreshing, and tastes like a celebration.
A champagne orange cocktail (aka a mimosa) is my go-to drink for fun, effortless celebrations. It’s light, fizzy, and instantly sets the mood—perfect for brunch parties, showers, holidays, or any gathering that calls for something cheerful in a glass. Mimosas are always a hit, and they somehow make even the most casual get-together feel a little more special.
What I love most is how easy they are to make for a crowd. Just set out champagne and orange juice and let everyone pour their own, adjusting the ratio to taste, or make a big batch to pour and enjoy. You can keep it classic, offer a few juice options, or include a non-alcoholic sparkling wine so everyone can join in. Minimal effort, maximum party vibes. 🥂
Ingredient notes
- Orange Juice – While fresh squeezed orange juice will turn your mimosa into a real treat, store-bought orange juice tastes great, too. Buy the best orange juice that you can, preferably not from concentrate. Pulp-free is the best option for mimosas as the pulp will leave your pretty champagne flutes looking messy and unappetizing.
- Sparkling Wine – We like brut the best for mimosas as it’s not overly sweet and works well with sweet orange juice. But prosecco or cava are good options, especially if you prefer a sweeter cocktail. No matter which you go for, don’t buy the most expensive bottle. But also steer clear of the cheapest bottles. You want to choose a sparkling wine that you would enjoy sipping on its own.
- Grand Mariner – We sometimes add this for a slightly boozier champagne orange cocktail. You can also use another brand of orange liqueur.
- Orange Bitters – Bitters are spirits that have been infused with various herbs and spices and are sold in small jars often in grocery stores or specialty food stores. Orange bitters are primarily flavored with bitter Sevilla orange peels. A drop or two is all you need to add a little extra flavor and aroma to your cocktail.
Make mimosas for a party
Mimosas are the best party drink! You have two options for how to serve them:
- Set up a mimosa bar – This option is so fun! Set out a few bottles of sparkling wine on ice, several juices, a couple of syrups (such as Cassis), and a few garnishes, and let guests help themselves.
- Make a pitcher—This is the easiest option for both you and your guests. Simply pour the mimosa ingredients into a large pitcher and set it next to a stack of glasses. For this option, choose our 50/50 ratio: 1 part orange juice to 1 part chilled sparkling wine.
To keep the pitcher chilly without diluting the mimosa, you have a few options:
- Add large-format ice cubes. These are the ones I use. Freezing water in muffin tins or even small bowls also works, but you’ll need to run them under hot water to remove the ice cubes.
- You can also freeze orange juice, so your mimosa becomes juicier as the ice melts.
- Alternatively, you can freeze water or juice in the bottom of a plastic pitcher (glass will break) beforehand.
The perfect ratio
The perfect ratio of orange juice to sparkling wine depends on you! We like to make ours with mostly sparkling wine and just a splash of orange juice to top it off. But others prefer their mimosas heavier on the orange juice, with only a little sparkling wine.
To find the perfect balance, I recommend starting with a 50/50 ratio of orange juice to champagne. Fill half of your glass with sparkling wine and half with orange juice. From there, you can experiment with more wine or more orange juice, depending on your taste. The recipe below is based on this 50/50 ratio.
Mimosa Recipe (Champagne Orange Cocktail)
Ingredients
- 1 750 ml bottle dry sparkling wine
- ½ cup Grand Marnier (optional)
- 3 cups orange juice
- 8 drops orange bitters (optional)
- Mint leaf or orange slice (to garnish)
Instructions
- Divide the sparkling wine between champagne flutes, filling each glass at least halfway.1 750 ml bottle dry sparkling wine
- If you're using Grand Marnier, add 2 tablespoons to each glass. To make these fuss-free, simply pour in a splash.½ cup Grand Marnier
- Top with orange juice and add a drop of orange bitters to each glass.3 cups orange juice, 8 drops orange bitters
- To make the mimosas extra pretty, add a mint leaf or orange slice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
This is lovely. Would love to try these for my alcohol adventures. Thanks for sharing!!
Ooo, look at that mimosa! Herr is our taste verdict, it tastes great as it looks will always stay on our list of best drinks to gather up some friends with.
I love mimosas! Love the idea of adding bitters and grand Marnier to them…going to have to try that!
It was the first time I tried this too. It definitely made it a little extra boozy and delicious. I hope you like it too! 🙂
Congratulations!
Thanks, Adam!