The Best Mimosa Recipe (Champagne and Orange Juice)
Everybody knows How to Make Mimosas, but a few simple steps like fresh squeezed orange juice, glasses rinsed with Grand Marnier, and easy orange peel curls make this round truly special and celebratory.
This is the best guide for How to Make a Mimosa!
If you’re looking to elevate your weekend or Mother’s Day brunch game, look no further than this mimosa recipe.
But this isn’t your standard bottle of cheap sparkling wine with a trace of bottled OJ floating on top. Everybody already knows how to make that (and everybody’s a bit disappointed by it, no?).
Today, we’re taking a few simple steps, like fresh squeezed orange juice, tall glasses rinsed with Grand Marnier, and an easy orange peel curl, to make this round of mimosas something truly special and celebratory.
Why you’ll love this Mimosas Recipe
- You’ll be surprised at how much the refreshing citrus flavor of fresh squeezed orange juice + Grand Marnier beats bottled juice.
- Impress your friends with a drink that looks and tastes sophisticated but actually doesn’t really require that much effort.
What’s in a Mimosa Drink?
- orange juice – take a few extra minutes and fresh squeeze some oranges. You’ll need 12 ounces of juice. If you have an electric juicer, you’ll need about 4 oranges. If you are squeezing by hand, you’ll probably need a few more.
- champagne – or sparkling wine or prosecco. You don’t need a $100 bottle, but we’re adults who can admit that the $7 bottle gives us a headache. Shoot for something somewhere in between.
- Grand Marnier – This makes our mimosa a little more potent and a little more orange-y. I learned a little glass rinsing bartending trick in New Orleans (there, they were rinsing glasses with Herbsaint (an absinthe subsitute) before making Sazeracs). I brought it home and tried this technique with Grand Marnier to add depth of flavor and a little more kick to mimosas, and here we are. Grand Marnier is made from a blend of cognac and orange-flavored liqueuer. Cointreau is a little different (it’s a triple sec not made with brandy), but it also works here if you have it on hand.
How to make Mimosas
1. GLASS RINSE. Gather 6 champagne glasses and pour 1/2 ounce of Grand Marnier into one of them. Swish and swirl the glass around until the entire inside of the glass is coated in the liqueur, then transfer the Grand Marnier to the second glass and repeat the process. Continue repeating the process until all of the glasses are coated in Grand Marnier.
2. JUICE AND CHAMPAGNE. Divide the orange juice between the glasses first, and then divide the champagne over the juice. When I’ve tried it the other way (champagne first and then juice) I’ve had glasses fizz and foam so much that they overflow. So, trust me: do the juice first and then the champagne.
Home Chef Tips for making Orange Peel Curls to garnish the Best Mimosa Recipe
- Slice an orange into rounds, no more than 1/4-inch thick. Older oranges actually work great for this.
- Use a very sharp paring knife to cut the orange rind away from each slice, leaving as much of the pith behind as possible. Remove the rind ring and make one cut to open the circle into a long ribbon.
- Spiral the rind ribbon around something long and skinny, such as a pencil, straw, or BBQ skewer. The skinnier the object you wrap it around, the more curl you will get.
- Allow curls to dry for about 20 minutes before using if possible. Use a fan pointed at the curls to speed up the drying process.
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Mimosa Drink Variations
Once you’ve learned how to make a mimosa, expand your mimosa horizons with these fun variations:
- Bubbly Rosé Mimosa – Use sparkling rosé wine in place of the champagne for a blush-colored twist on a mimosa drink.
- Berry Bliss Mimosa – Instead of Grand Marnier, rinse the glasses with berry liqueur like Chambord or Creme de Cassis to give your mimosa a burst of fruity flavor. Garnish with fresh berries!
- Bellini – swap the orange juice for peach puree to create this Italian-inspired cocktail.
Other drinks to make with Champagne and Orange Juice
Looking to explore beyond this mimosa recipe? You can create a few other libations using orange juice and champagne:
- Champagne and Orange Mojito – use a classic mojito recipe, but swap the rum for a generous pour of champagne. The combination of fresh mint leaves, orange juice, champagne and soda water is bubbly and refreshing.
- Citrus Champagne Spritzer – Combine equal parts orange juice and lemon-lime soda, then top each glass off with champagne for a light and effervescent spritzer.
Mimosa Drink
Ingredients
- ½ ounce Grand Marnier
- 12 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 4 oranges if you are using an electric juicer) 1 1/2 cups
- 1 bottle champagne or sparkling wine 750 ml
- Orange peel curls for garnish (optional; see Notes below)
Instructions
- Gather six (8 to 10 ounce) champagne glasses. Pour Grand Marnier into one glass, and swish and swirl until the entire inside of glass is coated in liqueur. Transfer Grand Marnier to second glass and repeat process. Continue repeating process until all glasses are coated in Grand Mariner. If there is any additional Grand Mariner left when you are done with the last glass, drink or discard it.
- Divide orange juice between glasses, then divide champagne over juice. Garnish glasses with orange peel curls, if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
How to Make Orange Peel Curls for Garnish
- Slice an orange into rounds, no more than 1/4-inch thick. Older oranges actually work great for this.
- Use a very sharp paring knife to cut the orange rind away from each slice, leaving as much of the pith behind as possible. Remove the rind ring and make one cut to open the circle into a long ribbon.
- Spiral the rind ribbon around something long and skinny, such as a pencil, straw, or BBQ skewer. The skinnier the object you wrap it around, the more curl you will get.
- Allow the curls to dry for about 20 minutes before using if possible. Use a fan pointed at the curls to speed up the drying process.
OMG, my friends and I LOVE Mimosas, but the Grand Marnier takes them over the top! Because we’re impatient imbibers (Hah!) I place a small piece of plastic wrap tightly over the top of the glass and firmly hold the palm of my hand over it and give it a good shake and it ensures I haven’t missed a single spot of the glass. Yum! Another round, please! Thank you for sharing this most excellent tip!
LOVE that idea, Cindy! It sounds a bit easier than sloshing it around and then wiping the counter when it inevitably sloshes out a little bit. hahaha.