• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Meet Kelly
  • Browse All Recipes
  • Contact

The Anthony Kitchen logo

  • Recipe Index
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Dessert
  • Entertaining
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Stay in touch...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home · Recipes · Cocktails · Cranberry Mimosa

    December 23, 2020

    Cranberry Mimosa

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Image For Pinterest
    Image For Pinterest
    Image For Pinterest

    If holiday cheer were a cocktail, it would be a Cranberry Mimosa. Garnished with red and green and rising with jolly little bubbles to meet a sweet, white sugar rim, it comes as no surprise this beautiful and elegant holiday cocktail is also known as the Christmas Mimosa!

    All you need for this impressive, 5-minute cocktail is your favorite Champagne (or Prosecco), cranberry juice, and maybe a splash of Grand Marnier...if you're feeling a touch naughty, that is. It's quick, simple, and perfect for entertaining! 

    A cranberry mimosa with a sugar rim and an orange, rosemary, and cranberry garnish with a plate of sugar and a bowl of cranberries in the background. There are also some orange wedges off to the side.    

    After just one joyful sip, you'll soon see this cocktail is too good to enjoy just once a year! Take full advantage of its ease and deliciousness at fall and winter brunches, and other holidays like Thanksgiving, and New Year's Eve!

    If you're looking for more holiday cocktail ideas, check out our Pomegranate Martini next!

    HOW TO MAKE A CRANBERRY MIMOSA

    1. Pour the Sparkling Wine - Tilt your glass to a 45° angle and pour in about four ounces of champagne. This amount of liquid should fill the champagne flute about two-thirds to three-quarters of the way full.
    2. Add Cranberry Juice - Add a generous splash of cranberry juice cocktail, and if desired, a splash (about a half ounce) of orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier.

    GARNISHES FOR CRANBERRY MIMOSAS

    Before we cover how you get that gorgeous Christmastime garnish intact, it's more than noteworthy to say you'll need to add the sugar rim to your glass before you add liquid to it. 

    Here's what you'll need for the ultimate Christmas Mimosa garnish:

    • An orange
    • Granulated sugar and a small plate or bowl
    • Fresh or frozen whole cranberries
    • Sprigs of fresh rosemary (about five inches long)

    While these garnishes are optional, they are highly recommended as they add wonderful aromatics, flavor, and balance to this seriously simple cocktail! You can pick and choose your favorites, and note, if you do not intend to have a sugar rim, you will not need the orange.

    A cranberry mimosa with a sugar rim and an orange, rosemary, and cranberry garnish with a plate of sugar and a bowl of cranberries in the background.

    Orange and cranberry are a classic pairing and the two flavors go tremendously well together. The orange serves three purposes in this Cranberry Mimosa recipe; it will add great flavor to the rim of the glass, enables the sugar to stick to the rim, and it can be used as an extra garnish (if desired).

    HOW TO GARNISH A CRANBERRY MIMOSA

    1. Ready the Sugar - Have ready a small plate or bowl with a small heap of granulated sugar in the center, about a quarter cup.
    2. Cut the Orange - Cut an orange into thick, ¼" slices. Then, cut each slice into quarters so that you have four orange wedges. Once you've done this, cut a slit down the center of each wedge. 
    3. Add Sugar Rim - Run the orange along the rim of the glass and swirl the rim of the glass in the sugar until it is well-coated. (Check out our full Sugar Rim post for more details!)
    4. Pour the Cocktail - Add the sparkling wine, cranberry juice cocktail, and orange liqueur (if using) as directed above. 
    5. Garnish - Add 2-3 cranberries, a sprig of fresh rosemary, and hook an orange wedge on the rim of the glass.

    Warning: While totally gorgeous to look at, raw cranberries are extremely tart, and as a whole, this garnish is more of a "look, don't eat" kind of ensemble.

    Three cranberry mimosas with a sugar rim and an orange, rosemary, and cranberry garnish with a plate of sugar and a bowl of cranberries in the background. There are also some orange wedges and a bottle of champagne off to the side.

    HOW TO SET UP A CHRISTMAS MIMOSA BAR

    With Cranberry Mimosas being such a festive holiday treat, it's likely you are making them for entertaining purposes and serving a crowd. It's not advised to make these cocktails fully assembled in advance as the sparkling wine will lose its bubbles...and that's half the fun.

    Things you can do in advance, however, is prepare the glasses with sugar rims, and have ready the garnishes in a bowl off to the side.

    A small condiment bowl will work wonderfully for the cranberries, and if you have a small bud vase, it'll make for a lovely presentation with the rosemary sprouting out.

    It's also best if you have a champagne chiller or ice bucket you can use to keep the sparkling wine cold. This makes a huge difference in the way the cocktail sips. It's a much more pleasurable drinking experience when the bubbles are tight and crisp! You'll also want to make sure your cranberry juice cocktail is chilled in advance as well.

    Consider transferring the cranberry juice to a smaller pitcher or decanter since only a splash is needed for the cocktail. This will make it easier to pour.

    Before serving, make sure all of the ingredients and garnishes are grouped near one another and allow your guests to assemble their Cranberry Mimosa at their leisure!

    For another great holiday, drink try our Fall Cocktail!

    A cranberry mimosa with a sugar rim and an orange, rosemary, and cranberry garnish with a plate of sugar and a bowl of cranberries in the background. There are also some orange wedges and a bottle of Grand Marnier off to the side .

    CRANBERRY MIMOSA INGREDIENTS

    • Chilled Sparkling Wine
    • Chilled Cranberry Juice
    • Orange Liqueur (optional)

    WHICH SPARKLING WINE SHOULD I BUY?

    There are many different options when it comes to buying sparkling wine for Cranberry Mimosas. Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and Rosé are all very popular, just to name a few.

    The varietal or type of bubbly you buy isn't really all that important, but what is important is the taste. Purchase a sparkling wine you would enjoy drinking on its own, without the added juice. Remember -- this is going to be the predominant flavor of your cocktail.

    If you like a dryer wine (meaning not as sweet), go with a non-vintage Champagne, Cava, Brut, or Extra Brut. If you like a little added touch of sweetness, opt for a Processo or Rosé instead. You can read more about the scale of sweetness in sparkling wines here.

    NEED A MOCKTAIL ALTERNATIVE?

    If you've got young ones or non-drinkers in your crowd, serve them a sparkling Cranberry Mimosa mocktail! Just nix the sparkling wine and sub in sparkling water or club soda in its place!

    CRANBERRY JUICE OR CRANBERRY JUICE COCKTAIL

    As mentioned above, cranberries are very tart. Very tart. The juice makers of the world are well aware, and because of this, those cranberry juice bottles labeled "100% juice" are 100% juice indeed...it's just not all cranberry juice. Other fruits like apple and grape are added to the blend to mellow out that puckering flavor.

    Bottles labeled "Cranberry Juice Cocktail," however, are cranberry and cranberry only. Well, that and some extra sugar for some added sweetness. 

    Either one will work in a Cranberry Mimosa, but if you want a cranberry-forward cocktail, opt for the Cranberry Juice Cocktail.

    A close up shot of A cranberry mimosa with a sugar rim and an orange, rosemary, and cranberry garnish.

    5 MORE COCKTAIL RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

    • French Martini
    • Mudslide Cocktail
    • Chocolate Martini
    • Spiked Apple Cider
    • Spiked Hot Chocolate
    5 from 2 votes
    A cranberry mimosa with a sugar rim and an orange, rosemary, and cranberry garnish with a plate of sugar and a bowl of cranberries in the background. There are also some orange wedges off to the side.
    Print
    Cranberry Mimosa
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Total Time
    5 mins
     

    A delicious, festive recipe for quick and easy Cranberry Mimosas! Plus, how to garnish them with a sugar rim and festive Christmas touches.

    Course: Cocktail
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Cranberry Mimosa
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 176 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    • 1 orange
    • Granulated sugar (about a ¼ cup)
    • 4 ounces (about a ½ cup) cold sparkling wine
    • 1 ounce cranberry juice cocktail
    • ½ ounce orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)
    • Frozen cranberries
    • Sprigs of fresh rosemary
    Instructions
    1. If garnishing the glass with a sugar rim, slice the orange into wheels and cut each wheel into quarters. Cut a slit down the center of the quarter. Have ready a small plate with a scant mound of granulated sugar.

    2. Use the slit to run an orange wedge along the rim of the glass, preferably a champagne flute. Swirl the rim of the glass in the granulated sugar.

    3. Tilt the glass at about a 45° angle and pour in the sparkling wine. You want the glass to be about ⅔s to ¾s of the way full.

    4. Add a splash of cranberry juice cocktail and orange liqueur (if using). No need to stir. Garnish with a few cranberries, a sprig of rosemary, and an orange wedge, if desired.

    Recipe Video

    Nutrition Facts
    Cranberry Mimosa
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 176 Calories from Fat 9
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 1g2%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 10mg0%
    Potassium 337mg10%
    Carbohydrates 25g8%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 21g23%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 295IU6%
    Vitamin C 82mg99%
    Calcium 63mg6%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Image For Pinterest

    Source: The Kitchn | What's the Difference Between Cranberry Juice and Cranberry Juice Cocktail?

     

    « Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
    Air Fryer Pickles »
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly

    Looking for more recipes?

    Be sure to check out the recipe index where you can browse recipes by meal type and category!

    Check Out the Recipe Index

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

    Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

    Trending recipes

    • A spoon being used to dip a scoop out of a pan of Carne Guisada. The mixture is dark brown with flecks of bring green cilantro.
      Carne Guisada
    • A close up of a slice of Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin on a white surface.
      Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
    • A close up of a pan of Eggs In Purgatory with a piece of baguette stuck into the sauce.
      Eggs In Purgatory
    • An overhead look at a batch of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies on a white surface.
      Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • A scoop of Chicken and Rice Casserole being lifted out of the pan. Melty, yellow cheese, shredded chicken, cooked rice and mushrooms are all visible.
      Chicken and Rice Casserole
    • A close up of a wine glass of Apple Cider Sangria and apple slices with a couple of cinnamon sticks stuck in at the side. There is a drink dispenser and some apples nearby.
      Apple Cider Sangria

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for weekly recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Contact

    • Work with me
    • Contact