The Best Classic Mimosa

This is our favorite mimosa recipe, and it’s so easy to make. These are light, bubbly, refreshing, and perfect for brunch or any celebration.

Mimosas are such a classic brunch cocktail! They are ridiculously easy to make, and I have shared a few tips below, including making them for a party, the best wine to buy, and my favorite orange juice to use.

The best ratio is equal parts sparkling wine and orange juice. Use this ratio when making one mimosa cocktail or when serving a crowd. When making, always add the sparkling wine first, then top with orange juice. This way, the cocktail mixes as you pour and won’t make a sticky mess at the top of the glass. You can watch me do this in our video. For more crowd-friendly cocktails, see all of our cocktail recipes!

Key Ingredients

• Sparkling wine: I use chilled, dry sparkling wine for mimosas. Choose a wine you genuinely enjoy. You don’t need to break the bank (I spend $20 to $35 for sparkling wine we use to make mimosas). Use Champagne, Cava (from Spain), an American sparkling wine, or dry Prosecco (from Italy). We used Brut Champagne in our video. Cava and Prosecco are usually the least expensive. I also use sparkling wine for an Aperol Spritz, our Cranberry Champagne cocktail, and the classic Kir Royale.
• Orange juice: I love fresh-squeezed orange juice for cocktails like mimosas. It tastes fresher, lighter, tarter, and more delicate than anything in the store. That said, when we’re in a pinch, we’ll use the “Simply” brand of orange juice.
• Optional: Add a splash of liqueur and make Grand Mimosas with Grand Marnier, or add a raspberry flavor with Chambord.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Mimosas

Tip 1: Use the classic mimosa ratio. The classic ratio is 1-to-1, or in other words, equal parts sparkling wine and orange juice. With this ratio, your cocktail is flavorful, not too sweet, and not boozy. It also means that one standard 750ml bottle of sparkling wine will make about 8 mimosas.

Tip 2: Use fresh orange juice. For the absolute best mimosa, we recommend using freshly squeezed orange juice (it tastes better). Before making the cocktails, consider straining it of excess pulp for the smoothest drink.

Tip 3: Mimosas are the perfect crowd-friendly brunch cocktail. Before your guests arrive, make sure both the sparkling wine and orange juice are thoroughly chilled. When you’re ready to serve, you have two options: pour individual mimosas as guests arrive or, for a pitcher, slowly combine one bottle of sparkling wine with three cups of orange juice.

Mimosa Cocktail Variations

1. Substitute the orange juice: Use blood orange or grapefruit juice, or add a splash of cranberry, pineapple, or pomegranate juice for a fruitier flavor.
2. Add fruit or fruit purée: Drop in chopped fresh fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries, or orange slices. Or, stir in a tablespoon of peach, mango, or strawberry purée at the bottom of each champagne flute before filling.
3. Make it more boozy: Add a splash (about a tablespoon) of liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Chambord, for a French-inspired mimosa.
4. Make it a mocktail: For a non-alcoholic version, replace the sparkling wine with sparkling soda, flavored sparkling water, or non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice. For another zero-proof option, try our grapefruit paloma mocktail.

More Classic Cocktail Recipes

• Sloe Gin Fizz
• Aperol Spritz
• Campari Spritz
• Mint Julep