Christmas Cranberry Mimosa
Cranberry juice cocktail and dry sparkling wine make a red, bubbly mimosa with a lightly sweet cranberry flavor. Start with 2 ounces of juice and 4 ounces of wine per glass, then adjust the ratio to taste. Assemble the drinks in tall, clear glasses so the whole cranberries and upright rosemary sprigs show through. Chill everything first, and add the wine just before serving to keep the bubbles lively.
Ingredients for Christmas Cranberry Mimosas
- 8 fl oz (1 cup) cranberry juice cocktail
- 16 fl oz (2 cups) dry sparkling wine, such as prosecco, cava, or champagne
- 12–16 fresh whole cranberries, about 3–4 per drink
- 4 small fresh rosemary sprigs
Makes 4 drinks. Use tall, clear stemless flute-style glasses that hold at least 6 ounces of liquid with room left for foam.
How to Make Christmas Cranberry Mimosas
- Chill the ingredients: Refrigerate the cranberry juice and sparkling wine until well chilled. Rinse and dry the cranberries and rosemary.
- Pour the juice: Add 2 ounces of cranberry juice cocktail to each glass.
- Add the sparkling wine: Slowly pour about 4 ounces into each glass, leaving headspace so the foam does not spill over. Avoid stirring after the wine is added.
- Garnish and serve: Add 3–4 whole cranberries to each glass and stand a rosemary sprig upright in the drink. Serve immediately while cold and bubbly.
Choosing Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice cocktail gives the base drink its lightly sweet flavor. Unsweetened 100% cranberry juice makes a much tarter mimosa; if you use it, taste the drink before adding a small splash of simple syrup, if needed. The 2-to-1 wine-to-juice ratio is a starting point, so adjust it for your juice, wine, and glass size.
Preparing Mimosas for a Group
Chill the juice and wine and prepare the garnishes ahead, but wait to combine the drinks until serving. You can portion the juice into individual glasses in advance, then gently add the sparkling wine and garnishes as guests are ready. A fully mixed pitcher or glasses left standing will lose their bubbles.
Cranberry Mimosa Variations
Orange-Liqueur Cranberry Mimosa
Add about 1/2 ounce of orange liqueur to each glass after the cranberry juice and before the sparkling wine for a citrus note and extra sweetness.
Nonalcoholic Cranberry Mimosa
Replace the sparkling wine with nonalcoholic sparkling wine or a sparkling soda alternative. Sweetness will vary with the beverage you choose.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per drink, based on 1 of 4 servings made with cranberry juice cocktail and dry sparkling wine: 125 calories, 0g protein, 0g fat, and 11g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 70 calories, 0g protein, 0g fat, and 6g carbohydrates. Values vary by juice and sparkling wine.
Christmas Cranberry Mimosa
Equipment
- Tall clear glasses
Ingredients
For the Mimosas
- 8 fl oz (1 cup) cranberry juice cocktail
- 16 fl oz (2 cups) dry sparkling wine, such as prosecco, cava, or champagne
- 12–16 fresh whole cranberries
- 4 small fresh rosemary sprigs
Instructions
- Refrigerate the cranberry juice and sparkling wine until well chilled.
- Rinse and dry the cranberries and rosemary.
- Pour 2 ounces of cranberry juice cocktail into each glass.
- Slowly add about 4 ounces of sparkling wine to each glass, leaving room for foam. Do not stir.
- Add 3–4 cranberries to each glass and stand a rosemary sprig upright in each drink.
- Serve immediately.
Tips
- Use tall, clear glasses that hold at least 6 ounces, with extra room for foam.
- Add the sparkling wine just before serving to keep the bubbles lively.
- Adjust the wine-to-juice ratio to suit your taste and glass size.
- If using unsweetened cranberry juice, taste first and add a small splash of simple syrup if needed.
Variations
- Orange-Liqueur Cranberry Mimosa: Add about 1/2 ounce of orange liqueur to each glass after the cranberry juice and before the sparkling wine.
- Nonalcoholic Cranberry Mimosa: Replace the sparkling wine with nonalcoholic sparkling wine or a sparkling soda alternative.