Christmas Cranberry Mimosa

Looking for a festive Christmas cocktail? This 5-minute, bubbly cranberry–orange mimosa features winter holiday flavors and is crowned with sugared rosemary, a lemon-peel twist, fresh cranberries, and a zesty sugar rim.

Course Cocktails, Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword christmas mimosa, cranberry mimosa

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings cocktail

Calories 139kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

For the cocktail

½ ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec
3 ounces cranberry juice
3 dashes orange bitters optional
3 oz champagne or prosecco to top up
fresh cranberries to garnish

For the sugared rosemary

½ cup water
1 cup granulated sugar (garnish)
rosemary sprigs

For the orange twist

thin strip of orange peel

For the sugared rim

small orange wedge
zest of ½ a small orange
¼ cup granulated sugar (garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the sugared rosemary:

In a small saucepan set over a medium heat, add ½ cup water and ½ cup granulated sugar. Heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then leave to boil for a couple of minutes until visibly thickened and syrupy-looking.
Place the rosemary sprigs in the sugar syrup and turn them a few times to ensure all the leaves are coated.
Remove to a sheet of parchment paper and leave to dry for one hour. Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar to a shallow bowl, add the rosemary, and toss so that the sugar coats the sticky rosemary. Set aside to dry.

Make the orange twist:

Use a vegetable peeler to cut a long strip of peel from an orange. Next, use a pairing knife to cut the strip into thinner strips. Wrap the thin orange strips around a straw, then secure each end (we use clothes pegs!). Place in the freezer for an hour. When you’re ready to use it, simply slide the orange strip off the straw, and you will be left with a perfect orange twist!

Make the sugared rim:

Add the sugar to a shallow bowl, then add the orange zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. Use an orange wedge to rim the edge of your glass, then press the glass into the zesty sugar in the bowl. The sugar will stick to the rim.

Make the cocktail:

Add the Cointreau, cranberry juice, and orange bitters to the cocktail glass you prepared earlier. Use a cocktail spoon to stir together, then top up with champagne or prosecco.
Garnish with the sugared rosemary, fresh cranberries, and an orange twist.
Serve immediately. Cheers!

Notes

If your cranberry juice is unsweetened, I add ½–1 teaspoon simple syrup per glass. If it’s sweetened, skip.
Rub the outside of the glass rim with an orange wedge so the sugar sticks without falling into the drink.
Can I make this as a big batch? Yes. Stir together cranberry juice, Cointreau, and bitters in a pitcher, then chill for up to 24 hours. When ready, pour 3–4 oz base into each glass and top with 2–3 oz chilled bubbly so it stays fizzy.
Can I skip the orange bitters? Absolutely. They add complexity, but the drink works without them. A fresh orange twist expressed over the glass is a great substitute.
Note: the calorie count DOES NOT include garnishes or sugar rim.

Nutrition