Cranberry Mimosa Recipe: 2 Ingredients for Holiday Brunch
Approx. 5 min read
Easy Cranberry Mimosa Recipe
Start with a chilled glass, pour in the cranberry drink and top it slowly with Brut. A sprig of rosemary is a lovely finishing touch, but you don't need a shaker, syrup or any fancy tools.
Recipe details
- Prep time: 2 minutes (using chilled ingredients)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Serves: 1
- Glass: Champagne flute or small stemmed wine glass (at least 210 ml capacity)
- Taste: Fruity, bright, lightly sweet and sparkling
- Tools: Small measuring jug, if needed; no shaker
- Best served: Very cold, without ice
Ingredients
- 60 ml (about 2 oz) chilled sweetened cranberry juice drink, sometimes labelled cranberry juice cocktail
- 120 ml (about 4 oz) chilled Brut Prosecco or another dry sparkling wine
- Optional garnish: 2–3 fresh cranberries and a small rosemary sprig
How to make it
- Chill the cranberry drink, sparkling wine and glass before you start.
- Pour 60 ml (about 2 oz) cranberry juice drink into the glass.
- Slowly top with 120 ml (about 4 oz) Brut sparkling wine, pausing if the foam rises. There is no need to shake or vigorously stir.
- Add the optional cranberries and rosemary, then serve straight away.
Love My Drink tip: Keep both ingredients cold and skip the ice so the drink stays lively, not diluted. Remember the ratio: one part cranberry drink to two parts sparkling wine.
If you prefer the citrus original, our classic orange Mimosa ratio guide explains how changing the juice-to-wine balance changes the drink.
Choose Your Cranberry Juice and Sparkling Wine
The right juice makes all the difference. Cranberry drinks vary a lot in tartness and sweetness, even when their labels look similar.
Which cranberry juice should you use?
- Sweetened cranberry juice drink or cranberry juice cocktail: The easiest choice here. Its sweetness balances Brut wine. The word cocktail on the label does not mean the juice contains alcohol.
- 100% cranberry juice blend: Usually blended with apple, grape or other juices. It works, but taste it first: sweetness varies.
- Pure unsweetened cranberry juice: Much sharper. Start with less than 60 ml and taste before adding more, or choose a sweeter blend.
Want a deeper festive red? Choose a richly coloured cranberry drink rather than a pale fruit blend. The finished shade will vary.
Which sparkling wine is best?
Brut Prosecco is crisp enough to balance the cranberry, and there's no need for expensive Champagne. Brut Cava works too. One label detail matters: Extra Dry Prosecco is usually sweeter than Brut, despite the name.
If your Mimosa tastes too sweet, choose a drier wine or pour a little less cranberry next time. No extra mixers required.
Cranberry Mimosas for Six
Hosting six? One standard bottle of sparkling wine covers the whole first round.
- For one glass: 60 ml (about 2 oz) cranberry juice drink + 120 ml (about 4 oz) sparkling wine
- For six glasses: 360 ml (about 12 oz) cranberry juice drink + 720 ml (about 24 oz) sparkling wine
- What to buy: One 750 ml bottle of Brut sparkling wine and at least 360 ml cranberry juice drink
You'll have about 30 ml of wine left. Use glasses that hold at least 210 ml, leaving room for foam.
Make-ahead plan: Chill both bottles, rinse the garnishes and lay out six glasses. Measure the cranberry drink in advance if you like, but keep the sparkling wine sealed until serving. Pour each glass just before you hand it over.
If you want a few more simple drinks on the table, browse our easy Prosecco brunch cocktails for ideas that keep the hosting relaxed.
Simple Variations and Garnishes
Start with the two-ingredient recipe, then tweak it to suit your table.
- More tart, less sweet: Try 45 ml (about 1.5 oz) cranberry juice drink with the same 120 ml (about 4 oz) Brut wine.
- Cranberry-orange: Replace 15 ml (about 0.5 oz) of the cranberry drink with the same amount of chilled orange juice. It is a three-ingredient variation, not the base recipe.
- Alcohol-free style: Swap in a dry 0.0% sparkling wine alternative, and taste before adding more juice because sweetness varies from bottle to bottle.
A few fresh cranberries add colour, and a little rosemary smells wonderfully festive. Neither is essential. Whole cranberries are for decoration, not for eating from the glass.
Prefer something longer and served over ice? Try our cranberry spritz recipes. They have a different, more aperitivo-style balance and include a zero-proof version.
Cranberry Mimosa FAQ
Do cranberry Mimosas need orange liqueur?
No. Cranberry juice drink and dry sparkling wine are enough. Orange liqueur makes a different, stronger cocktail, so there is no reason to buy a bottle just for this recipe.
Can I use pure unsweetened cranberry juice?
Yes, but it's much sharper. Start with 15–30 ml (about 0.5–1 oz), top with sparkling wine and taste before adding more. Sweetened cranberry drink is easier for a first try.
Can I make cranberry Mimosas ahead of time?
You can prepare the juice and garnishes ahead, but pour the sparkling wine at the last moment. A mixed pitcher will slowly lose its fizz.
One Last Pour
Keep the bottle cold until everyone's ready, then pour and enjoy that first burst of bubbles together. And if someone would rather have peach, our easy peach Bellini is a lovely brunch alternative.
