Lemonade Mimosa and Lemon Brûlée Garnish

This crisp and refreshing lemonade mimosa with lemon brûlée garnish blends the zesty flavors of citrus with your favorite bubbly, creating a drink that's not only vibrant but also suited to any brunch or celebratory occasion. Garnished with a caramelized lemon slice, for a sweet and smoky finish.

Mimosas are synonymous with brunch, but the OG classic with orange juice can get a little stale. For this brunch favorite, we swap out orange juice for lemonade and it's a whole other vibe!

But it's not about the mimosa, it's about the garnish. Since we used store-bought lemonade for this cocktail, it needed something a little fancy, to make it stand out. Many mimosa recipes have you dip the rim of the glass in sugar, but this ain't a margarita. She be delicate!

And what's fancier than a lemon, topped with sugar and torched until it's caramelized to perfection? We mean maybe our sugared cranberry or our burnt cinnamon cocktails, but this one has our heart.

How to make the solid mimosa

While many recipes suggest a 1:1 ratio of juice to champagne, there is no set of rules. It comes down to personal taste, the sweetness of the juice, and the type of alcohol used.

We prefer 1 part juice to 2 parts champagne or sparkling wine, but you can choose whatever serving combination you prefer. Like more juice? Add more juice. Want more champagne? Add more champagne.

The best tip for making mimosas is to make sure both the bubbly and juice are perfectly chilled. So place your ingredients in the fridge ahead of time, so that you will be mimosa ready!

You only need 4 ingredients for this lemonade cocktail.

• Lemonade we use store-bought for convenience. If you have a favorite lemonade recipe, feel free to use it here.
• Champagne or sparkling wine we usually use Prosecco.
• Lemon A few slices for the garnish.
• Sugar White granulated sugar for caramelizing the lemons.

See the recipe card for quantities.

You will need champagne flutes or other similar glasses (about 8-10 ounces). If you are making the brûlée lemons, you will need a kitchen (culinary torch) or you can broil the lemons in the oven instead.

How to brûlée lemon

Caramelizing lemon is easy to do. If you have a kitchen torch, it makes this step a breeze. You can also brûlée the lemon slices in the oven under the broiler, however a torch will yield the best results.

Cut the lemon slices about ⅛ inch thick. Lay them out on a heatproof dish. *If using a broiler, place them on a baking pan.

Blot the lemon slices between 2 paper towels. Sprinkle the sugar over the top. Using a kitchen torch, swipe the flame back and forth until the sugar becomes golden brown and hard.

Serve immediately on top of the mimosa with a cocktail pick or place right over the top of the glass.

Expert tips

1. You want to remove any excess moisture from the lemons before caramelizing them, or else the sugar will begin to dissolve. blot them on a paper towel.
2. Brûlée your lemons immediately after placing the sugar on them for best results.
3. If you have metal cocktail skewers, thread the skewer through the lemon first, then brûlée them. Skip this step if you are using a wooden cocktail pick.
4. Cut your lemons into your preferred size before torching them, or the sugar will crack off after handling them.

Substitutions

1. Prosecco, cava, vino verde, or other sparkling wine No one is watching, so why not use your favorite bottle of bubbly alcohol? These will also be more affordable depending on the variety and origin.
2. Skip the alcohol For a mimosa mocktail, try a lemon-flavored seltzer or sparkling lemon soda. We love this one.
3. Skip the bubbles There is always the option of skipping the bubbly altogether. Sure it's lemonade in a fancy glass, with a fancy garnish, but if you have kids taking part in the festivities then this is solid. Everyone can be included!

Swaps

• For the prettiest pop of color, use pink lemonade instead of regular.
• For a tropical twist, swap out the lemonade for pineapple juice.
• To make a classic mimosa use orange juice.

Keeping leftovers

These mimosas and the lemon brûlée slices should be prepared before serving. In our experience, the caramelized lemon slices only last about 30 minutes before they begin to lose their crisp.

Kitchen questions

What is the best bubbly to use for mimosas?

The best is what you can afford. Champagne can be expensive, so you can opt for Italian Prosecco. There are plenty of excellent varieties that are less expensive.

Favorite pairings

Mimosas go with everything! Try some of these brunch favorites.

Ingredients

Makes 6 (6-8 mimosas)

Brûlée Lemon Slices

• 1-2 lemons sliced (⅛ inch thick)
• 4 tbsp white granulated sugar

Lemonade Mimosa

• 1 750ml bottle Champagne or Prosecco, chilled
• 4 cups lemonade, chilled (store-bought or homemade)

Equipment

• champagne flutes
• culinary torch

Method

Brûlée Lemon Slices

1. Cut the lemons into ⅛ inch slices. If using a cocktail skewer, skew the lemons before caramelizing them. Lay them out on a heatproof dish. Using a paper towel, blot both sides of the lemons to remove any excess moisture. Sprinkle the lemons with about 2 tsp of sugar. Using a kitchen torch, sweep the flame over the top of the lemons until the sugar turns golden brown and hardens.

2. *If using the broiler, preheat the broiler to high. Place the sugared lemons on a heat-proof pan, and broil for about 5 minutes until golden.

Lemonade Mimosas

1. Pour the Champagne or prosecco into the Champagne flutes (⅓-½ way depending on taste). Top with the lemonade and a brûlée lemon slice. Serve immediately.

Kitchen notes

1. 1. You want to remove any excess moisture from the lemons before caramelizing them, or else the sugar will begin to dissolve. blot them on a paper towel.
   2. For best results, brûlée your lemons immediately after placing the sugar on them.
   3. Follow the directions and safety instructions on your kitchen torch.
   4. If you have metal cocktail skewers, thread the skewer through the lemon first, then brûlée them. Skip this step if you are using a wooden cocktail pick (you don't want the flame to touch wood).
   5. Cut your lemons into your preferred size before torching them, or the sugar will crack off after handling them.