Sugared Cranberry Christmas Mimosa

Christmas morning is not complete unless there is a little sparkle. This sugared cranberry Christmas mimosa is an easy cocktail that dazzles and impresses. A solid toast to start the day!

Who doesn't love a festive cocktail? It doesn't have to be Christmas morning to serve these beautiful mimosas. Cranberries are popular throughout fall and winter and their color is so beautiful. Serve them at your next Friendsgiving, or better yet, toast with friends and family to a happy and healthy new year!

Why you will love this recipe

Mimosas are so easy to make. There are two ingredients- champagne and (traditionally) orange juice. This Christmas holiday twist uses cranberry juice instead of orange, and it's as easy to make as pouring two liquids into a pretty glass. The sugared cranberries are a must and take these mimosas to the next level.

See below for a quick list of ingredients you will need.

• Champagne Choose a champagne that you love. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, but something that you would enjoy drinking.
• Cranberry juice Since cranberry juice is the star here, choose one that is not made from concentrate for the best flavor.
• Cranberries Fresh cranberries are a must. We stock up during the holiday season and freeze bags of them. You don't even have to thaw them ahead of time to make the sugared cranberries.
• Sugar White granulated sugar for the simple syrup and for rolling your cranberries in to create that "sparkle".

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

Don't like champagne? Need to skip the alcohol? Here are some great options to try.

• Ginger ale Instead of champagne, try using ginger ale. Ginger goes so well with cranberries and helps to bring out the brightness of the fruit.
• Club soda or seltzer Another great bubbly option is club soda or plain seltzer. You can mimic the fizz of the champagne easily here.
• 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.
• Skip the bubbles There is always the option of skipping the bubbly altogether. Sure it's cranberry juice in a fancy glass, with a fancy garnish, but if you have kids taking part in the festivities than this is solid. Everyone can be included.

You only need a few items to make this sugared cranberry Christmas mimosa. Champagne flutes are great, but you can improvise with something you may already have on hand. If you don't have them, you can easily find plastic varieties in-store and online. Alternatively, you can serve them in a tall glass tumbler.

You will also need something to thread the sugared cranberries. A toothpick works fine. If you have metal cocktail picks these will also do the trick.

Keeping leftovers

You can store the sugared cranberries in a covered (airtight) container for up to two days. They are best served the day they are made.

Top tip

Save the leftover syrup after you remove the cranberries from the saucepan. It makes a great addition to cocktails, or can even be drizzled over ice cream!

Kitchen questions

How much champagne should we add to a mimosa?

This is totally up to you! Generally, you want to fill your flutes ⅔ to halfway with champagne and then fill the rest with your juice.

How much champagne do we need to serve mimosas to a crowd?

Each bottle of champagne (about 750ml), will yield about 6-8 mimosas. This will depend on the size of your glasses, and the ratio of juice to alcohol that you use.

Ho ho ho. Christmas recipes? Here you go!

Ingredients

Makes 6

• 1 750 ml bottle champagne, or sparkling wine such as Prosecco
• 2 cups (16 ounces) cranberry juice (not from concentrate)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) fresh cranberries
• 1 cup (8 ounces) white granulated sugar, divided

Equipment

• cocktail picks or toothpicks
• champagne flutes or tall glass tumblers

Method

1. Chill your cranberry juice and champagne at least 4 hours in advance.

2. In a small saucepan combine ½ cup of water and ½ cup of sugar. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved.

3. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cranberries and stir to coat in the sugar syrup. Let stand in the syrup for 1-2 minutes so that the cranberries are fully coated. With a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries and place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper to dry for about 50-60 minutes. Make sure they are not touching.

4. After the cranberries have dried (they will still be sticky), toss the cranberries in the remaining ½ cup of sugar. Separate them and begin to thread 3-4 on a toothpick or cocktail pick (depending on their size). Set aside.

5. Fill champagne glasses halfway or ⅔ with champagne. Fill the rest of the glass with cranberry juice. Garnish with the sugared cranberries over the top. You can also throw a few cranberries on the bottom of the glass before pouring the champagne. Cheers!