Cranberry Orange Mimosa

This fall-spiced Cranberry Orange Mimosa with maple simple syrup is as delicious as it is beautiful! The perfect brunch cocktail for Thanksgiving or fall weekends with family.

It's been a little while since we've shared a new cocktail recipe, but given current events, I think we could all use one. Or two. Or ten!!

We love incorporating seasonal ingredients to our homemade cocktails. This Cranberry Orange Mimosa is made with cranberries, orange juice and a warming maple simple syrup spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and star anise.

It's perfect for brunches, but really, I'll take one any time of day. Love making a batch of these while we're cooking Thanksgiving dinner!

Ingredients

• Cranberry Juice: since we're using a simple syrup in this recipe, it's best to opt for unsweetened cranberry juice.
• Orange Juice: freshly squeezed is always best, but store bought is perfectly fine, too!
• Maple simple syrup: this simple (as in literally easy) syrup only takes a few minutes to whip up. It takes about an hour to infuse (you want all of that cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and cloves for flavor!), but it can be made far in advance.
• Lemon Juice: freshly squeezed!
• Cointreau: or another orange-flavored liqueur.
• Sparkling Wine: we use either Cava, Prosecco or sometimes even Rosé. Champagne works, too, it's just a bit more on the expensive side!

How to make simple syrup

Traditional simple syrup is made from equal parts water and sugar, plus any flavor enhancers like various herbs, spices, produce, etc.

The simple syrup we used in this recipe is made with maple syrup instead for a more seasonal recipe! We also add in various warm whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamom for extra fall flavor.

Homemade simple syrup couldn't be any easier to make. Simply add everything to a small saucepan, stir, bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover and let infuse for an hour.

After an hour, you'll have an insanely flavorful syrup that adds SO much to this drink! It's also delicious on oatmeal.

You can store leftover homemade simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few months.

Want to experiment with more homemade simple syrups? Here are a few more to try:

• Fig Infused Simple Syrup
• Lemon Lavender Simple Syrup
• Basil Simple Syrup
• Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup via Cake n Knife

Not into super sweet cocktails? Add more flavor to your mixed drinks with homemade infused liquor! This tutorial covers everything you need to know.

Instructions

Once your simple syrup is made, all you have to do is assemble the cocktail.

Fill up a cocktail shaker halfway with ice, add everything except the sparkling wine and give it a good shake. 15-20 seconds should do.

Strain into a coupe/champagne/any other cocktail glass of choice. If your sparkling wine hasn't been chilled ahead of time, you may want to add a slow-melting ice cube, but it's much better without. (So don't forget to chill your wine!!)

Top off with sparkling wine and enjoy. Cheers to fall!

More fall cocktail recipes you'll love:

• Cranberry Orange Whiskey Cocktail
• Hot Apple Cider Cocktail
• Apple Pear Vodka Cocktail
• Fig Moscow Mule
• Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail

If you make this cranberry orange mimosa recipe, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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