Blackberry Mimosas

Can you even call it brunch without mimosas? Not in my book! Whether you’re serving classic mimosas or other brunch-friendly cocktails like Bellinis, French 75s or Bloody Marys, there’s something about a cocktail at breakfast that makes the meal feel extra special.

This recipe for blackberry mimosas is perfect for a summertime brunch, when berry season is at full blast. It’s a riff on a classic mimosa with both orange juice and fresh blackberry puree, resulting in an elegant drink with a beautiful purple hue and a sweet, tart blackberry flavor. This pitcher recipe makes 12 servings, making it ideal for serving a crowd. Think backyard barbecue brunches, summertime baby showers and birthday bashes.

Ingredients for Blackberry Mimosas

• Blackberries: Fresh blackberry puree flavors the mimosas, and the berries are best at peak freshness. Alternatively, you could use 2 cups of thawed frozen blackberries.
• Sparkling wine: You don’t need expensive French champagne for mimosas, but it should be a sparkling wine that you like drinking with or without juice. Any sparkling wine will do, including domestic bottles, Prosecco, Moscato d’Asti or cava.
• Orange juice: If you have the time, you can’t beat the flavor of fresh-squeezed orange juice. However, store-bought orange juice will work just as well. If going the store-bought route, use pulp-free, not from-concentrate bottled orange juice.
• Fresh mint: This optional garnish adds a little pizzazz to the mimosas, but feel free to leave it out.

Directions

Step 1: Puree the blackberries

Add the blackberries to a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth.

Strain and discard the seeds.

Step 2: Combine all the ingredients

Pour the blackberry puree into a large pitcher or container, then combine it with champagne and orange juice.

Step 3: Garnish and serve

Serve in champagne flutes or wine glasses. Garnish with additional fresh blackberries and mint sprigs, if desired.

Blackberry Mimosa Variations

• Make individual servings: To serve individual mimosas, add 2 tablespoons of blackberry puree to each champagne flute, then fill halfway with orange juice and top with sparkling wine.
• Skip the alcohol: For a mocktail version of these mimosas, replace the sparkling wine with a nonalcoholic variety, or use an equal amount of ginger ale or a citrus sparkling water.
• Make a chill garnish: Freeze a few extra blackberries for a fun garnish that also keeps the mimosas cool.

How to Store Blackberry Mimosas

If making blackberry mimosas ahead of time, make and store the blackberry puree for up to two days. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Can you make blackberry mimosas ahead of time?

To make serving even easier, in addition to making the blackberry puree in advance, combine the orange juice and blackberry puree on the day of the event and store it in the fridge until ready to serve. Don’t add the sparkling wine to the pitcher until you’re ready to serve or you’ll lose the effervescence.

Blackberry Mimosa Tips

What’s the best type of glass for a mimosa?

Champagne flutes are the classic glassware for serving mimosas; the flute shape helps retain the effervescence of the sparkling wine, and the long stem prevents the glass from warming. However, you could also serve mimosas in coupe glasses or stemless glasses. For a special touch, chill the glasses before pouring to help the mimosas stay colder longer.

What can you serve with blackberry mimosas?

These blackberry mimosas are perfect for pairing with a spring or summer brunch menu featuring savory dishes, such as a garden veggie egg bake, hash brown breakfast casserole or wild mushroom frittata. Or, go the sweet route with upgrades to your breakfast favorites, such as sourdough waffles, orange ricotta pancakes or cinnamon roll French toast casserole.