A mimosa mocktail is the perfect alcohol-free drink for easy brunches. You just need two ingredients, and adapt to serve as many as needed. Enjoy in spring or summer for a refreshing drink, or in the winter when oranges are in season.
[This mimosa mocktail recipe was originally posted in March 2019. It has been updated with more descriptive ingredients, instructions, substitutions, FAQ, additional mocktail recipes, etc]
Table of contents
Traditional mimosas are made with 50% champagne and orange juice. While they're delicious that way, sometimes you want an alcohol free mimosa. Or you want a similar drink with much less expensive ingredients.
This easy mimosa mocktail fits the bill. It's just 2 ingredients, one of which I've started to keep on hand (orange juice concentrate) and another that I can find at any grocery store-grapefruit soda (Fresca is my fave). It's inexpensive and tasty.
If you're looking for a drink that tastes more like a traditional mimosa, go for a dry, alcohol-free cava, prosecco, or champagne.
I see online that folks recommend cava or prosecco over champagne because it's less expensive and still great.
Just adjust to your preferences. All are great options, it just depends on what you like and have available. Here's how to make a simple orange juice and soda non alcoholic mimosa.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the mimosa mocktail recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.
- Sparkling drink: I prefer using Fresca/grapefruit soda in my mimosa mocktail, but use citrus flavored sparkling water or non-alcoholic versions of these sparkling drinks: cava, prosecco, or champagne.
- Orange juice: Use freshly squeezed, refrigerated, or frozen concentrate. Decide on what works based on your budget, what's available, and what you like best.
Instructions
Scroll down to the mimosa mocktail recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
1. Pour Fresca/other sparkling non-alcoholic drink into a champagne glass.
2. Add orange juice
Substitutions/Tips
- I prefer grapefruit soda, like Fresca in my mimosa mocktail. It's not too sweet, bubbly, and inexpensive. But you can use your favorite citrus flavored sparkling water or non-alcoholic versions of cava, prosecco, or champagne.
- Make an adult beverage with cava, prosecco, or champagne. Choose a dry sparkling wine to balance out sweeter orange juice. Unless you like it sweet, then go for a wine like prosecco or sweeter!
- Mimosas traditionally have been made with champagne and orange juice, but champagne is expensive, so use a regular or non alcoholic cava or prosecco.
- Add fresh orange slices to garnish your mimosa mocktail. For extra color, if you have them, you can add lemon and/or lime slices too.
- Other great add-ins: Add fresh berries, a dash of orange bitters or syrup, or a sprig of fresh herbs (basil, rosemary, etc) to your mimosa mocktail.
FAQ
Sparkling citrus water or grapefruit soda are great, inexpensive options. Non-alcoholic cava, prosecco, or champagne are great if you want a more traditional mimosa flavor than with sparkling water or soda.
Prosecco or non alcoholic prosecco is sweeter than champagne. Choose that if you like a sweeter mimosa. Choose champagne (or cava) for a less sweet mimosa. Cava is a less expensive, great alternative to champagne.
For a mimosa mocktail, use citrus sparkling water, soda like Fresca, or non alcoholic cava or champagne for a less sweet drink. Prosecco or citrus soda for more sweet. You can also add more orange juice to make it sweeter.
What to do with leftover ingredients
When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.
- Orange juice: Use it in the dressing of this Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges, Spinach Salad with Roasted Pears and Oranges, Fish Tacos with Orange Salsa.
- Sparkling Soda: Tart Cherry Spritzer (use instead of sparkling water)
Did you make this mimosa mocktail? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Mimosa Mocktail
Equipment
- champagne flute or tall glass
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sparkling citrus soda or 2 parts sparkling drink
- ⅓ cup orange juice or 1 part orange juice
Instructions
- Pour ⅔ cup of soda into champagne flute or other glass, then pour ⅓ cup of orange juice over soda and serve immediately. Enjoy.
Notes
- If making a larger batch, pour the orange juice then sparkling drink into each glass just prior to serving, so it's still bubbly.
- Go the more traditional 50% sparkling drink 50% orange juice for a stronger orange flavor. But the ⅔ to ⅓ proportion is great as well. A bit less expensive and still delicious.
- I like using original Fresca or grapefruit soda in this mimosa mocktail. You can also use sparkling citrus flavored water or your favorite non-alcoholic champagne, Brut, cava, or prosecco too.
- If you want to go the adult beverage direction, consider brut, cava, or prosecco vs champagne. They're less expensive and will still taste great with the orange juice.
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Jennifer says
I love mimosas. This one is making my mouth water.
Rebecca says
thanks so much!
Kathi says
Alcohol free is all the rage these days and it's probably about time! Delicious and easy recipe my brunch guests would love!
Rebecca says
ha! thanks
Jacqueline Debono says
I love fresh orange juice with champagne (the British call it buck's fizz) but it's great to have a non-alcoholic version. I'm not sure is Fresca is available here in Italy, but I'll look out for it!
Rebecca says
oh that's a great name! and if it's not, it's just a grapefruit flavored soda, so if you have a grapefruit flavored soda that you like or sparkling water, that will work too!
ali randall says
I love that this is a two ingredient recipe and makes an ideal beverage to celebrate a shower or even a brunch celebration. I can almost taste it:)
Rebecca says
2 ingredient recipes are the best, aren't they?!
Jessica Formicola says
I made these for brunch last weekend and they were a total hit! Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca says
awesome! thanks!