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Festive Spiced Apple Cider Mimosa: Easy Family Brunch Recipe

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A quick and easy holiday mimosa made with cold-infused spiced apple cider, orange juice, and dry sparkling wine. This refreshing, festive drink comes together in under 5 minutes and is perfect for family brunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups (960 ml) apple cider (unfiltered, such as Martinelli’s or local orchard cider)
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry sparkling wine or Champagne (Prosecco or Cava recommended)
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) orange juice (freshly squeezed or no-sugar-added store-bought)
  • 3–4 cinnamon sticks (Saigon cinnamon preferred)
  • 3–4 whole star anise
  • 5–6 whole cloves
  • Orange slices (for garnish)
  • Fresh cranberries (for garnish, optional)
  • 1–2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (optional, for sweetness)

Instructions

  1. Infuse the cider: Pour 4 cups of apple cider into a large pitcher. Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, and whole cloves. Stir gently, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours (overnight is best).
  2. Chill everything: Ensure sparkling wine and orange juice are well-chilled before serving. If needed, chill wine in the freezer for 15 minutes (but don’t forget it).
  3. Strain the cider: Just before serving, remove the spices from the pitcher using a slotted spoon or fine-mesh strainer. Optionally leave one cinnamon stick in for visual appeal, but remove cloves to avoid choking hazard.
  4. Add orange juice: Pour 1/2 cup of orange juice into the infused cider and stir gently. Taste and add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey if desired for sweetness.
  5. Prepare glasses: Cut orange slices into thin rounds. Make a small slit in each slice to sit on the rim of the glass. Drop a few fresh cranberries into each glass if using.
  6. Assemble mimosas: Fill each champagne flute about halfway with the spiced cider mixture. Slowly top off with chilled sparkling wine (roughly 1:1 ratio). Stir gently with a stir stick to avoid knocking out bubbles.
  7. Garnish and serve: Slide an orange slice onto the rim of each glass or float one in the drink. Add a cinnamon stick for extra flair if desired. Serve immediately while bubbles are lively.

Notes

For best flavor, infuse the cider overnight. Use a dry sparkling wine to balance sweetness. Chill glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes before serving to keep bubbles longer. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute sparkling wine with sparkling water or ginger ale. The infused cider mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: spiced apple cider mimosa, holiday mimosa, easy brunch cocktail, festive drink, apple cider mimosa, Christmas mimosa, New Year's mimosa

Find it online: https://elaraeats.com/festive-spiced-apple-cider-mimosa-easy-family-brunch-recipe/