Mama's Red Mimosa Recipe

Make raspberry purée (if not using store-bought)

Place 1/2 cup fresh raspberries in a small blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth, then press the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl to remove seeds. You should end up with roughly 2–3 tablespoons of seedless purée. Chill until ready to use.

If using fresh orange juice, squeeze enough oranges to yield 2 cups (about 4–6 medium oranges). Strain to remove large pulp if you prefer a smoother cocktail. Chill the juice.

Taste the orange juice. If it is very tart, stir in up to 2 teaspoons of simple syrup to balance. If you want a deeper raspberry note, stir in 2 teaspoons of raspberry liqueur into the orange juice or keep separate to add per glass.

Chill the Champagne/sparkling wine well (ideally 40–45°F / 4–7°C). Keep glasses chilled if possible.

For individual servings: place about 1 teaspoon of the raspberry purée into the bottom of each champagne flute (adjust to color preference; 1–2 tsp yields a light pink, 2–3 tsp yields deeper red).

Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) chilled orange juice over the purée in each flute. Leave room for sparkling wine. The juice will mingle with the purée and create the red/orange layered color.

Slowly top each glass with chilled Champagne, pouring gently down the side of the glass to preserve bubbles and minimize foam. Fill to about 3/4 full (roughly 4–5 ounces / 120–150 ml depending on flute size).

If you prefer a slightly sweeter or stronger raspberry flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon raspberry liqueur to each glass and stir gently once after topping. Stirring will blend but keep some effervescence.

Garnish each flute with one fresh raspberry skewered on the rim and an orange twist or thin slice. Optionally drop a raspberry into the bottom of the glass for visual effect.

Serve immediately while sparkling wine is fizzy. For a pitcher (6–8 servings), mix 2 cups orange juice with 6–8 tablespoons raspberry purée (or to taste) in a chilled pitcher, then pour in a full chilled bottle of Champagne slowly and gently. Stir once very gently to combine and ladle into glasses with garnishes.

Enjoy responsibly.