Looking for a holiday cocktail that’s more than just orange juice and bubbles? This Grinch Mimosa hits different and gets people to stop and snap a picture—the blue curaçao doesn’t just add color, it brings a subtle orange liqueur complexity that turns a basic brunch drink into something worth uploading to TikTok. It’s fun, it’s festive, and it’s perfect for the season without being too sugary. The sparkling wine stays front and center, as it should in any proper mimosa variation.
What Is a Grinch Mimosa Cocktail?
Quick Answer: A Grinch Mimosa is a champagne cocktail that gets its signature green hue from blue curaçao mixed with orange juice. t’s a riff on the classic mimosa that gained popularity on social media as part of the trend for color-changing and holiday-themed cocktails. The name comes from the obvious—that greenish tint reminds people of Dr. Seuss’s famous Christmas grouch.
The traditional mimosa was invented at the Ritz Hotel in Paris around 1925, named for the yellow mimosa flower. This holiday variation keeps the champagne-forward profile while adding a layer of orange liqueur that actually improves on the original’s one-note sweetness.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make a Grinch Mimosa Cocktail
How to Make a Grinch Mimosa Cocktail
- Spread your sugar on a small shallow plate. Pour a little orange juice into a separate bowl or saucer—just enough to wet the rim of your champagne flute.
- Dip the rim of your flute in the orange juice, then press it firmly into the sugar. Make sure you get good coverage. If it looks thin, repeat the process.
- Pour ¾ ounce of blue curaçao into the bottom of your flute. Add 2 ounces of orange juice. At this point, you should see that green color starting to develop.
- Top with your chilled sparkling wine or champagne. Pour slowly down the side of the glass to preserve the bubbles. Drop in your maraschino cherry for garnish.
Bartender’s Tips
- Check your color before serving: If your drink looks too blue and not green enough, add a tiny splash more orange juice before you top with champagne. Mix one test drink first if you’re making multiple servings.
- Temperature is everything: Keep your orange juice, blue curaçao, and sparkling wine cold before you start. Room temperature ingredients will flatten your bubbles and make this taste dull.
- Consider red sanding sugar: It adds more visual punch than regular granulated sugar and photographs beautifully. You can find it at any baking supply store.
- Don’t skip the sugar rim: It’s not just decorative—that first sip with the sugar actually balances the acidity of the orange juice and the bitterness from the curaçao.
- Scale up carefully: If you’re making a batch, build them individually rather than mixing everything in a pitcher. You lose the visual effect and the bubbles die too quickly.
How to Serve This Grinch Mimosa Cocktail
Serve this holiday mimosa in a traditional champagne flute to show off that green gradient and keep the carbonation alive as long as possible. This works beautifully for holiday brunches, Christmas morning celebrations, or any time you want something festive that isn’t loaded with cream or heavy sweetness.
Keep the bottles chilled in an ice bucket if you’re serving these throughout a meal.
More Cocktail Recipes
Ready to explore more champagne cocktails? Check out our full collection of sparkling wine cocktails for everything from classic French 75s to modern twists on the mimosa.
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Grinch Mimosa
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ounces orange juice plus more for the rim
- ¾ ounce blue curaçao
- sparkling wine or champagne well chilled, for topping
- maraschino cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Spread the sugar on a small shallow plate.
- Pour a little orange juice into a bowl or saucer, dip the rim of the flute in it, then press the rim into the sugar.
- Pour the blue curaçao into the flute.
- Add the orange juice.
- Top with sparkling wine or champagne. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Recipe FAQs
You could use triple sec and add green food coloring, but you lose the authentic orange liqueur flavor that makes this drink work. The blue curaçao isn’t just about color—it’s adding depth.
A dry brut prosecco or champagne works best. Stay away from sweet sparkling wines—they’ll make this taste like a kid’s drink. You want that dry, crisp finish to balance the sweetness.
Sugar the rims ahead and have your ingredients cold, but build each drink right before serving. Once you add the champagne, you’re on the clock—those bubbles won’t last.
Add a touch more orange juice to the blue curaçao before you top with champagne. The ratio of blue to orange determines your final color. Test one drink first before making a batch.
Swap the maraschino cherry for a fresh strawberry if you want something less sweet. Avoid anything too heavy—you don’t want to weigh down the bubbles.
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