Apple Cider Mimosa

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/18/21
Apple Cider Mimosa in a Champagne glass

The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

Simple, delightful, and perfect for an autumn meal, the apple cider mimosa is a cocktail you will want to share with everyone. The recipe is a sparkling rendition of spiked apple cider that pairs just as well with seasonal brunch dishes as it does with extraordinary fall desserts.

Like all mimosas, it's best to keep things simple, so you only need three liquid ingredients to make this drink. The base is a lovely combination of pear vodka and apple cider, which is topped with your favorite sparkling wine. The apple garnish and cinnamon sugar rim complete the look and give you a little spiced, fruity sweetness to enjoy while you drink with friends and family.

Ingredients

  • Cinnamon sugar, for rimming

  • Lime wedge, optional for rimming

  • 1 1/2 ounces pear vodka

  • 1 1/2 ounces apple cider

  • 4 to 5 ounces sparkling wine, to taste

  • Apple slice, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Apple Cider Mimosa ingredients in glasses and bowls

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  2. Rim a glass with cinnamon sugar: Rub a lime wedge (or apple slice) around the rim of a Champagne flute to wet it. Slowly roll the rim in cinnamon sugar, then tap off any excess sugar.

    Rim a glass by dipping it into the cinnamon sugar in a small bowl

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  3. Pour the vodka and apple cider into the prepared glass.

    Pour the vodka and apple cider into the prepared glass

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  4. Fill the glass with Champagne or sparkling wine.

    Top the cocktail with champagne

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  5. Garnish with an apple slice. Serve and enjoy.

    Apple Cider Mimosa in a champagne glass, garnished with an apple slice

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

    Tips

    • Make cinnamon sugar by mixing together 1 part ground cinnamon and 2 parts white sugar until it is a uniform light brown color.
    • To prevent the apple flesh from browning due to oxidation, dip the garnish in lemon juice.
    • Take advantage of the autumn apple harvest by using fresh-pressed apple cider if you can find it. A trip to the local apple orchard is not only a great way to spend an afternoon, but also one of the best places to find fresh cider to take home as many orchards offer it as well. This cider tends to have a deeper apple flavor than the average cider sold at grocery stores and can really add a nice flair to the mimosa.
    • If you have a lot of whole apples, you can also make your own apple cider at home. It's surprisingly easy in your slow cooker and you get the extra bonus of filling your home with the comforting aroma of warm, spiced apples.

    Recipe Variations

    • While this mimosa recipe is excellent with regular vodka, you can really add a nice background flavor to it with a flavored vodka, like the recommended pear vodka. Other flavors that would be fun in this recipe are cinnamon—a DIY infusion—and vanilla, which is available from many vodka brands.
    • This is also a great cocktail for a multidimensional vodka with lots of seasonal flavors. For instance, you can infuse the same ingredients in this spiced pear liqueur into your favorite vodka. The star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice are natural companions to the sparkling cider drink.
    • An apple-pear-cinnamon vodka is a fabulous choice as well.

    How Strong Is an Apple Cider Mimosa?

    Typically, flavored vodkas are bottled at just 70 proof rather than vodka's standard 80 proof and that does bring this mimosa's alcohol content down. With the average for sparkling wine, the drink should weigh in around 15 percent ABV (30 proof). That's just a touch stronger than the wine itself.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
300 Calories
0g Fat
25g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 300
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 11mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 22mg 109%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 252mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: