Everyone will say you’re a mean one, or at least that you make a mean cocktail, when you serve up Grinch mimosas for your holiday brunch. This fruity drink with a green hue is inspired by Whoville’s most infamous character, and tasty enough to make your heart grow three sizes!
What is a Grinch Mimosa?
A Grinch mimosa is a festive drink with a bright green color just like the classic character, the Grinch! It’s made with champagne or prosecco like a traditional mimosa, and the color is achieved through a combination of fresh orange juice and a blue liqueur.
It doesn’t get much easier than a 3 ingredient cocktail! Honestly, I could probably get it down to two, but I prefer this flavor combination over even more simplicity. You can definitely add fun garnishes as well, which will add more ingredients, but they’re totally optional.
Grinch mimosas take just a few minutes to throw together, and are equally good served by the glass or the pitcher. This makes them an excellent choice for your holiday brunches, and a fun Christmas morning cocktail for the adults while the kids are opening presents!
Of course, there’s also ways to make mocktails for the kids and non-drinkers, as well as different variations of ingredients to choose from. I’ll give you the full details!
Katie’s tip
If you’re hosting Christmas brunch and want to offer an assortment of mimosa flavors to choose from, make sure to check out my Jack Frost Mimosa for another perfect holiday offering!
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Grinch Mimosa Ingredients
- 2 ounces of orange juice (no pulp)
- 1 ounce Hpnotiq blue liquor (or another blue liquor; see notes)
- 3 ounces of your favorite champagne or prosecco (chilled)
- Optional garnishes if desired
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
- In place of the Hpnotiq (which is a blend of vodka, cognac, and tropical fruit juice), you can use another blue alcohol, such as UV blue (blue raspberry) vodka, blue curaçao, or even plain vodka with 2-3 drops of green food coloring added. Note that the colors will vary slightly between brands and varieties of alcohol
- Champagne flutes range in size from 6-10 ounces. This recipe assumes the use of a 6-ounce glass. You can add up to 2 ounces of additional champagne. Beyond an 8-ounce glass, you may want to add 1.5 – 2x the other alcohol and juice for flavor
- 2 Ingredient Option: Try Midori melon liqueur and champagne, or use blue champagne and orange juice to cut down on ingredients!
Non-Alcoholic Version
To make a non-alcoholic mocktail Grinch mimosa, use blue Kool-Aid or a blue sports drink in place of the blue liquor, and add sparkling water, ginger ale, or sparkling apple juice in place of the champagne.
How to Make a Grinch Mimosa
- To your champagne flute, add the orange juice and Hpnotiq (or other blue liquor) and stir to combine. Make sure you like the hue (you can tweak slightly by adding more of one color if needed)
- Top your glass with champagne (pour slowly to avoid overflowing the glass)
- Garnish if desired, and enjoy!
Large Batch Preparation
To scale this recipe for Christmas brunch or a holiday party, here is what you’ll need:
Recipe for 6-8 Servings:
- 1 ¾ cups orange juice
- 1 cup Hpnotiq blue liqueur
- 2 ¾ cups chilled champagne or prosecco
Batch Preparation Tips:
- Combine the orange juice and Hpnotiq in a large pitcher and chill before serving
- Top each glass with champagne or prosecco just before serving to keep the bubbles fresh!
- This recipe makes approximately seven 6-oz servings (but it will vary depending on your specific glass size)
- Pomegranate Mimosas
Recipe FAQs
What Ingredients Are Needed to Make Grinch Mimosas?
Typically, Grinch mimosas consist of champagne or prosecco, orange juice, and a blue liquor (such a blue curacao, blue vodka, or similar) to create the vibrant green hue.
Alternatively, food coloring may be used to tint otherwise clear liquor to create the same effect.
Can I Make Grinch Mimosas Without Alcohol?
Yes, you can prepare a non-alcoholic version by substituting champagne with sparkling water or sparkling juice, such as apple.
Use food coloring or a blue sports drink in place of the blue liquor.
How Do I Achieve the Perfect Green Color for Grinch Mimosas?
To achieve the perfect green, you can tweak the amounts of orange juice and blue liquor accordingly, as colors vary between brands.
Alternatively, use some green food coloring to add tint as needed.
Can I Prepare Grinch Mimosas in Advance for a Party?
For maximum fizziness, you don’t want to mix champagne in ahead of time for a party. However, you can mix the juice and blue liquor together and refrigerate up to 72 hours in advance.
Then, add the champagne and gently stir before serving.
What Garnishes Can I Use to Decorate Grinch Mimosas?
Popular garnishes are red, to represent the Grinch’s heart. This could be a maraschino cherry, heart-shaped red gummy candy, or a strawberry.
Alternatively, rim the glass using water or fruit juice and a little bit of red sanding sugar.
Can I Use Another Juice Besides Orange?
Yes! You can swap in another yellow-colored juice like pineapple juice or mango juice instead of orange.
Note that the overall color will vary slightly between different types of juice, so expect the hue to differ and adjust with your liqueur or food coloring as needed.
Recipe Pro Tips For the Best Grinch Mimosas
- Glassware. A champagne glass is the most traditional for mimosas (whether traditional or stemless). However, you can use white wine glasses or juice goblets in a pinch!
- If you want to rim your glasses (totally optional), dip the rim of the glass in water or a little extra juice, and then dip the wet rim into a plate with decorative sugar on it
Storage and Serving Suggestions
- Garnish options include: maraschino cherries, a heart-shaped red gummy candy, strawberries cut into a heart shape, or a red decorating sugar rim. These are entirely optional, but add a festive touch!
- The juice and blue liquor may be combined up to 72 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator. However, champagne should be added only just before serving, for maximum fizziness
- Leftover Grinch mimosas may be stored in a sealed container or pitcher for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, but will continue to lose fizz over time
More Holiday Cocktails
- Peppermint Mudslide
Final Thoughts
I love Grinch mimosas as part of my holiday mimosa bar, because they’re fun and festive with a tropical twist! Not only that, they taste great! Plus, you can make them with a variety of different liquors, so if you hate blue curacao like I do, you still have options.
With just 3 ingredients (plus any garnishes you might want) and a couple minutes to throw together, a festive Grinch mimosa is e the perfect choice for entertaining. Plus, you can easily scale up for a pitcher and let everyone serve themselves for a low maintenance option.
If you’re looking for more Grinch-inspired drinks, make sure to check out my creamy Grinch Milkshake as well! It’s cold, just like the Grinch’s heart, but sure to give you warm feelings and bring holiday cheer anyway.
Easy Grinch Mimosa Drink Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring cup (liquid)
- Champagne flute (or similar)
Ingredients
- 2 Ounces orange juice
- 1 Ounce Hpnotiq (or another blue liquor; see notes)
- 3 Ounces champagne or prosecco (chilled)
- Garnishes if desired (I use a maraschino cherry)
Instructions
- To your champagne flute, add the orange juice and Hpnotiq (or other blue liquor) and stir to combine. Make sure you like the hue (you can tweak slightly by adding more of one color if needed)2 Ounces orange juice, 1 Ounce Hpnotiq
- Top your glass with champagne3 Ounces champagne or prosecco
- Garnish if desired, and enjoy!Garnishes if desired
Notes
- In place of the Hpnotiq (which is a blend of vodka, cognac, and tropical fruit juice), you can use another blue alcohol, such as UV blue (blue raspberry) vodka, blue curacao, or even plain vodka with 2-3 drops of green food coloring added. Note that the colors will vary slightly between brands and varieties of alcohol
- Champagne flutes range in size from 6-10 ounces. This recipe assumes the use of a 6-ounce glass. You may need to adjust proportions if your glasses are larger or smaller
- Garnish options include: maraschino cherries, a heart-shaped red gummy candy, strawberries cut into a heart shape, or a red decorating sugar rim. These are entirely optional, but add a fun touch!
- 2 Ingredient Option: Use blue champagne and orange juice to cut down on ingredients!
- Mocktail variation: To make a non-alcoholic mocktail Grinch mimosa, use blue Kool-Aid or a blue sports drink in place of the blue liquor, and add sparkling water or sparkling apple juice in place of the champagne
- To make a pitcher for a party, simply scale the recipe for the desired number of servings
- The juice and blue liquor may be combined up to 72 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator. However, champagne should be added only just before serving, for maximum fizziness
- Leftover Grinch mimosas may be stored in a sealed container or pitcher for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, but will continue to lose fizz over time
- Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and variety of ingredients, any garnishes added, and size of glasses, so please consider this a guideline only
Nutrition
