Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This gorgeous hibiscus mimosa will glamorize any celebration. It’s easy to make and so striking! The beautiful bloom is completely edible (and delicious!).
How long it takes: just a couple of minutes
Equipment you’ll need: champagne glasses or other decorative stemware
Servings: as many as you like!
Glamorous Hibiscus Mimosa
Makes any brunch special. A good brunch often starts with a cocktail, right? A mimosa, which is orange juice dressed up with champagne, is always a good choice because it’s light and not too sweet. Go one step further with these pretty pink hibiscus mimosas!
Edible flowers. A beautiful (and edible) hibiscus bloom is nestled into the bottom of a champagne flute, a splash of pear vodka is added, and then the mimosa is topped with sparkling wine. The bubbles seem to rise up from the crimson flower. This champagne cocktail almost always elicits a “Wow”!
Perfect for a special event. Flowers, bubbles, and a gorgeous hue of pink! Does that sound like a special occasion or what? This cocktail is perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch and is fun for a girls’ night out, a spa day, a bachelorette party, or a wedding shower. Serve it at your next book club meeting! Wouldn’t it be perfect at a garden club?
In Case You're Wondering…
What’s the plural of “hibiscus”? If you have more than one of these strikingly beautiful blooms, a bouquet, shall we say, call them hibiscuses or just hibiscus, if you’d rather. Wiktionary says hibisci but it seems that hibiscuses is the most common.Having a brunch? Serve overnight French toast casserole, crescent roll breakfast casserole, or an asparagus Gruyère tart with balsamic glaze. I like to serve this cocktail with brioche French toast or stuffed French toast, too. For dessert, serve vanilla bean cookie bars (tint the frosting to match your theme) or honey lemon shortbread cookies. A streusel coffee cake and homemade muffins are a must!
About This Champagne Cocktail
Only 3 ingredients! Like any mimosa, this hibiscus mimosa is easy to make with only three ingredients. Find pretty glasses to serve them in so the hibiscus flowers are displayed. “Easy and elegant” means you’ll impress your guests but with a minimum of effort.
Each drink can be completely customized. Make it sweeter, pinker, with less (or more) alcohol, or with a completely different kind of spirit. Keep reading for more ideas.
Wondering what the flowers taste like? Preserved hibiscus flowers are completely edible! They taste fruity, somewhat like raspberry or sweet rhubarb, and have a firm but tender texture.
Ingredient Notes
- Preserved Hibiscus: Hibiscus blooms are preserved in a light corn syrup. The syrup itself is deep red because it’s colored by the hibiscus. If you’ve ever had hibiscus tea, you’ll recall that the tea is deep red in color. The cocktail itself will be colored by the syrup that clings to the preserved flowers, and if you’d like your mimosa a deeper color (and sweeter), you can add more syrup. The jar of flowers has a “Use By” date and can be kept in the refrigerator for quite awhile after it’s been opened.
- Pear Vodka: Look for a pear flavored vodka. A popular brand is Absolut. We’re suckers for pretty bottles and couldn’t resist picking up this Wild Roots vodka that’s pictured.
- Champagne or Prosecco: Really any type of dry sparkling wine can be used. I wouldn’t choose the most expensive bottle since it will be mixed with other ingredients, but choose a sparkling wine that you would enjoy drinking. Choose a rosé champagne for a more intensely pink cocktail.
How To Make These Mimosas
It’s so easy! Begin by having all the ingredients well chilled. This cocktail needs to be served cold. You won’t be adding any ice or shaking it in a cocktail shaker so make sure everything gets put into the refrigerator well in advance.
You’ll need champagne glasses, small wine glasses, or coupe glasses, which are stemmed glasses with a shallow wide bowl. Look for a glass that will nicely display the hibiscus bloom and the bubbles that rise from it.
Carefully remove a hibiscus from the jar. They can be packed into the jar pretty tightly and the first couple may be a little tricky to get out intact. A small fork or tongs work well. Don’t be afraid to use your (clean!) fingers if it’s necessary.
Nestle one flower into the bottom of each glass.
Pour in an ounce of pear vodka.
Finish by topping the glass with sparkling wine. Serve immediately while the effervescent bubbles are filling the glass.
Raise a glass to celebrate the occasion. Cheers! (And please remember to drink responsibly.)
And yes, it’s okay to pick out the flower and eat it after you finish your drink. Unless of course, you want to go back for a refill!
Have everything well chilled and your glasses clean and polished. To get a little jump on things, put a flower into each of the glasses an hour or two ahead of time. Put the glasses with the flowers into the refrigerator so they are chilled and ready to fill.
Easy Recipe Variations
- Make it sweeter and pinker. Add a few drops of syrup from the jar of hibiscus flowers. The syrup will add sweetness and a deeper color to your cocktail.
- Make it lighter. Omit or use less vodka for a lighter drink.
- Substitutes for pear vodka: Elderflower liqueur (St Germaine), Chambord (raspberry liqueur), or pomegranate liqueur are all good alternatives.
- Champagne vs. prosecco: Both are sparkling wines but champagne is produced only in a certain region of France and prosecco is produced in a specific region of Italy. They are made from different grapes and using different methods. Often prosecco is more affordable than champagne.
Festive Cocktail Recipes
Hibiscus Mimosa
Ingredients
- 1 hibiscus flower in syrup
- 1 ounce pear vodka, chilled (see notes)
- 5 ounces dry champagne or prosecco, chilled
Instructions
- Place a hibiscus flower in the bottom of a champagne glass.
- Add vodka. Top off glass with champagne. Serve immediately.
- Repeat recipe for as many cocktails as are needed.
Notes
- Substitutes for pear vodka: Elderflower liqueur (St Germaine), Chambord (raspberry liqueur), or a pomegranate liqueur are good alternatives.
- Champagne: Any type of sparkling wine can be used. For a more intense shade of pink, use rosé champagne.
- More variations: For a lighter cocktail, omit the vodka. Simply put the flower in the glass, add a drop or two of the hibiscus syrup, if desired, and top with champagne. It will be a lovely shade of pink, darker if you add syrup.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love the taste of pear and this drink is so pretty. Where do you find Hibiscus flower??
I bought mine online: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JKUVG2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002JKUVG2&linkCode=as2&tag=notracray-20 (that’s an affiliate link, fyi).
Worth every penny for a special occasion, I think!
Love the green kitchen aid mixer!
I ove fitatas for brunch
Mimosas!
I really love champagne cocktails, they’re always easy to make & so festive! I’ve never tried hibiscus anything – I think!
What a gorgeous cocktail! I love how girly it is!
I love adding hibiscus flowers to champagne! So pretty and tasty!
This is so beautiful! I love the light pink color that hibiscus brings to the champagne. I could sip on this all day long :)
Brunch favorite is ALWAYS pancakes. Always.
This drink looks gorgeous and I’m sure it tastes amazing, too!