Let Apple Cider Mimosas Be The Star Of Your Fall Brunches

There's obviously nothing like a delicious mimosa-filled brunch, but what if you could elevate this drink to pair with autumn-themed foods? Well, that makes for a weekend event we'd happily attend each and every time. While classic mimosas are made with champagne or prosecco and orange juice, one fall drink would make the absolute best OJ replacement: apple cider.

Whether you're purchasing apple cider or making your own, adding it to champagne will help you create a brunch drink that evokes feelings of crisp orchard air and freshly-fallen leaves. If you're making cider from scratch, just make sure to let it cool completely before using it in mimosas. Keep in mind that while you may feel the urge to use apple juice instead of cider, there are differences between the two that will affect the flavor of the cocktail. Apple cider isn't processed nearly as much as its cousin, so it has a more robust, earthy flavor. Additionally, many apple ciders are made with extra spices that create a warm, rich profile. When it comes to your special fall events, go with cider, the option that you can usually only find during the autumn season. 

Before you start making apple mimosas, it's important to take your champagne-to-guest ratio for brunch into consideration, which is approximately one bottle of champagne per person. After that, you'll want to figure out the perfect champagne-to-juice ratio for a mimosa, which is generally a 1:1 measurement of juice (or cider) to alcohol, although you can tailor this to fit your personal preferences. 

Once you've figured all of that out and have made your perfect batches of apple cider mimosas — don't forget to garnish your glass with a freshly sliced apple or a spiced sugar rim! — it's time to think about which fall brunch foods will pair nicely with your cocktail. Since brunch menus tend to span between both breakfast and light lunch foods, you'll want to have a nice mixture of both. A fresh batch of cinnamon banana bread muffins would be a wonderful addition (especially if you add a fall ingredient that can elevate your banana bread). You can also make some overnight pumpkin French toast casserole, a fall frittata, and a batch of maple bacon. And if you'd like to have an additional autumn cocktail, a fall sangria made with cinnamon sticks and mulled wine should do the trick.