Elderflower and Lemon Mimosas are light, refreshing cocktails with soft floral bouquets. So delicious for brunches and warm afternoons!

Several years ago, everyone (including me!) was mad about the elderflower and lemon craze because of Harry and Meghan's royal wedding. But this flavor duo is not just a passing fad.

This lemon and elderflower cocktail is deliciously unique and just as memorable as other evergreen flavor combinations, like tequila and lime or bourbon and bitters.

Elderflower & Lemon Mimosas are in stemless flutes and garnished with a lemon spiral twist.

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For a while, you could buy all things elderflower and lemon, but as the craze has waned, ready-made treats with these flavors have almost completely disappeared. But if you love this flavor combo, you can still easily enjoy it in a homemade mimosa cocktail.

Jump to:

What is a Mimosa?
About This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
How to Make Elderflower and Lemon Mimosas
My Top Tips
Substitutions & Variations
More Great Cocktails & Beverage Posts
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

What is a Mimosa?

Every mimosa cocktail has at least two ingredients that make it a "mimosa," which are citrus juice or flavor and sparkling wine like champagne or prosecco.

For the best flavor, all of the ingredients must be well chilled and the glasses should be chilled also to keep the mimosa at the perfect cool temperature to sip.

The classic way to serve a mimosa is in a champagne flute. But you can use any glassware.

A mimosa cocktail is light and well-suited for breakfasts, brunches, and anytime you want to serve a refreshing cocktail.

About This Recipe

The easiest mimosa to make is with orange juice and a sparkling wine like Champagne from France, Cava from Spain, or Prosecco from Italy. From this basic recipe, you can substitute any citrus juice or natural flavor.

For this variation, I begin by making a simple syrup that is flavored with lemon. First I simmer water, sugar, and lemon peel to make the base of the lemon simple syrup and then I add fresh lemon juice to bring bright acidity and double down on the lemon flavor.

This makes the perfect lemon flavoring to add to elderflower liqueur that then is combined with bubbly wine creating a mimosa that is a perfect sip for brunches, showers, and girly get-togethers. Doesn't this sound fun? Great!

So, let's cook!

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for Elderflower and Lemon Mimosas, clockwise from top left: elderflower liqueur, water, Prosecco, lemon peel, fresh lemon juice, and white granulated sugar.

For the Lemon Simple Syrup:

Water - Just plain water is fine.
White Granulated Sugar - White granulated sugar adds just the right sweetness. Do not substitute any other sugar for it.
Lemon Peel - Lemon peel without the pith adds a terrific boost of flavor to the simple syrup.
Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice - The best tasting cocktails contain freshly made fruit juices.

For the Elderflower and Lemon Mimosas:

Lemon Simple Syrup. Lemon simple syrup is sweet and has a softer lemon flavor than straight lemon juice. I make mine from scratch and have included the recipe for lemon simple syrup.
Elderflower Syrup or Liqueur. Elderflower syrup will bring that lovely soft floral aroma and taste to this mimosa. Popular brand choices are Drillaud and Bols. Alternatively, an elderflower liqueur also brings soft floral notes and may add other herbal notes and nuances to this cocktail. St. Germain is an excellent choice. My review on elderflower syrups and liqueurs has more information on what to choose.
Prosecco. Any dry, white sparkling wine will work in the recipe. I like using prosecco because it typically has a crisp flavor with hints of summer fruits like peaches and apricots. Also, it is generally less expensive than champagne.

How to Make Elderflower and Lemon Mimosas

Process Photo 1a - Simmering water, sugar, and lemon peel in a small saucepan to make the base of lemon simple syrup.

Process Photo 1b - Adding lemon juice to simple syrup that has been simmered with lemon peel.

Make Lemon Simple Syrup. In a small saucepan combine water, sugar, and lemon peel. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool. Add lemon juice and stir well.

Process Photo 2 - The strained lemon simple syrup is poured into a small carafe until needed.

Strain and Store. Strain syrup to remove lemon zest and transfer to a glass container. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Process Photo 3 - Mixing together lemon simple syrup and elderflower syrup in a measuring cup.

Mix the Syrups. In a very small pitcher, mix the elderflower syrup and the lemon simple syrup.

Process Photo 4 - Adding Prosecco to stemless flutes to make a elderflower and lemon mimosa.

Make Mimosas. Pour a small amount of Prosecco into each glass. Add 2 tablespoons of the mixed syrups. Top with Prosecco and garnish as desired.

An Elderflower & Lemon Mimosa is in a stemless flute and garnished with a lemon spiral twist.

My Top Tips

♡ Make-Ahead - Lemon Simple Syrup can be made up to 5 days in advance.

♡ Portion Sizing - The number of servings this recipe makes depends on the glassware size. For best results, glasses should not exceed 7.5 ounces. Champagne flutes are classically pretty and crystal juice glasses are timeless as well.

♡ Reduce Overspill - Sparkling wine can be very fizzy and judging how much to pour can be tricky. Always add sparkling wine to the glass before the simple syrup. Then add more bubbly to top off the glass.

Substitutions & Variations

Make it a Mocktail - A non-alcoholic version of this mimosa can be made by substituting plain seltzer or lemon sparkling water for the Prosecco and elderflower syrup for the liqueur.

More Great Cocktails & Beverage Posts

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Elderflower and Lemon Mimosas