I’m gonna be honest, and I might lose my status as a friend to many of you, but I’m not a huge fan of Champagne.

Cue audible gasp from the crowd

I know, I know…that’s weird, right? I think I just don’t like the bubbles or something. Or the fact that it makes me very sleepy. Come on people, a mimosa is a drink you’re supposed to drink at breakfast/brunch…shouldn’t it perk you up instead of putting you to sleep?!

But there is an exception to all rules, and here’s the exception to my I’m-Not-A-Fan-Of-Champagne-Rule: throw an Amaretto Mimosa my way and I am a very big fan of Champagne!

Do you know what Amaretto is? I’m surprised by the number of people I’ve introduced this recipe to that don’t know what it is. The short definition is that it’s an almond liqueur. The longer definition, from Wikipedia of course is this:

The name is a diminutive of the Italian amaro, meaning “bitter,” indicating the distinctive flavour lent by the mandorla amara–the bitter almond or the drupe kernel. However, the bitterness is not unpalatable, and the flavour is enhanced by sweeteners, and sometimes sweet almonds, in the final products. Therefore, the liqueur’s name can be said to describe the taste as “a little bitter”. 

Now I’m a huge fan of Amaretto. Always have been. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. If you haven’t tried it, you really should. Trader Vic’s Amaretto is also good with Sweet and Sour Mix (check out One Martini at a Time’s recipe for a super easy Sweet and Sour Mix you can make at home).

So now on to my recipe. I bought a bottle of Trader Vic’s Amaretto to make Amaretto Cream Truffles for the holidays. I will share that recipe with you if you want me to…just say the word! Anyways, the recipe only called for 2 tablespoons of the liqueur, so I had an entire bottle left over.

When we make mimosas, my husband prefers them made with Almond Champagne, so I thought: What the heck? I’ll try to make them with Amaretto instead!

Which is exactly what I did. I give to you, my *almost famous but not really and only in my mind* Amaretto Mimosa recipe. Cheers!

Amaretto Mimosa

1 shot Trader Vic’s Amaretto…you can use another brand, but why use less than the best? And, I use more than a shot, but who’s counting. What can I say? I love Amaretto!

2 shots Orange Juice, no pulp

Your favorite Champagne

Directions:

Add Trader Vic’s Amaretto and the orange juice to a champagne flute, and top with Champagne. And this is such a pretty drink – I put the Amaretto in, then the OJ and top it off with the Champagne. The layering is lovely, but really, you have to mix it up. Still, if you want to make it look pretty, just garnish it with a slice of orange!

This recipe couldn’t be easier. Try it the next time you think about making mimosas…you’ll be pleasantly surprised by my version with a twist!

Do you have a yummy mimosa recipe to share? I’ve got a tropical mimosa recipe coming up soon!

Have you wondered where I’ve been? I know I’ve hinted around having some really exciting news to share with you…if you follow me on Twitter you might have heard some of the news. But here I haven’t posted since Tuesday, and there’s a good reason for that! Details to follow very soon, promise!