41 Brunch Cocktails That Blow Basic Mimosas Out of the Water

It’s a cross between sweet summer sangria and a citrusy margarita. Swoon. Don’t skimp on the lime sugar garnish that comes together in a flash.

Don’t worry, there’s still vodka in this classic morning sipper, along with tomato juice, horseradish and hot sauce. But it’s crisper and more refreshing, thanks to eight ounces of pale lager.

The most sophisticated way to serve sparkling wine to a crowd. Garnish each flute with fresh raspberries and a lime wheel for a summery finishing touch.

Rosé + grapefruit juice = a refreshingly fancy (yet ridiculously simple) brunch cocktail. Want to make it even stronger? Add a dash of gin.

Instead of adding ice to the pitcher, keep it cold all morning long with frozen peach slices and raspberries. That way, the drink won’t get diluted over time.

Ice pops might not be the first menu item that comes to mind when planning a brunch, but hear us out. One can be propped up inside a glass of white wine or prosecco, where it’ll keep your drink cold and infuse it with fruity flavor as it melts.

Margaritas are already bright and refreshing as is. But add a pilsner-style beer to the mix and it’ll help you beat the heat on the hottest summer day.

Rhubarb and strawberries can do so much more than just pie. Here, the rhubarb is simmered in water and sugar to create a tart syrup.

It’s smoky. It’s sour. It’s spicy. It’s damn delicious. Think mezcal and tequila cut with spiced pineapple syrup, lime juice and a chili powder rim.

You and summer shandy—that classic 50/50 mix of beer and lemonade—go way back. But have you ever sipped a radler? It’s just as citrusy and crisp, only it stars fresh grapefruit juice.

Behold: the grown-up equivalent to a juice box. These frozen cocktails contain nothing but tea, fruit juice and vodka (oh, and a generous dose of nostalgia).

Take this cocktail as a sign that Mary’s living her best life. Zesty tomato juice spiked with sriracha gets a dose of tropical sweetness from mango nectar.

Not only is this drink teeming with Italian rosato wine and orange liqueur, but it also gets a dose of Cocchi Americano, a bittersweet apéritif.

The Aperol spritz will never go out of style, don’t @ us. But we’re all about this welcomed update that calls for slush-ifying the bev in a blender or food processor.

Lemonade is good. Boozy lemonade is great. Frozen boozy lemonade is straight-up revelatory. Take your pick of vodka or gin, but the hollowed-out lemon cups are non-negotiable.

Suck one down after breakfast or let the ice pop melt into a glass of fruit juice or white wine. Either way, your guests will be totally wowed.

The secret ingredient? A pineapple-infused mix of silver tequila and coconut rum. Feel free to smash the cucumber slices before adding them to the glass for extra vegetal flavor.

It pairs just as seamlessly with brunch as it does a sushi dinner—trust. If you don’t have prosecco on hand, feel free to substitute cava or Champagne.

We’d be remiss to not invite summer’s unofficial fruit mascot to the party. Since you’ll have to puree some fresh cubed watermelon to make juice, here’s the easiest way to cut it.

If you have a crowd of thirsty guests in your kitchen, bust out this 20-serving powerhouse. It’s made with sweet white wine, pineapple juice and three different fruits.

This smooth sipper hails from Trinidad, where it was invented in the 1920s. It’s very similar to a mojito, save for the addition of bitters.

We wait all week long to indulge in this extra special cup of joe. Frangelico (which is hazelnut liqueur) is the secret ingredient, but we wouldn’t blame you for adding vanilla vodka or Bailey’s too.

Face it: The O.G. was long overdue for an update. The recipe calls for using pineapple juice instead of traditional orange, but we’re betting it’d still taste divine with both.

You know how some restaurants make their bellinis with a dash of peach schnapps instead of real peach puree? Yeah, we don’t play that.

Summer fruit soaked in rosé is a total game-changer. Make the most of your farmers market spoils by adding cherries, nectarines or plums to the pitcher too.

We’re not sure which garnish we fell for first, the bacon strips, cocktail shrimp or blue cheese-stuffed olives. Did we mention it’s made with pickle-infused vodka?

For the whiskey lovers at your table. Think fresh summer cherries, lemon juice, a dash of orange liqueur and lots of fresh herbs.

The secret to this sipper’s spicy splendor is Domaine de Canton, a ginger liqueur. But feel free to substitute ginger juice if you don’t have it in your bar cart.

We never run out of reasons to love this summer melon. It turns out that fresh pureed watermelon complements mint and ginger beer like a charm.

This just might be the cleanest, crispest cocktail ever invented. We’re talking dry gin, brut Champagne, fresh citrus and just the right amount of elderflower liqueur.

Since it’s pretty much flawless as is, there aren’t too many ways to improve on this rum bev. (Unless you’d like to adorn each glass with a tiny umbrella, of course.)

Ten minutes, two ingredients, endless flavor. Seedless watermelons are the easiest to work with, but spring for sugar baby watermelons if you can find them for their sweet flavor.

Choose your fighter: strawberry-lavender, raspberry-peach or blackberry-thyme.

Thanks to a few glugs of applejack, an apple whiskey that’s known for being America’s first spirit, this crowd-pleaser works just as well in the summer as it does in the fall.

You’re only two ingredients and a stint in the freezer away from a glass of summertime. If you want it to be sweeter or thicker, add agave nectar or honey to taste.

Mandarins are popular to snack on raw, since they’re sweet and easy to peel. But these qualities also make them great for cocktails (and it doesn’t hurt that they’re practically seedless).

Each recipe has an autumnal substitute for traditional orange juice. Take your pick from apple cider, vanilla bean-pear, white grape-cranberry and pumpkin ale mimosas (or heck, make all four).

The recipe is virgin as is, so feel free to dole these out to the kids at the party. But two fingers of vodka or gin in your blueberry-topped glass wouldn’t hurt.

Use frozen peach slices instead of ice cubes so the drinks don’t become diluted, as well as mango nectar to give them a silky consistency.

Not only is it overflowing with fruity flavor due to limeade, pineapple juice and raspberry vodka, but it’s also sweetened with fresh blackberry syrup.

With three spirits, two digestifs and cold brew in this cocktail, you’ll be needing a hearty meal to go with it. Might we suggest chicken and cheddar-waffle sandwiches?