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Similar to a Bloody Mary, this Carrot Juice Bloody Mary, known as a ‘Bunny Mary,’ is the perfect Easter Cocktail and is made using carrot juice and all the familiar spices and add-ins of the traditional beverage. Best for a spring or Easter brunch use this spicy and tart cocktail to toast warmer days and new beginnings.
Why This Recipe Works
This spring version of a traditional favorite brunch cocktail is equally as tart and tasty as the traditional Bloody Mary but boasts a fun bright orange color making it perfect for Easter brunch.
As with the traditional Bloody Mary, you can add your favorite toppings or even create a Bloody Mary bar. The rim of the glass is coated in a salty Old Bay Seasoning mixture for added flavor, but you can leave this off or just use coarse salt. This cocktail is extremely versatile.
This simple Easter cocktail is an easy addition to any spring brunch or gathering and pairs perfectly with these Ricotta and Thyme Baked Eggs or this Egg Breakfast Casserole.
Ingredients Needed
This delicious cocktail is practically a meal in itself with all the potential add-ins and toppings. Below is a list of the basic ingredients you’ll need to prepare this recipe, however, many are optional and can be changed or omitted.
Ingredient Notes
- Carrot Juice: you can find carrot juice on the juice isle of your grocery store. Try and find one that is pure carrot juice. Any additives or flavor combinations will alter the flavor of the drink.
- Lemon Juice: I prefer to use fresh squeezed lemon juice because it has a stronger flavor that bottled lemon juice, but either will work.
- Dill Pickle Juice: this is such a key addition to the mixture but it is optional, but as you probably imagine my suggestion is to keep it. The pickle juice and the olive brine bring the tangy flavor to this cocktail.
- Olive Brine: you could choose between adding the pickle juice and the olive brine, but I suggest both as mentioned above. The tangy flavor of the olive brine pairs well with the carrot juice and the citrus of the lemon juice.
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Hot Sauce: if you like a little heat to mix in with all that tang and spice then mix in some hot sauce to your beverage or leave it out to cut down on the heat.
- Old Bay Seasoning: this seasoning blend goes in the mixture as well as on the rim of the glass so it’s a key ingredient. It can be found in the spice section of your grocery store.
- Salt: you will need salt for both the rim of the glass and the actual beverage mixture. My preference is to keep it simple and use coarse salt for both.
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper: If you can use freshly cracked black pepper for a stronger flavor, but if you’re not the biggest pepper fan you can also use already ground black pepper.
- Vodka: you won’t need top shelf vodka for this recipe, but I also wouldn’t use cheap vodka either. Brands such as Smirnoff and Tito’s as well as Grey Goose will work perfectly for this recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the carrot juice mixture. Pour the carrot juice into a large pitcher and mix in the olive brine, pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Coat the rim. Using a lemon wedge coat the rim of the glass generously in lemon juice.
- Dip the rim in seasoning. Pour the Old Bay seasoning and coarse salt onto a flat surface or small flat plate and stir to combine. Dip the sides and top of the glass rim into the seasoning.
- Set up the cocktail. Fill each glass with ice and add 2 to 3 ounces of vodka. Pour the carrot juice mixture into the glass and layer with garnishes of your choice.
Garnish and Add-Ins
The garnish is the most fun part of a Bloody Mary and if you plan on making a Bunny Mary bar then you’ll want to include all kinds of add-ins for guest to garnish their drink with. There are no limits to this Easter cocktail.
For the drinks in the photos, I used small carrots, lemon slices, dill pickles, green olives, and gherkins.
- Fruit: lemon or lime wedges.
- Pickled Veggies: such as Pickled Okra, Pickled Red Onions, green beans, Pickled Jalapenos and Carrots, asparagus, or beets.
- Plain Veggies: carrots, zucchini, celery stalks, bell peppers, pepperoncini, or cucumber spears.
- Pickles: Gherkins, dill pickles, or mini cukes or even Bread and Butter Pickles.
- Onions and Garlic: pearl onions or red onions. Try some roasted garlic either on a skewer or chopped and mixed in.
- Olives: kalamata, green olives, stuffed olives, or really any kind of olive.
- Cheese: mini mozzarella balls, cheese squares of any kind but cheddar is great.
- Shellfish: cooked shrimp, oysters, or mussels.
- Meat: bacon strips, pepperoni, prociutto, or any kind of jerky.
- Carbs: if you’re going to go all out add some fries, tater tots, or even onion rings.
Rim Seasoning
Part of the beauty of this cocktail is how you can easily garner it to your own tastes. You get to pick the toppings, whether you’d like it to be a mocktail or not, and you can choose your option for seasoning the rim as well.
The recipe in the photos uses a combination of Old Bay Seasoning and margarita salt. Coat the rim of the glass in lemon juice by running a lemon wedge along the edge and then dipping it into the seasoning. It will work best if the seasoning is on a flat plate or surface. Some other options are listed below.
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Celery Salt
- Garlic Salt
- Smoked Paprika
- Lemon Pepper
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Seasoned Salts
- BBQ Rubs
Recipe Notes and Tips
- To line the rim of your glass with seasoning use a lime or lemon wedge and run it along the edge of the glass before dipping it into the mixture. This will allow the seasoning to stick perfectly.
- This drink is best served super cold. Chill the mixture before serving it and pour it ove a tall glass filled with ice.
- Mix it before pouring. When preparing to pour the carrot juice mixture into cups stir it up well to make sure the spices are evenly dispersed.
- Make it ahead. It’s a good idea to prepare the carrot juice mixture the night before you plan on serving it to let the spices and flavors marinate together.
- To increase the flavor of the mixture then add more of really anything. If you think it needs more salt then add more salt or if you’d like more tanginess then pour in some more olive brine.
FAQs
Absolutely, you can easily omit the vodka to turn this into a delicious mocktail or you can swap it out for club soda or tonic water.
Yes, and in fact, I recommend preparing the carrot juice mixture in advance of when you plan on serving it such as the night before. This allows the spices and flavors to marinate together creating a bolder flavor.
If you made this Easter Cocktail I want to hear all about it! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars so I can see your beautiful work. Enjoy!
Easter Cocktail
Ingredients
- 32 ounces Carrot Juice
- 1/4 cup Olive Brine
- 1/4 cup Pickle Juice
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 18 ounces Vodka
Seasoning for Rim of Glass
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Coarse Salt
- 1 Lemon Wedge
Instructions
- Pour the carrot juice into a large pitcher and mix in the olive brine, pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight.
- Pour the Old Bay seasoning and coarse salt onto a flat surface or small flat plate and stir to combine.
- Using a lemon wedge coat the rim of the glass generously in lemon juice. Dip the sides and top of the glass rim into the seasoning.
- Fill each glass with ice and add 2 to 3 ounces of vodka. Pour the carrot juice mixture into the glass and layer with garnishes of your choice.
Notes
- To line the rim of your glass with seasoning use a lime or lemon wedge and run it along the edge of the glass before dipping it into the mixture. This will allow the seasoning to stick perfectly.
- This drink is best served super cold. Chill the mixture before serving it and pour it over a tall glass filled with ice.
- Mix it before pouring. When preparing to pour the carrot juice mixture into cups stir it up well to make sure the spices are evenly dispersed.
- Make it ahead. It’s a good idea to prepare the carrot juice mixture the night before you plan on serving it to let the spices and flavors marinate together.
