A Cosmopolitan Cocktail or Cosmo is a classic drink with vodka, triple sec, and cranberry juice. Perfect balance of sweet and tart flavor!
This classy Drink Recipe is the perfect addition to your next girls’ night, party, or any occasion you want to make a little more fun with signature cocktail. Try our Moscow Mule and Manhattan Cocktail for more classic cocktail options for your next party.
Sabrina’s Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe
The sweet and tart Cosmo Martini has become a go-to order at cocktail bars everywhere. It became more popular since it was the TV show character Carrie Bradshaw’s signature drink. This easy and simple lets you recreate the iconic drink at home. It’s perfect for special occasions or whenever you want to treat yourself to a fancy, classic cocktail at home.
There are a few claims about how this now iconic drink came to be. The most popular theory, according to Nio Cocktails, is that Cheryl Cook created the drink blend. After seeing how many people ordered a classic martini just because of how elegant the glass looked, she came up with the idea of exchanging the lime juice for cranberry juice. The addition of cranberry juice made the drink sweeter and gave it the signature pink color that so many people now love.
Ingredients
- Ice Cubes: Make sure that you have a cup of ice cubes ready to go for this recipe. Although you won’t use ice in the finished drink, mixing the cocktail ingredients with ice makes a more delicious chilled drink.
- Vodka: Vodka is the base ingredient for this martini drink. But, the boozy flavor is nicely balanced by the other fruity ingredients. For a twist in flavor, you can use vodka with citrus flavor or other complimentary flavors like berry or vanilla.
- Triple Sec: This is one of the most important Cosmopolitan ingredients. It’s a unique addition to the cocktail, and it creates the perfect balance between tangy and sweet flavors in the classic drink recipe.
- Lime juice: Mix in 1 tablespoon of lime juice for the perfect refreshing and tangy flavor in this drink. You could bottled juice but the flavor is much better with fresh lime plus you can use the lime for a garnish.
- Cranberry Juice: The cranberry juice gives your Cosmopolitan the perfect fruity flavor, and when it mixes with the other ingredients, it creates the perfect pink color that the cocktail is known for.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker: If you like to make cocktails, you definitely want to get a good cocktail shaker. The metal helps rapidly chill the alcohol with the ice so it doesn’t get watered down. The strainer lets you pour the drink into the glass without spilling or the ice going into the glass.
- Alternative Shaker: If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, use a glass cup and quickly stir with a long spoon, then strain with a mesh strainer. The glass method works best if you chill the vodka in the freezer overnight.
How to Make
Time needed: 5 minutes.
- Prep Work
Before combining the cocktail ingredients, chill the martini glass in the freezer. This is the best way to keep your drink chilled without adding ice to the glass.
- Shake the Martini
Add vodka, triple sec, lime juice, and cranberry juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Then shake for 20-30 seconds. The ice will chill the cocktail ingredients while you combine them in the shaker.
- Serve and Garnish
Strain the drink into a chilled martini glass. Then top the Cosmopolitan Cocktail with a lime slice or wedge for garnish. Enjoy the finished Cosmo right away so that it’s still perfectly chill.
Can Cosmos be made ahead of time?
A Cosmopolitan is best enjoyed right away so it isn’t watered down and nicely chilled from the shaker. You could always double or triple the amount of juice and alcohol and store it in a sealed jar overnight. When you are ready to serve it, stir it so it’s evenly mixed up then pour portions in your shaker with ice to chill it then serve in individual cups.
Nutritional Facts
Cosmopolitan Martini Tips & Tricks
- Cosmos are Best Chilled
Part of what makes flavored martinis like a Cosmopolitan Cocktail so delicious is that they are chilled without being watered down. To keep your martini perfectly chilled, freeze your glasses overnight so your drink stays cold while you casually sip it.
- Use Fresh Juice
Not only does using fresh juice give you the best flavor, it also keeps your martini from being cloudy. Freshly squeeze your limes but also use good quality cranberry juice found in the refrigerated section, not the concentrated shelf stable juice.
How to Serve Cosmo Martinis
The refreshing and flavorful cocktail is perfect for enjoying at dinner parties or during happy hour. A combination of fruity flavors in the cranberry juice cocktail also makes it great for serving at a summer picnic or sipping on by the pool to keep you cool. It’s excellent to enjoy before or after BBQ favorites like Pulled Pork or Grilled Cilantro Shrimp. Plus, the beautiful color of the elegant cocktail makes it a favorite birthday party or bridal shower drink. No matter when you make it, this drink is a guaranteed hit!
How to Store
If you want to make the drink in advance, or if you can’t finish the Cosmopolitan Cocktail, then you can keep it in the fridge for up to 48 hours in a sealed container. Cocktails with vodka can’t be frozen, because the alcohol won’t allow it to freeze solid.
Ideas to Serve Cosmopolitan Martinis
Frozen Cosmo: Skip the margaritas this summer and make a Frozmopolitans instead. In a blender add 8 cups of ice, ¾ cup of cranberry juice, ½ cup of simple syrup, ¼ cup triple sec, ⅓ cup of lime juice and ½ cup of vodka to a blender. Blend it until its smooth and serve immediately.
Garnishes: A thinly cut lime slice or wedge is a classic way to garnish your Cosmo. You could also use other citrus like orange, grapefruit, or lemon peel. You could also add a maraschino or brandied cherry on a cocktail pick. Or, dress up the glass of your cocktail with salt or a colored sugar rim.
Frequent Questions
A classic cosmo is typically made with lemon accented vodka. Absolute Citron is an excellent lemon vodka for this sweet and sour cocktail recipe. However, there are other vodka varieties that some bartenders may prefer. A smooth vodka like Absolut Elyx or Ketel One also tastes great. If you want to get that tangy lemon flavor without a citrus vodka, you can add a few drops of lemon juice yourself.
Although a Cosmo is often considered a “girly drink,” it’s actually fairly high in alcohol content. The pink drink is made with vodka and triple sec. Triple sec is an orange liqueur that tastes sweet and tangy. However, for such a delicious type of liqueur, it’s fairly high in alcohol. Triple sec can range from 20%-40% abv. If you get a variety ranging closer to 40%, then your Cosmopolitan recipe will be quite high in alcohol.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vodka , (1 ½ ounces)
- 2 tablespoons triple sec , (1 ounce)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice , freshly squeezed (½ ounce)
- 1/2 tablespoon cranberry juice , (¼ ounce)
- 1 cup ice cubes
- lime wedge , for garnish
Instructions
- Add vodka, triple sec, lime juice, cranberry juice, and ice to a cocktail shaker and shake for 20-30 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with lime wedge.
Nutrition
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Variations
Orange Cosmo: Triple Sec already introduces some delicious citrus flavors into this recipe. However, if you want more of an orange twist, you can add a couple of dashes of orange bitters or fresh blood orange juice.
Grapefruit Cosmo: Another delicious twist on a Cosmo is using grapefruit juice. Use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice as an alternative ingredient to cranberry juice, and enjoy this tangy cosmo.
Sparkling Wine: Add a little more pizzazz to this cocktail by adding some sparkling wine or cider to make it bubbly, like a super fancy mimosa. If you are adding wine, you might want to add a little more juice so it isn’t too boozy and strong.
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