Cosmopolitan
This classic Cosmopolitan cocktail is the perfect cocktail for the holiday season! Between its vibrant ruby red color, and the balance of tart, citrusy, and slightly sweet flavors, this iconic concoction will elevate any gathering. Made with 100% pure cranberry juice, a hint of sweetness from simple syrup, a splash of zesty fresh lime juice, the orange flavor of Cointreau, and crisp vodka, this Cosmo is a wonderful way to kick off your evening festivities.
To learn how to make this classic cocktail recipe, see the printable recipe card below or take a look at the recipe video. For other recipe variations including make ahead instructions for entertaining, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Printable recipe card below.)
COSMOPOLITAN
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pour sugar and water into a small saucepan (1 quart). Place on medium heat, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Stirring frequently, bring to a simmer, remove from heat, and cool completely.
- Fill a martini glass (5.1 ounce) with ice cubes, then fill with cold water. This will chill your glass while you are making the cocktail.
- To a cocktail shaker, add lime juice, Cointreau liqueur, simple syrup, cranberry juice, and vodka. Add ice cubes, cover and shake vigorously.
- Pour out the water and ice cubes from the chilled martini glass, then strain (or double strain) the cocktail into the glass. For the optional garnish, twist the lemon peel directly over the cocktail, gently rub the rim, and drop the lemon twist into the glass. Enjoy!
Notes
- After squeezing the lime juice, I usually strain the juice and discard the pulp. This way, I don’t have to double strain the cocktail.
- I prefer using Trader Joe’s 100% pure cranberry juice that is not from concentrate. If you can’t find it, 365 organic pure cranberry juice is a great substitute. Just make sure it’s unsweetened.
- Simple syrup is easy to make. Make it ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If you don’t have time, use a store bought simple syrup instead.
- Makes one serving (about 4.5 to 5 ounces).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
231.3Fat (grams)
0.03 gSat. Fat (grams)
0 gCarbs (grams)
18.86 gFiber (grams)
0.07 gNet carbs
18.8 gSugar (grams)
17.86 gProtein (grams)
0.12 gSodium (milligrams)
9.35 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Simple Syrup recipe not included in the nutritional calculations.
SERVING
Serve with a lemon twist and enjoy!
VIDEO
How to Make the Best Cosmopolitan Ever!
Blog Comments & Tips
An iconic cocktail recipe made easy!
The iconic Cosmopolitan cocktail was originally made famous by the television series, “Sex in the City.” Decades later it’s still a favorite at bars and restaurants. Numerous recipe variations have been recreated time and time again by many bartenders and home mixologists. So I set out to create my own version using pure ingredients. Don’t be fooled by the ruby red color. It may look like a sweet and juicy libation, but this is a serious vodka cocktail that will knock your socks off!
Unlike so many other recipes that use Cranberry Juice Cocktail, which is primarily apple juice and sugar, my Cosmopolitan recipe uses a combination of fresh lime juice, pure cranberry juice, simple syrup, Cointreau, and vodka.
I always try to create a festive cocktail for my holiday gatherings, and this year is no exception. I started planning my menu for Christmas Eve and thought that Cosmopolitans would give the evening a nice jump start. My intention with this recipe was to stay as close to the classic flavors as possible, but to elevate the drink using pure 100% cranberry juice. Since the pure juice is incredibly tart, it needed to be offset by something sweet. Instead of adding more Cointreau or using cranberry juice cocktail, I decided to use simple syrup. The key was to get the right balance of flavors from all the ingredients.
Admittedly, this took a few attempts over several days, but I finally arrived at what I believe is the perfect Cosmopolitan. This vodka cocktail recipe is tart, citrusy, and slightly sweet with a cranberry forward taste. If you like it sweeter, more tart, or want to use regular cranberry juice cocktail instead, take a peek at the recipe variations in the Pimp My Recipe section below for details.
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 6 tips to making the perfect Cosmopolitan cocktail:
High quality ingredients. Use fresh citrus (i.e,. fresh squeezed lime juice) and good quality liquor.
I prefer using Belvedere vodka because of its crisp clean taste, but it works well with any good quality vodka.
I like the flavor of Cointreau liqueur instead of Triple Sec. If you don’t have any Cointreau on hand, feel free to substitute with the same amount of a good quality Triple Sec liqueur (like Callieres) or even Grand Marnier liqueur.
When it comes to cranberry juice, the key is to get the pure stuff. I like the flavor and vibrant color of Trader Joe’s 100% pure cranberry juice. It requires very little juice because it’s not watered down with apple juice or other ingredients, like in cranberry juice cocktail.
Make your simple syrup ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. It can be stored refrigerated for up to 1 month in an airtight container.
Be sure to chill your glass. It not only keeps your cocktail cold for longer, but it adds to the sipping experience.
Have any dietary preferences that won’t quite work with this recipe? It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make it Sweeter: Instead of ½ ounce of simple syrup, use ¾ -1 ounce of simple syrup (or to taste).
Make it More Tart: Instead of ½ ounce of simple syrup, use ¼ ounce of simple syrup instead.
Make it Blush: For those of you who love just a hint of cranberry flavor and color, reduce the amount of pure cranberry juice from ½ ounce to ¼ ounce.
Make it Quick with Cranberry Juice Cocktail: If you are in a hurry and don’t have time to make simple syrup ahead of time, just omit the simple syrup, and replace the pure cranberry juice with 1 ounce cranberry juice cocktail. If you prefer a lighter flavor of cranberry, then reduce it to ½ ounce of cranberry juice cocktail. All other ingredients remain the same.
Make Ahead Instructions for Entertaining: Although this is a single serving recipe, it’s easy to make ahead of time when you are entertaining a crowd. Prep the lemon twist garnishes in advance (just peel and slice, but don’t twist), place them in a Ziploc bag, and refrigerate until ready to use. To prepare the Cosmopolitan mixture in advance, just add the lime juice, cranberry juice, simple syrup, Cointreau liqueur, and vodka, to a pitcher, and stir to combine. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve. As guests arrive, fill your martini glasses (5.1 ounce) with ice cubes and water, and let them chill while you shake the cocktails. Then stir mixture in the pitcher, pour up to two servings at a time (4 ounces per serving) into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes, and shake vigorously. Pour out the ice cubes and water from each martini glass, strain into chilled glasses. Then twist the lemon twist over each cocktail, rub the rim of each glass with the lemon twist, drop in the glass, and serve!
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Prep My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Santé!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to chill your martini glass to keep your drink cold a little longer.
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