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A Cosmopolitan Cocktail is a simple four-ingredient vodka drink that is so easy to make at home. It’s my absolute favorite drink and it’s so easy to make it at home – save your money and host happy hour with a bunch of these martinis!
What is a Cosmopolitan (Cosmo Drink)?
A classic cosmo cocktail is my absolute favorite martini recipe and I never realized how easy they are to make at home. I’ve been making this cocktail for years – I first fell in love with it the night I got engaged – and have been loving them ever since. A cosmo drink is a classic vodka, cranberry, orange liqueur and lime cocktail. It’s pink from the cranberry juice and it’s the perfect amount of sweet and tart.
Cosmopolitan History
This drink became all the rage in the 1990s – that’s when I discovered how much I like it. The original Cosmopolitan was a Cosmopolitan 1934 and it was made with gin and raspberry. The modern cosmo drink was created in the late 1980s, based on the original, but using citron vodka and cranberry juice.
Best Ingredients for the Best Cosmo
You only need four ingredients to make it. It’s sweet, tart and pink – perfect for a girl’s night happy hour, but the fellas love them, too (my husband included).
- Pick your favorite Vodka brand; I love Tito’s but I know Absolut Citron Vodka is good too, it adds more citrus flavor. Just use a top shelf vodka so you enjoy the drink more.
- Triple sec is orange liqueur. I recommend using Cointreau (a brand of triple sec) because it has more flavor and is much smoother. Grand Marnier is another type of triple sec, but it also has cognac so it has a slightly different flavor.
- Use unsweetened cranberry juice to give the drink it’s signature pink color and adds tartness, but you can also use Cranberry Juice Cocktail (which has sugar) if you like a sweeter drink. Cranberry should be an accent (not the main flavor).
- Lime juice (fresh is best) adds a fresh splash of citrus, plus a slice of lime for garnish.
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How to Make a Cosmo Pro Tips
- You must use a cocktail shaker filled with ice. The cocktail shaker chills all the ingredients quickly and it also helps balance the flavors (some ice dilutes the drink, making it the perfect ratio). Add all ingredients to the shaker and shake until it’s very cold. Be sure to strain the drink into a chilled martini glass.
- Using a chilled glass is essential to keeping the drink super cold. A cold martini is the best martini!
- How to serve a Cosmopolitan: use a martini glass (the pointed kind) or a coupe glass for a prettier presentation.
- How to garnish a Cosmo Drink: I love a slice of lime or a lime twist, but you can also use an orange twist or lemon twist. All are traditional.
Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces vodka
- 1 ounce triple sec
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
- ½ ounce lime juice
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for at least 10 seconds.
- Strain into martini glass. Garnish with a slice of lime.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
FAQs
I think this is the perfect cosmopolitan recipe, but feel free to play around with it and adjust to your liking! You can add or reduce the vodka to adjust the strength.
This is the perfect balance of sweet and tart for my taste but if you want a sweeter drink you can add some simple syrup or more juice or triple sec. For a stronger or less sweet drink, reduce the triple sec.
Yes but know your drink will be a bit sweeter and a little less tart.
The best vodka is one you enjoy. Traditionally, Cosmos were made with Absolut Citron Vodka, but any vodka you like is the best.
Both Triple Sec and Cointreau are brands of orange liqueur. Triple Sec is cheaper, Cointreau is more smooth and, I think, the better option for a cosmo.
You can use bottled lime juice but fresh squeezed lime juice will make the drink taste better and more vibrant.
Shaking not only chills the drink fast, but it also helps balance the cocktail flavors. Little bits of ice will chip off or melt, keeping the ratios perfect and the drink icy.
Serve a cosmo in a martini glass for a traditional presentation or a coupe glass for a fancier one. Just make sure the glass is chilled!
You can add up to a half ounce more lime juice for a more tart drink. For a less sweet cocktail, reduce the amount of orange liqueur just a bit and make sure to use 100% Cranberry Juice.
Yes, simply multiply the number of servings you want by the ingredients in the recipe. Mix in a pitcher, chill, then shake each drink before serving.
I infused my vodka with cranberries and made the cosmos it was delish!!
This recipe came in my email just about cocktail hour! Yippee ! I checked my pantry and I had all the ingredients. It is super yummy! It’s a keeper !!
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