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A Cosmopolitan Cocktail is a simple four-ingredient vodka drink that is so easy to make at home. It’s pink, a little tart and a little sweet and a perfect cocktail for happy hour! And you probably have all the cosmo ingredients you need!

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clear cocktail glass with a red drink and lime on the rim


Best Cosmopolitan Drink

A classic cosmo cocktail is my absolute favorite martini recipe and I never realized how easy they are to make at home.

I love going out for a drink, but sometimes I’m like, “this drink costs how much?” I know, not very cool, but sometimes drink prices – especially for cocktails – are so expensive! So, I say let’s have an at-home happy hour, shall we? And I have the perfect drink for you to try: a classic cosmopolitan!

A cosmopolitan drink with triple sec, vodka, cranberry and lime is so easy to make at home and a whole lot cheaper, too.

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.

ingredients in cocktail set up

Cosmopolitan Cocktail Ingredients

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).

Here are the cosmopolitan ingredients:

  • Vodka – pick your favorite brand!
  • Triple sec – also called orange liqueur or cointreau, this adds a pop of orange flavor
  • Cranberry juice – gives the drink it’s signature pink color and adds tartness
  • Lime juice – adds a fresh splash of citrus, plus a slice of lime for garnish.
  • Simple Syrup – I do not add simple syrup to my drink becuse I find the triple sec adds enough sugar. But if you want a sweeter drink add some to taste.

This is basically a classic cosmo recipe but the nice thing about it is that you can adjust the amounts to suit your own tastes. 

In addition to the ingredients, you will also need a martini glass and a cocktail shaker. Use a chilled cocktail glass for an even icier cocktail!

The shaker makes a big difference in preparing the drink. It’s an easy way to mix the ingredients, but it also quickly chills the drink with ice. That way, you don’t have to add ice to the actual drink which can dilute it.

How to Make a Cosmo Martini

  • Just add all of the ingredients to a shaker full of ice, secure the cap and shake it for at least 10 seconds. I took a mixology class once and the bartender told us the secret to a good martini is how long you shake it!
  • Open it up strain the drink into the glass. Add a slice of lime for garnish!

Make a pitcher of Cosmopolitan Drink

The recipe I’m sharing is for one drink, but you can easily scale it up and make a big batch of cosmopolitans.

I often like to mix it all and then shake as I go, so I’m not measuring out ingredients during a party.

To scale up your drink: multiply the ingredients by the number of cocktails you’ll need. I figure two per person!

Just mix all of the ingredients in a pitcher and keep it the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve the drinks. Then you can shake and serve individual cosmos when you’re ready.

clear cocktail glass with a red drink and lime on the rim

FAQs

Is cosmopolitan a strong drink?

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.

Is cosmopolitan a sweet drink?

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.

clear cocktail glass with a red drink and lime on the rim

Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe

5 from 2 votes
A Cosmopolitan Cocktail is a simple four-ingredient vodka drink that is so easy to make at home. It’s pink, a little tart and a little sweet and a perfect cocktail for happy hour!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Yield 1 cocktail
Serving Size 1 serving

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

TIP: for a party, make a pitcher then measure out each drink and shake and serve. This way you’re not measuring all night long. To scale it up: multiply each ingredient by the number of drinks (figure at least 2 per person). Then to make your drink, measure out 4 ounces of the mixture, shake and serve.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin C: 7mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Drinks
Cuisine American

Other favorite martini recipes:

A classic Cosmopolitan cocktail is a cranberry martini – such an easy drink recipe to make at home!

Last Updated on December 14, 2022



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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2 Comments

  1. 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 !!