Cosmopolitan Cocktail
This flirty and delicious pink Cosmopolitan cocktail recipe is a classic! A smooth vodka to start mixed with a splash of citrus and cranberry!
Girl’s night, date night in, a warm summer afternoon, Thursday… whatever the reason, a beautiful Cosmopolitan Cocktail is always a good choice. This classic pink/red colored drink served in a martini glass and garnished with fresh citrus brings a little bit sweet and a little bit tart with a decent amount of punch. Just like these Jello Shots that will go down like candy at your next party!
Why We Love Cosmopolitan Cocktails
This drink is like having a citrusy SweetTart in a glass, and it is just beautiful. I have seen cosmopolitan that are pink, red, peach, orange, and everything in between. They are always pretty to look at and smell like the perfect end to a long day.
Making a Cosmopolitan drink is easy as long as you can measure into a jigger and add some ice. There is nothing to muddle, no crazy complicated garnish, and no blender involved! This makes it great for a weeknight when you just want something tasty, but don’t want a lot of work to make a cocktail for yourself. I bet you probably have everything to make a Cosmopolitan on your bar cart or in the fridge already. So just grab a lime and make yourself a drink!
This is a classic cocktail that everyone will recognize and it never goes out of style. You can order it at any bar, and you know the drink will be the same. Just like when I used to be a Grey Goose vodka and cranberry girl.
Cosmopolitan Cocktail Ingredients
Vodka: You can use citrus-flavored vodka or a good quality plain vodka for this recipe. (I used plain vodka since I added fresh lime juice.)
Orange Liqueur/Triple Sec/Cointreau: Citrus and cranberry is a signature of this cocktail recipe, so adding any of these will bring in the citrus/orange flavor.
Lime Juice: Make sure this is fresh-squeezed as you make it to get the very best crisp taste.
Simple Syrup: You can make your own simple syrup and keep a bottle ready or buy it at the store. I like my cosmos on the tarts side, so I only use 1/4 ounce of simple syrup, You can more to taste as you like – start with 1/4 ounce and go from there.
Cranberry Juice: Make sure you get the real thing- 100% cranberry juice. I like using Ocean Spray. DO NOT use cranberry juice cocktail. It’s presweetened and will throw off the balance of your drinks.
Variations
You can garnish with orange peel, lime slice or peel, cranberries on a cocktail stick, or no garnish at all.
How to Make a Cosmopolitan Cocktail
ICE Fill your cocktail shaker halfway with ice before you start measuring ingredients.
SHAKE once you had added everything to your shaker, do your thing! Shake it till ya break it. (No don’t break it. That would be a mess, but about 15 seconds of vigorous shaking is good.)
STRAIN your beautiful pink cosmopolitan cocktail into a martini glass. Then garnish and drink up!
Tips & Tricks
- If you want to keep your cosmopolitan cold a little longer, put some ice and water in your glass before you get started. Then toss it out right before you strain your drink.
- You can up the citrus flavor in your martini with citron vodka. Or if you have any limes or lime juice on hand, lime and lemon vodkas are a great substitute.
- This recipe makes one drink, but you can easily double or quadruple it and stir it in a cocktail mixing glass. Then strain into martini glasses for your friends.
- You can freeze cranberries to place in your glass and act as ice cubes without watering down your drink.
What is the best vodka for Cosmopolitans?
- Grey Goose Le Citron
- Absolut Lime
- Deep Eddy Cranberry Vodka
- Kettle One
- Any top-shelf good quality vodka you enjoy
More delicious cocktail recipes
- Raspberry Peach Moscato Punch
- Cranberry Apple Fizz
- Fish Bowl Cocktail
- Sparkling Blood Orange Cocktail
- Margarita Tequila Jello Shots
- Hurricane Party Punch
Now I am really craving a Cosmopolitan, are you? Go make one real quick and take a few sips, come back and tell me what you think. Does this drink take top shelf for your favorite Cosmopolitan Recipe?
Cosmopolitan Cocktail
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce orange liqueur (triple sec or Cointreau)
- 1 ounce cranberry juice (NOT cranberry juice cocktail)
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup plus more to taste
- Orange peel for garnish
- Lime slice for garnish
Instructions
- Add vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, lime juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Cover and shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
- Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange peel and lime slice before serving.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.