Not overly sweet or too tart, our cosmopolitan co*cktail recipe is perfect to shake up for one or even prepare in advance for a crowd.
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Cosmopolitan co*cktail ingredients
While there are many variations, our recipe for a cosmo co*cktail comes from what we (and most of our friends) keep stocked in our pantry. In our cosmopolitan recipe below, we’ve included recipes for making one drink or many using a pitcher. To make cosmos, you will need the following:
- Vodka
- Cranberry juice or cranberry co*cktail
- Triple sec or or when we are feeling fancy, Cointreau
- Fresh lime juice – use freshly squeeze lime for the best cosmos!
When choosing vodka for cosmopolitan co*cktails, go for something mid to high range. We usually stock Stolichnaya or “Stoli,” but use what you know you enjoy. Lower-priced vodka tastes a bit more abrasive.
I’m also a stickler on using fresh lime juice — not bottled lime juice. We realize it’s a little more work, but the taste is much better. If you love fresh citrus as much as me in your co*cktail recipes, take a look at our lemon drop martini co*cktail or these vodka gimlets.
We love adding a little orange peel to our glass. It may look like an unnecessary garnish, but if you do it right, it adds a little sweetness, and as you take a sip of your cosmopolitan co*cktail, you’ll get orange essence, which hides the strength and scent of the vodka.
⭐️ When you add the orange peel, peel it over the drink. This way, any oils spraying from the orange fall into the drink. Rubbing the edges of the glass doesn’t hurt either. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.
How to make a perfect cosmopolitan co*cktail
- Fill a co*cktail shaker with ice then add your vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and lime juice.
- Shake for about 30 seconds until well chilled.
- Strain into a martini glass and garnish with orange peel.
⭐️ To make cosmos for a crowd, add your vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and lime juice to a pitcher and stir well. Refrigerate until cold, and then serve.
More co*cktails to try
- Champagne Cosmopolitans — a bubbly version of the cosmo
- Classic Aperol Spritz — an Italian bubbly co*cktail made with Aperol and Prosecco
- Lemon Drop Martinis — inspired by the lemon drop shot, but so much better!
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Perfect Cosmopolitan co*cktail
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Not too sweet or too tart, this cosmopolitan co*cktail recipe is perfect to serve one or many. We like to use unflavored or citrus-flavored vodka in this co*cktail.
Since there is quite a lot of vodka in the recipe, choose mid to high-priced vodka. We like to use Stolichnaya.
We love adding orange peel to our cosmos. Sure, it may look like an unnecessary garnish, but if you do it right, it adds a little sweetness, and as you go to take a sip of the cosmopolitan co*cktail, you’ll get orange essence, which hides the strength and scent of the vodka. When you add the orange peel, peel it over the drink. This way, any oils spraying from the orange fall into the drink. Rubbing the edges of the glass doesn’t hurt either.
Makes 1 drink
You Will Need
2 ounces (1/4 cup) vodka 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) triple sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier 3/4 ounce (1 tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoons) cranberry juice co*cktail, see notes 1/4 to 1/2 ounce (1 ½ teaspoons to 3 teaspoons) fresh lime juice One2-inch orange peel/twist Ice
Directions
1Fill a co*cktail shaker with ice, then add vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice. We like the extra bite of extra lime juice, so we use 1/2 an ounce in our cosmopolitan co*cktails. However, use what is best for your taste.
2Shake the co*cktail shaker for about 30 seconds until well chilled. Then, strain into a martini glass.
3Garnish with orange peel/twist. Peel the orange twist over the filled co*cktail glass so the orange oils spray into the glass.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Cranberry juice: You can use sweetened cranberry juice (often called “cranberry juice co*cktail”) or unsweetened plain cranberry juice. If you use unsweetened, you will likely find that you need to add a small splash of simple syrup or agave since it can be quite tart.
- Serve 4 using a pitcher: To make 4 drinks at one time, add 1 cup vodka, 1/4 cup triple sec, 1/3 cup cranberry juice, and 2 to 4 tablespoons of fresh lime juice to a pitcher. Stir and adjust to taste. Refrigerate. When ready to serve, pour into four martini glasses and garnish with orange peel/twist.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values.
Nutrition Per Serving Calories 205 / Protein 0 g / Carbohydrate 13 g / Dietary Fiber 0 g / Total Sugars 9 g / Total Fat 0 g / Saturated Fat 0 g / Cholesterol 0 mg
AUTHOR: Adam and Joanne Gallagher
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