The Cosmo was the go-to happy hour drink in the 90s, courtesy of Sex and the City and anyone wanting to live out their inner Carrie Bradshaw.
Check out this guide to learn how to mix the perfect cosmopolitan cocktail!
Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe Instructions
The classic recipe calls for:
- 1 1/2 ounces of citrus-flavored vodka
- 3/4 ounce Cointreau (or another type of triple sec)
- 1/2 ounce of cranberry juice
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
- Lime wedge or orange twist for garnish
This mix creates a refreshing drink. It’s both sweet and tart, and the flavors balance each other well. The classic Cosmopolitan recipe can be tweaked to your liking, but we recommend trying it out in its original format first.
Here’s how to mix a Cosmo:
- Take a cocktail shaker filled with ice and add your vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, and lime juice.
- Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy.
If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, you can use a mason jar or add everything directly to a glass and stir.
Cosmo Nutrition Facts
This is what you get with one Cosmo:
- Calories: 193
- Carbs: 8.2g (6.3g sugars)
- Fat: 0g
- Protein: 0.1g
- Alcohol: 21% ABV
You can make the Cosmopolitan cocktail even lighter if you opt for unsweetened cranberry juice.
How to Serve a Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan asks for citrus vodka, and over the years, bartenders have gone for Absolut Citron Vodka. However, if you want to use plain vodka, you can add more fresh citrus to the drink and still get close to the original Cosmo recipe.
The Cosmo is usually served in a martini glass and garnished with a lime slice or wedge, but even here, there’s a lot of room to experiment. You can add an orange peel, lemon slices, other fruits, and even some mint leaves to make it even more refreshing.
This drink pairs well with dinner party appetizers, so serve it next to a cheese platter, shrimp cocktails, or even a sweet dessert.
Cosmopolitan Recipe Variations
Tweaking the Cosmopolitan can help you create brand new cocktails like:
- Vodka Cranberry: Skip the triple sec and even lime juice to get a simple yet delicious drink.
- Gin Cosmo: Add more floral notes to your cocktail by swapping the vodka for a top-notch gin.
- Cosmocello: Use limoncello instead of fresh lime juice to create a sweeter drink and cut down on the tart flavor of the original.
Ingredient replacements
You can still get a Cosmopolitan with these ingredient substitutes:
- Lemon juice: If you don’t have lime on hand, lemon juice works just as well.
- Cointreau: You can use any other type of orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier.
- Sugars: The classic Cosmo isn’t overly sweet, but if you don’t like the sour taste, add simple syrup, sweetened cranberry juice, or a dash of raspberry syrup instead of the citrus juice.
Final Thoughts
The fruity Cosmo is a delicious vodka cocktail like no other. The addition of cranberry juice and lime gives this drink a signature taste profile: light, refreshing, and slightly sour with mild notes of sweetness.
Feel free to add your personal touch to the martini glass and create a new Cosmo version for yourself. But before you do that, try it in its original form to see exactly why the girls in Sex And The City couldn’t get enough of it.
