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The Cosmopolitan cocktail, better know as a Cosmo, is a fruity drink made with cranberry juice, vodka, triple sec, and lime juice.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Vodka: Some versions of the cosmo are made with citrus-flavored vodka. Unflavored works, too.
- Triple sec: Or any orange-flavored liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier.
Step-by-step instructions
- To a cocktail shaker add vodka, lime juice, triple sec, and cranberry juice. Add ice and cover the shaker. Shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime slice.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 Cosmopolitan cocktail.
- Glassware: The Cosmo is traditionally made in a cocktail glass (martini glass). But, it is not actually a type of martini.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 8 cocktails, combine 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) Prosecco, 2 ounces (¼ cup) lime juice, 2 ounces (¼ cup) triple sec, and 2 ounces (¼ cup) cranberry juice in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
- Sea Breeze: Made in a highball glass. Substitute 6 ounces (¾ cup) grapefruit juice for the triple sec and increase the cranberry juice to 2 ounces (¼ cup).
- Cape Codder: AKA a vodka cranberry. Add 1 ½ ounces (3 tbsp) vodka to a highball glass filled with ice, then top with cranberry juice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
- Kamikaze cocktail: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, ad 1 ½ ounces (3 tbsp) vodka, 1 ounce (2 tbsp.) orange liqueur, and 1 ounce (2 tbsp.) lime juice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge. For a kamikaze shot, combine 1 ounce (2 tbsp) vodka, 2 tsp. orange liqueur, and 2 tsp. lime juice in a shot glass.
- Non-alcoholic: Replace the triple sec with orange juice and the vodka with pink lemonade.
Aperol Spritz
The classic Aperol Spritz is a refreshing aperitif cocktail that combines bright orange Aperol liqueur and dry sparkling wine.
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Cosmopolitan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka (3 tablespoons, see note 1)
- 1/4 ounce fresh lime juice (1 ½ teaspoons)
- 1/4 ounce triple sec (1 ½ teaspoons, see note 2)
- 1/4 ounce cranberry juice (1 ½ teaspoons)
- 1 cup ice
- 1 slice lime for garnish
Instructions
- To a cocktail shaker add vodka, lime juice, triple sec, and cranberry juice. Add ice and cover the shaker. Shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime slice.
Notes
- Vodka: Some versions of the cosmo are made with citrus-flavored vodka. Unflavored works, too.
- Triple sec: Or any orange-flavored liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier.
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 Cosmopolitan cocktail.
- Glassware: The Cosmo is traditionally made in a cocktail glass (martini glass). But, it is not actually a type of martini.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 8 cocktails, combine 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) Prosecco, 2 ounces (¼ cup) lime juice, 2 ounces (¼ cup) triple sec, and 2 ounces (¼ cup) cranberry juice in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
- Sea Breeze: Made in a highball glass. Substitute 6 ounces (¾ cup) grapefruit juice for the triple sec and increase the cranberry juice to 2 ounces (¼ cup).
- Cape Codder: AKA a vodka cranberry. Add 1 ½ ounces (3 tbsp) vodka to a highball glass filled with ice, then top with cranberry juice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
- Kamikaze cocktail: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, ad 1 ½ ounces (3 tbsp) vodka, 1 ounce (2 tbsp.) orange liqueur, and 1 ounce (2 tbsp.) lime juice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge. For a kamikaze shot, combine 1 ounce (2 tbsp) vodka, 2 tsp. orange liqueur, and 2 tsp. lime juice in a shot glass.
- Non-alcoholic: Replace the triple sec with orange juice and the vodka with pink lemonade.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.