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Ahhh the Cosmopolitan… A fave of Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradsaw and a hugely popular cocktail in the 1990s as a result. The Cosmo was practically another character in that show, am I right?

These days ordering a Cosmopolitan is seen as little dated, a little passé… but this is actually a beautiful drink if made well.

There’s some debate about who’s the creator behind this cocktail… Some say it was invented by a Florida bartender named Cheryl Cook.

Others maintain that the quintessential Cosmopolitan recipe comes courtesy of Dale DeGroff of New York’s Rainbow Room.

The first mention of ‘Cosmopolitan’ was back in 1934 – several drinks by that name appear in the book Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars. One of these drinks is very similar to current-day Cosmo drink.

Needless to say there’s endless variations of this drink – you will find some of my favourites below!

Cosmopolitan cocktail in a champagne coupe garnished with fresh cranberries

Ingredients

Vodka: In some versions this has to be lemon-flavoured bodka, such as Absolut Citron. I prefer to use Stolichnaya (a.k.a Stoli) or my own cranberry-infused vodka for the ultimate Cosmopolitan cocktail!

Orange Liqueur: Triple Sec, Cointreau or (my preference) Grand Marnier. Some Cosmo versions made with Grand Marnier are called Grand Cosmopolitan (see also Grand Margarita).

Cranberry juice: Ocean Spray is the most commonly found. Try also Eager Cranberry Juice or Biona Organic Pure Pressed Cranberry Juice.

Lime juice: freshly squeezed, always!

Orange peel: strip of orange peel to garnish or flamed orange peel (dropped in the drink). Or you can use a lime wheel.

Cosmopolitan Ingredients: vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice and lime

Useful Equipment

Here’s what you will need to make a this recipe – and most other shaken cocktails.

Cocktail shaker
Jigger
Mexican elbow
Strainer
Martini or coupe glasses

Let’s Make a Cosmopolitan!

STEP 1. Half fill your shaker with fresh ice. Put two Martini or coupe glasses in the freezer to chill.

STEP 2. Add the vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry and lime juice.

adding cranberry juice to cocktail shaker

STEP 3. Shake hard for 30 seconds.

STEP 4. Double strain into your chilled glasses.

Straining a Cosmopolitan into chilled cocktail glass

STEP 5. Garnish your Cosmo with a flamed orange peel (see below) a strip of orange peel or a lime wheel.

How to Flame an Orange Peel for Cocktails

STEP 1. Cut a small piece of orange peel, at least an inch long. Hold a safe distance over the glass with a match or lighter in your other hand.

STEP 2. Bend the orange peel to release a fine spray of bitter oils a short distance from the flame and watch them catch alight. Drop the peel into your glass and enjoy.

Cosmo Variations

Classic with a twist: add a teaspoon of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice to the classic ingredients.

Blood Orange: my citrusy twist includes fresh blood orange juice – see recipe card for details.

Ultimate Cosmo: Replace the vodka with cranberry infused vodka. This version is ruby-red and very intense. Perfect for Christmas!

Sparkling Cosmopolitan: top with Prosecco or Champagne and toast the New Year!

Try These Classic Vodka Cocktails

Have you made this recipe? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde. I can’t wait to see your take on it!

You might also like my Sparkling Peach Whisky Cocktail.