Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe
Citron vodka, triple sec, cranberry and lime — pink, tart and stylish.
- Category: Contemporary Classics
- Glass: Martini glass
- ABV: 22%
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: ~3 min
Ingredients
- Citron vodka40 ml (1.4 oz)
- Triple sec15 ml (0.5 oz)
- Fresh lime juice15 ml (0.5 oz)
- Cranberry juice30 ml (1 oz)
How to Make It
- Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
- Shake until cold.
- Double-strain into a chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with a lime wheel.
Garnish
Lime wheel or orange zest
What it tastes like
The citrus acidity leads and fruit notes come forward.
The technique
Shaking. Anything with juice, syrup, egg white or cream gets shaken: the shaker chills the drink and adds roughly 20% water, and that water is what takes the edge off. Twelve to fifteen seconds, until the tin frosts over. Under-shaking leaves the drink harsh because it never got enough dilution.
Glass and ice
The conical martini glass. Made for drinks served without ice — the stem keeps your hand off the bowl and the cone funnels the aroma upward.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Triple sec
- The general name for orange-peel liqueurs, running anywhere from 15% to 40% depending on the brand. That range changes the drink directly, so it is worth reading the label.
- Fresh lime juice
- Freshly squeezed lime. Bottled lime tastes cooked and flat; one lime gives about 30 ml. If you have none, half lemon and half grapefruit juice comes closest.
The Story
Rose to fame in 1990s New York and became a cultural icon through television.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Cosmopolitan mixed?
- It is shaken and served in a martini glass.
- How strong is a Cosmopolitan?
- Roughly 22% ABV as served — in fortified-wine territory — plan it as a single drink.
- Can a Cosmopolitan be made without alcohol?
- Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
- Is a Cosmopolitan hard to make?
- Easy. No bar kit required — a measure, ice and a jar will do.
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.