Cosmopolitan
A tart, fruity cocktail of lemon-flavored vodka, orange liqueur, lime and cranberry, served up in a chilled glass.
- 17.6% ABV
- Shaken
- 3 min
- Martini glass
- fruity
- sour
- citrusy
- IBA official cocktail · Contemporary Classics
about 1.2 standard drinks (US, 14 g of alcohol). Estimated after dilution with ice.
Ingredients
- 1¼ ozVodkaLemon-flavored vodka, as in the IBA specification. Plain vodka is a variation, in the same quantity.
- ½ ozOrange liqueur (triple sec)A triple sec style orange liqueur.
- ½ ozFresh lime juice
- 1 ozCranberry juice
Ice: No ice · Garnish: lemon
Method
- Chill a martini glass with ice and water, or keep it in the freezer, while you prepare the drink.
- Fill a shaker with ice cubes, then add 40 ml lemon-flavored vodka, 15 ml orange liqueur, 15 ml fresh lime juice and 30 ml cranberry juice.
- Shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds, until the shaker is very cold.
- Empty the glass, then double strain the drink into it.
- Cut a strip of lemon zest and twist it over the drink to release its oils. Drop it in or rest it on the rim.
Tips
- Variation: with plain vodka, use the same 40 ml. The drink will taste slightly less lemony, and the lemon twist still adds citrus aroma.
- Use fresh lime juice, not bottled. Its sharpness balances the cranberry juice and the orange liqueur.
- Pure cranberry juice is much tarter than a sweetened cranberry drink. Taste before serving and adjust to your juice.
Swaps
Missing something? These swaps change the taste a little but keep the drink balanced.
- Orange liqueur (triple sec) → Dry orange curaçao
History
The Cosmopolitan's origins are disputed. Several bartenders claim to have created it, and Cheryl Cook in Miami and Toby Cecchini in New York are often named. The drink became widely known in the late 1980s and 1990s, and it is now an IBA official cocktail in the contemporary classics category.
Published