Cocktail Recipes/Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitans, also more simply known as a “Cosmo,” are light, refreshing cocktails with just the right amount of sweetness. Though the Cosmo’s reign as one of the most popular cocktails has certainly waned in recent decades, it’s slightly sweet and refreshing taste still has a place in many home bars and cocktail lounges around the world.

What Is a Cosmopolitan?

A Cosmopolitan is a fruity, citrus cocktail that’s made in a shaker and served in a martini glass, sometimes with sugar rim and a citrus garnish. It’s a drink favored for being fruity without being overly sweet, and for being light in added sugar and additional calories.

Cosmopolitan Recipe

Serving size: 1 drink

Drink strength: 27% ABV

Prep time: <15 minutes

Equipment needed:

  • A martini glass
  • Cocktail shaker

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ oz vodka
  • 1 oz Cointreau
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • ½ oz cranberry juice
  • Ice
  • Optional: Rimming sugar, lemon or orange slice or lime wedge for garnish

Directions:

  1. If desired, run the citrus wedge around the outside edge of the glass to wet it, and turn the outer edge of the glass into the rimming sugar of your choice.
  2. Pour all ingredients, including ice, into a cocktail shaker and shake for a few seconds.
  3. Pour into a martini glass and serve with a citrus garnish.

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The History of the Cosmopolitan

When flavored vodka first burst onto the scene in the late 1980s, it was a big deal to bartenders. Suddenly there was a way to infuse flavor right into a vodka drink without loading it up with juice or flavor syrups. This new bar staple inspired a slew of new flavored cocktails, and the cosmopolitan was one of the first to ride that wave.

The story goes that in 1985, Miami bartender Cheryl Cook put her own spin on the Kamikaze, using citrus-flavored vodka and adding a splash of cranberry juice, serving it up in a martini glass.

Other accounts place the invention of the Cosmo at the Rainbow Room in New York City, or at the Odeon in New York. It’s impossible to confirm which story is true, but the Cosmo’s fame skyrocketed after its debut in the 1990s New York-based hit series Sex and the City.

Cosmopolitan Ingredients

Cosmo recipe variations abound, but the bar standard recipe calls for vodka, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and cranberry juice. Garnishes are entirely optional with this drink, but most often come in the form of either a lime wedge, or an orange or lemon slice. Cosmos are often served with sugar rims as well, with flavored sugars being a favorite.

What’s the Difference Between Cointreau and Triple Sec?

The Cosmo recipe with Cointreau is what you’re most likely to get when you order a Cosmo in a bar, but some people do use Cointreau and triple sec interchangeably, depending on what they have on hand.

Both Cointreau and triple sec are liqueurs made from orange skins. However, Cointreau tends to have a higher alcohol content than triple sec, at around 30% ABV. Cointreau is considered a higher quality orange liqueur, with a bit more complexity to the flavor.

Cosmopolitan Sugar Rim Options

You can play on the fruit flavors of a Cosmopolitan by adding a sugar rim to this drink. While DIY options abound, here at Bartesian, we make a series of ready-made rimming sugars made with premium ingredients. Here are two rimmer options that we think complement the Cosmopolitan nicely:

Cosmopolitan Recipe Variations You Can Try

The overarching theme of a Cosmopolitan cocktail recipe is citrus, sweet fruit, and clear liquor. You can play around with a lot of these variables to make a recipe that’s all your own, or you can try out one of these:

Cosmo recipe with triple sec: You can substitute the Cointreau in the classic Cosmopolitan recipe with triple sec in the same amount.

Low-calorie Cosmopolitan recipe: You can reduce the sugar content in a Cosmopolitan by replacing the vodka with an orange-infused vodka and omitting the Cointreau. To take it a step further, you can use a reduced sugar or zero calorie cranberry juice drink.

White Cosmopolitan recipe: The white cosmo is as beautiful as it is sumptuous. Replace the vodka with an orange vodka instead, and swap the Cointreau out for an elderflower liqueur like St. Elder. Replace the lime juice with a splash of lemon juice, and serve in a white sugar rimmed martini glass with fresh skewered cranberries rolled in sugar.

How to Make a Cosmopolitan

Making a Cosmopolitan only takes a few minutes, but you’ll need to make sure you have the juices and Cointreau on hand — cranberry and citrus is essential to making this cocktail well balanced.

To get started, you’ll need:

  • A martini glass
  • Cocktail shaker
  • 1 ½ oz vodka
  • 1 oz Cointreau
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • ½ oz cranberry juice
  • Ice
  • Optional: Rimming sugar, lemon or orange slice, or lime wedge to garnish
    1. If you want a sugared rim, run the citrus wedge around the outside edge of the glass to wet it, and turn the outer edge of the glass into the rimming sugar of your choice.
    2. Pour all ingredients, including ice, into a cocktail shaker and shake for a few seconds.
    3. Pour into a martini glass and serve with a citrus garnish.

Enjoy promptly.

Use a Cocktail Maker to Make a Cosmopolitan

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If you like this drink, try:

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Negroni recipe

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