I love this cosmopolitan cocktail recipe! It’s not too sweet, not too tart, and really easy to make. I genuinely think it makes the best cosmos. Easily one of my favorite vodka cocktails!
After a lot of trial and error this has become my favorite cosmopolitan cocktail (or cosmo). It is delicious! Although cosmos are strong cocktails, my recipe strikes the perfect balance. They aren’t too sweet or tart.
Adam and I love cocktails so be sure to check out some of our other favorites! If you are in the mood for bubbles, try this Champagne cosmopolitan. If you’re looking for something citrusy and sweet, try our lemon drop martini. Or, if you want something a little more bubbly and bitter, we highly recommend trying our Aperol spritz!
Key Ingredients
- Vodka: When choosing vodka for cosmos, go for something mid- to high-range. We usually stock Stolichnaya or “Stoli,” but use what you know you enjoy. A citrus vodka tastes incredible, too. Lower-priced vodka tastes a bit more abrasive.
- Cranberry juice or cranberry cocktail: You can use sweetened cranberry juice (often called “cranberry juice cocktail”) or unsweetened plain cranberry juice. If you use unsweetened, you will likely need to add a small splash of simple syrup or agave since it can be tart. Substitute for white cranberry juice to make a white cosmo!
- Orange liqueur: I recommend Cointreau for the best cosmos! You can use Triple Sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier in our cosmopolitan recipe. Cointreau is a type of Triple Sec that tastes stronger and more complex. It’s also smoother, so I love using it for cosmos. Grand Marnier is also a type of Triple Sec, but it is combined with Cognac, which makes it taste richer, nutty, and caramelized.
- Fresh lime juice: I’m a stickler on using fresh, not bottled lime juice. We realize it’s a little more work, but the taste is much better.
- Orange peel: We love adding orange peel to our martini glass. It may look like an unnecessary garnish, but as you sip your cosmopolitan, you’ll get an orange aroma, which hides the strength and scent of the vodka.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make the Best Cosmopolitan
Tip 1: Use a cocktail shaker. When making cosmopolitan cocktails, a cocktail shaker filled with ice is a must. Not only does a cocktail shaker quickly chill all of the ingredients but small ice pieces chip off that slightly dilute the drink. This is intentional to help balance all of the flavors. Add vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau (or Triple Sec), and fresh lime juice, close the lid, and shake until very cold. Strain the drink into a chilled martini glass.
Tip 2: Peel citrus over glass. When you add the orange peel, peel it over the glass. This way, any oils spraying from the orange fall into your drink. Rubbing the edges of the glass doesn’t hurt either. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.
Tip 3: Make ahead to serve a crowd. A cosmo is the perfect cocktail to make ahead. I love doing this when I have a group of friends coming over! Instead of making each cocktail individually, I’ll make a large batch in a pitcher and then chill it in the fridge. To make a pitcher that serves 4, you will need 1 cup (8oz) vodka, 1/4 cup (2oz) Cointreau, 6 tablespoons (3oz) cranberry juice, and 2 tablespoons (1oz) lime juice.
More Classic Cocktails
Perfect Cosmopolitan Cocktail
- PREP
- TOTAL
I love this classic cosmopolitan! It’s easy to make one or a pitcher for a crowd. Use a vodka you enjoy. Citrus vodka is especially delicious.
I love adding orange peel to our cosmos. Sure, it may look like an unnecessary garnish, but if you do it right, it adds a little sweetness. As you take a sip of the cosmopolitan cocktail, you’ll get orange essence, which hides the strength and scent of the vodka. When you add the orange peel, peel it over the drink. This way, any oils spraying from the orange fall into the drink. Rubbing the edges of the glass doesn’t hurt either.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
2 ounces (¼ cup) vodka or citrus vodka
½ ounce (1 tablespoon) triple sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier
¾ ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) cranberry juice cocktail, see notes
¼ to ½ ounce (1 ½ teaspoons to 3 teaspoons) fresh lime juice
One 2-inch orange peel/twist
Directions
1Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice. (I like the extra bite of lime juice, so I use ½ an ounce in our cosmo, but use what is best for your taste.)
2Shake the cocktail shaker for about 30 seconds until well chilled. Then, strain into a martini glass.
3Garnish with orange peel/twist. Peel the orange twist over the filled cocktail glass so the orange oils spray into the glass.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Cranberry juice: You can use sweetened cranberry juice (often called “cranberry juice cocktail”) or unsweetened plain cranberry juice. If you use unsweetened, you will likely find that you need to add a small splash of simple syrup or agave since it can be quite tart.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Delicious! If making a pitcher do you still use a shaker with ice before serving each serving?
Why does my cocktail come out faded pink when I follow your recipe?
It’s all about how much cranberry juice you add. For a deeper color, simply add more cranberry.
Love these!! I want to make a pitcher of approx. 20 servings; would you add a bit of water to make up for the ice melt? If so, do you have an idea of how many oz H2O would be best?
Hi Ali, I don’t. I’d taste the cocktail and if you think it needs a little water to dilute, feel free to add (sparkling water is a good option, too).
Loved the Cosmo recipe.
Very good but cannot compete with 2 ounces vodka, 2 ounces cranberry juice cocktail, 1/4 tsp lime juice, 1/4 tsp cointreau. Absolutely so smooth !!
This post was a pleasure to read from start to finish.
Absolutely good
Flippin heck! That’s good……and so easy to make! Probably a bit dangerous to have more than one though. Thanks for the recipe.
Excellent & easy!!
Made this a few times now and this is the first recipe that my wife will consistently finish.
The holiday crowd loved it. Dropped some sugared cranberries in as a garnish.
I tried about 4 or 5 Cosmopolitan recipes in the past few months. This one is my favorite by far! Just the right balance for my taste! Not too sweet, not too tart!!
This was great! Very balanced. Two oz of vodka is perfect in my opinion. You’re right – it must be fresh squeezed lime. The bottled stuff ruins it.
I love Cosmos and this is my go-to recipe and has been for a number of years. I use GranGala (a less expensive version of Gran Marnier) and during the holidays when I have my homemade Spiced Apple Cranberry relish on hand, I add a very little dollop of that to my shaker.
Absolutely perfect! Not too sweet, not too tart, wonderful!
Excellent balance for a Cosmo!! This is my go to now for making them. Really really good!!! Not too sweet and not too sour. I didn’t think at all it was too strong either! Nice!
You are using Cranberry juice and not Cranberry juice cocktail right?
For our recipe we use cranberry juice cocktail. If you use unsweetened, you will likely find that you need to add a small splash of simple syrup or agave since it can be quite tart.
Add some fresh micro-grated ginger.
This is my go to recipe for Cosmos. When I ask who wants what cocktail, I always get the most requests for Cosmos. I’m pretty sure what takes it over the top for most of these folks is the orange oil that sprays into the glass when you peel it over the top. I used to use Ketel One, but have found that a cheaper vodka is almost as good (Wheatly is good for a crowd). Also, when I’m out of limes, I have substituted sweet and sour mix with good results. Thanks for introducing me to your recipe.
Delicious Cosmopolitan. I used a bit more “real” cranberry juice cocktail than the recipe, and the twist of orange at the end, I squeezed the peel first. It made it special and smelled great. I almost left out the orange peel, but then decided what the heck and was very glad I added it!
I made this Cosmo but found I didn’t like how the lime juice tasted in it, so now I omit that. I didn’t have any triple sec so I used Gran Marnier. My cranberry juice was 100% juice and I did not find it necessary to add sugar or simple syrup. It was delicious – I had three!
This was a little too strong as written. I changed it up as follows, and my wife loves it now. 1.5 ounces Orange Vodka, 1 ounce Triple Sec, 2 ounces Cranberry Juice (100% juice, not cocktail and not pure cranberry juice, which is bitter), 1 tsp. fresh lime juice, or to taste (too much ruins the drink) – I cut a lime in half and use one half for two drinks. That’s it! This is my wife’s favorite drink now!
I tried my first Cosmo just the other night when I was having dinner out. Loved it!! So I bought all the supplies and used your recipe last night and it was delish!! Thank you!!
Delicious using Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice (found in grocery stores) too. Also added green food coloring for a pretty kelly green drink for St. Patrick’s Day party. Great drink to make for any party.
I added 3/4 oz Pom juice too. I enjoy cranberry & pomengrate together.
Perfect every time. Made this cocktail a lot over xmas! Big hit with guests! Wouldn’t alter anything. Thank you so much for recipe!!
Thank you for a delightful cosmo recipe. I love them but it is hard to find a place that truly knows how to craft one. So, thanks to you, I can stay home and enjoy one.
Side note…. bc I juice fresh cranberries, that is what I used plus equal part simple syrup then used correct measurement from that for recipe.
Wow this Cosmo is soooooo good. Had to sub Cointreau for Triple Sec and it is fantastic.
Cointreau is a brand of Triple Sec. It is the industry standard for good Triple Sec. It’s like saying I had to Substitute Stolichnaya for Vodka.
Amazing recipe, Cointreau makes a difference, as was making two for taste comparison. I used unsweeted cranberry juice added a splash of simple syrup. this is a gray recipe with great measurements… because then we had unexpected guests and I had to make these with Sevilla flavored gin (we ran out of vodka except for an pineapple flavor). I digress, basically because the author understands the measurements and the type of flavor you’re trying to produce I was able to replicate something equally tasty although not a true cosmopolitan when using gin.
Perfect!
Delicious! Thank you for the Cosmopolitan recipe! I give it 5 stars! It’s xmas eve and I needed something to start it off with!
Delicious. Finally found a good Cosmo recipe
Love how strong it was …like you stated!
It was perfect!
I like how you have the recipe for 1 and 4 servings…( love that!!! )
I like it. Thanks..
Where can I get the orange peeler shown?
I think we bought it from Sur la Table — it’s Kuhm Rikon and was really cheap!
How can I make it just a tad sweeter?
In line with Janice, Sub Grand Marnier or another Orange Curacao for the Triple Sec. You’ll be adding a little hinter of vanilla aswell from the Cognac base of Grand Marnier.
You and add a little Grand Marnier to make sweeter.
Hi Jan, you could add a little more cranberry juice. Adding a little honey or agave nectar works, too.
Very nice! Really enjoyed and it was pretty. 🙂
Thank you Denise!