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    Home » Recipes » Cocktail Recipes

    Classic Cosmopolitan Martini Recipe

    Modified: May 3, 2025 · Published: Sep 10, 2020 by Katy McAvoy

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    Cosmopolitan cocktail.

    A classic vodka cocktail that's too often made with a heaping helping of cranberry juice, this cosmopolitan martini recipe brings the cranberry back in balance with its fellow ingredients for a crisp, tart drink.

    Two coupe glasses filled with Cosmos, garnished with cranberries and a lime slice.
    Jump to:
    • What's in a Cosmopolitan
    • How to Make a Cosmopolitan Martini
    • Garnishing Your Cosmo
    • What to Serve with Cosmopolitan Cocktails
    • Try These Vodka Cocktails
    • Print the Recipe Card
    • Classic Cosmopolitan Martini Recipe

    Cosmopolitan cocktails are an easy vodka cocktail to make at home, making ideal to serve for dinner parties, girls' nights, or even bridal showers. I love making these for friends who traditionally order a vodka cranberry since a Cosmo isn't too far off from that two ingredient drink but has a much fancier presentation. 

    Created in the 1980s by bartender Toby Cecchini, the classic Cosmopolitan recipe is made with citrus vodka, a high quality orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, and a small splash of cranberry juice. This recipe is actually a light pink color when served and looks nothing like the majority of cosmos you see served in restaurants today. 

    As the drink surged in popularity in the late 90s (thanks to Carrie Bradshaw and Sex & the City), bars began making it in pitchers and adding in more and more cranberry juice. If you're used to sipping Cosmos at the bar during a happy hour special, you're likely used to more cranberry juice than the original recipe. 

    Made with simple ingredients easily found at your local liquor store, this cosmo recipe looks to balance out the cranberry and vodka making it more palatable for home mixologists while not completely throwing out the classic recipe. The result is a slightly sweeter drink that has less of a vodka bite and is more fruity than its original counterpart.

    What's in a Cosmopolitan

    Ingredients for Cosmopolitan cocktails.
    • Vodka - Your favorite high quality vodka. Plain vodka or citrus vodka work best in this drink. 
    • Cranberry juice - Choose 100% cranberry juice for this recipe, not cranberry juice cocktail. 
    • Triple sec - An orange-flavored liqueur, triple sec is bringing both a little orange and a little sweetness to this cocktail. Feel free to substitute another orange liqueur like Cointreau or Grand Marnier, if you prefer.
    • Limes - Fresh citrus is important for this recipe, so be sure to squeeze fresh limes for your cocktail. You'll need about half a lime per drink. 

    How to Make a Cosmopolitan Martini

    A hand pouring cranberry juice from a jigger into a cocktail shaker with ice.

    Place vodka, cranberry juice, tripe sec, and fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes.

    Cosmo cocktail being poured from a cocktail shaker into a coupe glass.

    Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe glass or chilled martini glass. 

    Note: To chill your martini glass, carefully fill it with ice cubes before you start making your drink. Set it aside while you shake up your cosmo. When you're ready to pour, dump out the ice cubes from the glass and strain your drink into your freshly chilled glass. 

    A hand placing a lime wheel garnish into a coupe glass filled with cosmopolitan cocktail.

    Garnish with a wedge of lime, lime wheel, or float a few whole cranberries in the glass.

    A coupe glass filled with Cosmos, garnished with cranberries and a lime slice.

    Sip and enjoy!

    Garnishing Your Cosmo

    You can go the easy round with a small lime wedge or twist of lime. For something a bit different - especially if you're sipping your cosmo during the holidays - use fresh cranberries. They look and float nicely in the glass. Keep some in your freezer for easy garnish and a way to keep your cosmo chilled.

    Looking down at two cocktail glasses filled with cosmos, garnished with lime slices and cranberries.

    What to Serve with Cosmopolitan Cocktails

    I love serving salty snacks with this tart vodka cocktail. Enjoy your Cosmopolitan martini with my favorite bar mix - Slow Cooker Savory Spiced Nuts - full of garlic and rosemary.

    Savory Spiced Nuts

    Try These Vodka Cocktails

    There are so many delicious cocktail that can be made with unflavored vodka. Shake up something beyond the traditional vodka soda with one of these vodka martinis! Try a pineapple martini with fresh citrus, a sweet peach pie martini, a classic lemon drop martini, or my super popular lavender lemon drop martini. 

    • A coupe glass filled with lemon drop martini cocktail in front of a bowl of lemons.
      Classic Lemon Drop Martini 
    • Pineapple Vodka Martini
      Bright and Refreshing Pineapple Martini with Citrus
    • Peach Pie Martini
      Delicious Sweet and Summery Peach Pie Martini
    • A glass filled with lavender lemon drop martini.
      Easy Lavender Lemon Drop Martini with Vodka

    Print the Recipe Card

    A coupe glass filled with Cosmos, garnished with cranberries and a lime slice.

    Classic Cosmopolitan Martini Recipe

    Katy McAvoy
    A classic vodka cocktail that's too often made with a heaping helping of cranberry juice, this cosmopolitan martini recipe brings the cranberry back in balance with its fellow ingredients for a crisp, tart drink.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe SaveSaved! Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Servings 1 cocktail

    Equipment

    • Cocktail Shaker
    • Jigger
    • Coupe Glasses
    • Martini Glasses

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 oz vodka
    • 2 oz cranberry juice 100% juice
    • 1 oz orange liqueur or triple sec
    • 0.5 oz lime juice fresh squeezed

    Instructions
     

    • Place vodka, cranberry juice, tripe sec, and fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes.
      2 oz vodka, 2 oz cranberry juice, 1 oz orange liqueur, 0.5 oz lime juice
    • Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe glass or chilled martini glass. 
    • Garnish with a wedge of lime, lime wheel, or float a few whole cranberries in the glass.
    • Sip and enjoy!

    Notes

    To chill your martini glass, carefully fill it with ice cubes before you start making your drink. Set it aside while you shake up your cosmo. When you're ready to pour, dump out the ice cubes from the glass and strain your drink into your freshly chilled glass. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 248kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 69mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 33IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

    I love when you share my recipes!

    45 shares

    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com and Homemade Happy Hour. Since 2017, she's been crafting recipes for easy-to-make cocktails and delicious snacks while sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

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    Katy McAvoy, mixologist and photographer

    Hi! I’m Katy (she/her). I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that everyone deserves a delicious drink. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

    More about me →

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