Classic Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe

No matter the reason or season, a cosmopolitan is always a quick and delicious cocktail choice. Sure, many people order this cocktail at a bar, but making it at home is incredibly easy. Most people recognize the cosmopolitan by its beautiful pink color and highly aesthetic presentation. Plain and simple — it's the original pink drink. 

Recipe developer Ting Dalton concocted this classic cosmopolitan recipe, and it's great to make for a variety of reasons. "When I first started drinking cocktails, this was my go-to drink. Perhaps influenced by [the show "Sex and the City"], a cosmopolitan was always my favorite," she shares. Another reason this cocktail is so popular is because of its wonderful flavor. "Slightly sweet, zesty, and punchy, you can also make these really moreish cocktails at home," Dalton notes. "And believe me, don't let the color pink fool you — this is a potent and punchy drink."

Keep reading to find out how to make this classic cosmopolitan cocktail.

This recipe is simple, as it only requires four ingredients. All you need is citrus-flavored vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and an orange twist to garnish. "You need to use [citrus] vodka — not normal vodka," Dalton reminds. 

Once you have those things, you can make this classic cosmopolitan.

Fill a shaker tin with ice, and add in the vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Shake vigorously until the liquid gets very cold, about 5 seconds. 

Strain the cocktail into a martini glass. "I like to chill the martini glasses in the freezer before pouring the drink in, but you can also fill them with ice, and discard before pouring in the drink," Dalton notes.

To achieve the highest level of aesthetics, you can garnish the drink with an orange twist, which is standard practice for a classic cosmopolitan. "To get the orange peel garnish, it's easiest to use a zest peeler, which you can purchase quite cheaply," Dalton notes. "Or just use a [vegetable] peeler, and then wrap the peel around a cocktail stick [or chop stick] to get the curls." 

Cheers to another great drink.