Take a trip back to the 90s with this cosmopolitan cocktail recipe! This classic vodka and cranberry juice drink may be retro, but it’s still refreshing and delicious.
If you, like me, have watched every episode Sex and the City, you need to learn how to make a cosmopolitan cocktail, or Cosmo for short. This tart, refreshing vodka drink is a feature of the show, and when you see Carrie and friends sipping enough, you can’t help but want to try one.
Below, I’m sharing my go-to cosmopolitan recipe, perfect for dinner parties, girls’ nights, and binge watching. Sex and the City Reboot (who else is tuning in for season 2 this week?!). It has a gorgeous blush pink color and a sweet and tangy taste. Of course, a classic Cosmo is a bit 1990s. But it’s also delicious. Cheers!
What is a cosmopolitan cocktail?
The Cosmo cocktail as we know it today originates from the Cosmopolitan 1934, a drink from the 1930s. Its ingredients include gin, Cointreau and lemon juice, and raspberry syrup gives it its pink color.
New York City bartender Toby Cecchini is commonly cited as the creator of the modern Cosmopolitan. He created a vodka and cranberry juice cocktail in the late 1980s using Absolut Citron Vodka, a citrus-flavored vodka that was new to the market at the time.
Here’s what goes into a classic cosmopolitan cocktail:
- Vodka – Despite the drink’s history, I make it with regular, not flavored, vodka.
- Cointreau or Triple Sec – Sweet orange liqueur adds citrusy depth to the drink.
- Cranberry juice – For tart taste and beautiful pink color.
- Fresh lime juice – It gives the drink a bright, tangy finish.
Find my Cosmopolitan recipe with measurements below.
How to Make a Cosmopolitan Cocktail
This cosmopolitan recipe is so easy to make!
- Add vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Stir until well chilled.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and enjoy.
Very easy!
How to serve this cosmopolitan recipe
A cosmo is traditionally served in a coupe or martini glass, but of course, you can use any type of glass you like.
An orange or lemon twist is a classic garnish. If you’re still working on your citrus twist skills, an untwisted twist will work instead. Simply peel the peel from an orange or lemon using a vegetable peeler. Be careful not to cut too much white cake!
Make this Cosmo recipe for a happy hour or dinner party, girls night in, or any celebration. It’s lively, refreshing and retro in a fun way. I hope you love it!
More classic cocktail recipes
If you’d like to learn how to make a Cosmopolitan, try one of these classic cocktail recipes:

Cosmopolitan Cocktail
serves 1
This easy cosmopolitan cocktail recipe is great for parties and girls’ nights! The classic vodka and cranberry juice drink has a vibrant pink color and deliciously sweet-tart flavor.
- 2 ounce Vodka
- 1 ounce Cointreau
- 1 ounce Cranberry juice
- 1 ounce Fresh lime juice
- the ice
- Orange twist
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Place vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, traditionally a coupe or martini glass
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Garnish with an orange twist.