How to Make a Perfect Cosmopolitan Cocktail

The Cosmopolitan, or simply the Cosmo, is a modern classic vodka cocktail that's made with cranberry juice, triple sec, and lime.

The already popular cocktail became legendary when it appeared as the go-to cocktail for the characters of the HBO hit tv show, Sex and the City.

While there are a few different ways to make a Cosmopolitan, one recipe stands above the rest. Let's dive into how to make a perfectly balanced, sweet, tart, and refreshing Cosmo.

Who invented the Cosmopolitan cocktail?

This question isn't as simple as it might seem. Depending on who you ask, the inventor of the Cosmo could be one of five different bartenders.

What is known is that Neal Murray was the first bartender to create a drink by this name that used the basic ingredients we associate with it today. It's also known that Dale DeGroff gave us the improved recipe in the 1990s that we know and love today.

Read the full backstory of the Cosmopolitan through the very thorough research of Cheryl Charming.

Throughout cocktail history, there have been several different drinks by this name, and many of them were red or pink in color. The most notable is the early Cosmopolitan from the 1930s that was made with gin, lemon, triple sec, and raspberry syrup.

Neal Murray - 1970s

In the 1970s, a bartender named Neal Murray would create his Cosmopolitan cocktail, which was the first Cosmopolitan to include vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec, and lime.

The story goes that his idea was to combine the Cape Codder (also known as the Vodka Cranberry) and the Kamikaze (which at the time was made with vodka, triple sec, and sweetened lime juice) to create a new vodka cocktail.

His recipe used vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec, and Rose's (sweetened) lime juice and it became a popular drink at multiple bars he worked at across the country, most notably in San Francisco. It's known that some interpretation of the drink was served at many bars there during the 1980s.

Cheryl Cook - 1980s

In the late '80s, another bartender across the country would also create a vodka and cranberry cocktail and call it a Cosmopolitan.

The second inventor of the Cosmo was Cheryl Cook from The Strand in Miami. Her recipe included Absolut Citron, a citrus flavored vodka that had just been launched. Also around this time, two New York bartenders would learn of the Cosmopolitan and improve on the basic recipe by using fresh lime juice instead of bottled, sweetened juice.

Melissa Huffsmith and Toby Cecchini - 1980s

These two bartenders were Melissa Huffsmith and Toby Cecchini. The latter is almost always credited with the invention of the Cosmopolitan, perhaps because he created a definitive and easy to remember recipe for it.

Huffsmith's exact recipe isn't clear, but Cecchini's was a tart mix of 2 parts citrus vodka, 1 part cranberry, 1 part Cointreau, and 1 part lime juice.

Dale DeGroff - 1990s

Fast forward to the 1990s and the famous barman Dale DeGroff would also make improvements to the recipe, ultimately creating the Cosmopolitan that we know and enjoy today. DeGroff's recipe is the one I use and it makes a delightfully balanced mix of sweet and tart.

Choose quality vodka and triple sec

For the best flavor, it's always a good idea to choose quality bottles of vodka and triple sec. This doesn't mean that you have to buy the most expensive bottles, but do avoid anything on the bottom shelf.

The best vodka choices for a Cosmopolitan are Absolut Citron, Ketel One Citroen, and Grey Goose La Citron.

Triple sec is a clear colored, orange-flavored liqueur from France. There are several brands available, but Cointreau is the top choice. Cointreau is the perfect orange liqueur for Cosmos, Classic Margaritas and Mai Tais.

Cosmopolitan variations to try:

• White Winter Cosmopolitan
• Cosmopolita - a Cachaca Cosmo

Cranberry juice or cranberry juice cocktail?

The type of cranberry juice used in a Cosmo is cranberry juice cocktail. This means that it's a bottled blend of cranberry juice with sugar and/or other juices.

You can make a mean Cosmopolitan with pure, unsweetened cranberry juice, but it requires a lot of adjusting to balance out the powerful tartness of natural cranberry. More details on substituting pure cranberry in the recipe card below.

More cranberry cocktails to try:

• Cranberry Aquavit and Tonic
• Cranberry Campari Spritz
• Winter Sea Breeze

Always use fresh lime juice

Although the early Cosmopolitan recipes used bottled lime juice, there's a reason fresh lime juice is used today. Fresh citrus juice makes all the difference in sour-style cocktails.

Using bottled lime juice will give your drink an off, bitter flavor. And using a sweetened one like Rose's will also throw off the balance of the drink by making it too sweet.

Chill your glass

For a perfect Cosmopolitan, chill your cocktail glasses in advance. This small step makes a big difference by keeping your drink colder for longer. Place your glass in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

If you're short on time, you can fill your glass with crushed ice and water and set it aside while you prepare the cocktail. Simply dump the ice water just before pouring your drink.

Ingredients first, ice second

A Cosmopolitan (and any cocktail made with juices) needs to be shaken. First add your ingredients to the shaker, then fill it with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled. The reason we add the ice last is to prevent over dilution. The time it takes to measure and pour four ingredients is enough to water down your drink considerably.

Double strain

For the perfect cocktail, we need the best possible texture. Most any shaken cocktail that is served up can benefit from double straining. This is because a fine mesh strainer can remove the tiny ice shards that will float on top of your drink. Additionally, double straining removes the small bits of lime pulp that are inevitable from squeezing fresh juice.

Don't forget the garnish

There are a few ways to garnish a Cosmopolitan, each lending its own slightly different nuance to the finished drink. The orange peel is the first choice here, but lime is great option if you only have fresh limes on hand.

Orange peel

An orange twist is a classic Cosmo garnish. Peel a swath of the rind from an orange and squeeze it to express the oils over the drink. Orange oils add their sweet citrus aroma to the drink and also take the edge off the boozy bite of the vodka.

Take this garnish to the next level by making it a flamed peel. Here's how to flame an orange twist. The flamed orange peel is the garnish of choice for Dale DeGroff, who is known for creating the most popular version of the Cosmopolitan that's served today.

Lime peel or wheel

Another garnish for the Cosmopolitan is lime. One option is to peel and express a lime twist to add the zesty oils to the drink. Another option is to garnish with a lime wheel on the rim to add its fresh citrus aroma. Garnishing with lime lends a burst of freshness, and leans into the tart flavors of the drink.