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Home » Recipe Index » Drinks

Christmas Cosmopolitan

Published: Dec 22, 2018 · Updated: Nov 24, 2020 Author: Alexandra Cook

For the full recipe including quantities and method, click the "jump to recipe" button, or scroll through and read our helpful tips along the way.

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If you are looking for the perfect cocktail to serve during the festive season, look no further than my Christmas Cosmopolitan. It is a great way to begin a celebration and you can be certain that it is a crowd pleaser. What’s more, you will be delighted by how easy it is to make.

cocktail shaker pouring drink into a glass garnished with lime.
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  • Why we love this recipe:
  • Ingredients in this recipe:
  • Step by step instructions:
  • Tips for success and FAQs:
  • More delicious recipes for you to try:
  • Christmas Cosmopolitan

Why we love this recipe:

It is so pretty. The glorious, rose-hued colour of this easy Christmas cocktail immediately creates the sense of a special occasion. I serve it in a beautifully styled martini glass which automatically adds a festive touch. The conical top of the glass, which sits aboard a slender stem, is stylish and elegant. For me, this cocktail is ideal to serve at any time of the year, not just at Christmas.

It is a simple drink, containing just four ingredients, not counting the ice cubes used to chill the drink. This is a classic Cosmopolitan and, to me, it has the right balance of sweet and tart flavours. You can, of course, certainly adjust the ingredients to suit your taste. 

This recipe is for two people. However, this cocktail is perfect for a party and you can easily multiply the ingredients to make the required number of drinks.

If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, don’t despair. You can easily make this drink in a mason jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Just shake the drink well and strain it into your glass. 

Wikipedia advises that the origin of the Cosmopolitan is disputed. For many of us, it was in the 1990s that we discovered the cocktail and developed a fondness for it.  This was when it became internationally famous thanks to it being a favourite tipple of Carrie Bradshaw in the television show “Sex and the City”.

cocktail in glass, garnished with lime and orange.

Ingredients in this recipe:

ingredients in this recipe on a white marble background.

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

  • Vodka
  • Cointreau or Triple Sec
  • Cranberry juice
  • Lime juice
  • Ice cubes

Step by step instructions:

cocktail shaker pouring into a glass and the finished product of two glasses.

It could not be simpler. Put all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into a glass of your choice.

Serve with an attractive garnish.

Tips for success and FAQs:

I urge you, do not use bottled lime juice. To make the best cocktail it is essential to use fresh lime which will add a vibrant flavour. The taste is so much better.

It is important to shake the cocktail well to properly incorporate the ingredients and thoroughly chill the contents. This means that you won’t need to add ice to the glass thereby diluting the drink.

If you’re making a Christmas Cosmopolitan for a cocktail party, I suggest that you mix the required amount of vodka, Cointreau, cranberry and lime juices together in a large jug, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Then, shake the ingredients well with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain, serve and repeat the procedure. It is faster than making them separately as you go. 

More delicious recipes for you to try:

Another festive cocktail option is our delicious Strawberry Prosecco. You may also like to try some of these festive recipes:

  • Caprese Christmas Wreath
  • Four Ingredient Fruit Cake
  • Smoked Salmon Wreath
up close shot of two cocktails.

You can’t go wrong with a Christmas Cosmopolitan. If you like to have some special touches at your festive celebrations, offering your guests this lovely cocktail is ideal. 

Choose a garnish which you prefer. Some options are:

  • A twist of lime
  • Zest of orange
  • Sprig of rosemary

This drink also works beautifully with some fresh or frozen cranberries.

Enjoy relaxed, elegant entertaining with this easy, classic cocktail which is always a crowd pleaser. 

Cheers, and a very Merry Christmas to all!

Alex xx

Two glasses with cocktail with a shaker in the background.

Christmas Cosmopolitan

If you are looking for the perfect cocktail to serve during the festive season, look no further than my Christmas Cosmopolitan. It is a great way to begin a celebration and you can be certain that it is a crowd pleaser. What’s more, you will be delighted by how easy it is to make.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Review
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: International
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 267kcal
Author: Alexandra Cook – It’s Not Complicated Recipes

Please note:

For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.

Ingredients

  • 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) Vodka
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) Cointreau or Triple Sec See Note 1
  • 250 ml (1 cup) cranberry juice sweetened
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice See Note 2
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • garnish of your choice – eg: orange, lime, rosemary

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker or jar.
  • Shake well to thoroughly combine the ingredients and ensure they are chilled. 
    Strain into a martini glass or another glass of your choice.
  • Serve with a garnish if you wish. I like orange peel, a twist of lime and sometimes a sprig of rosemary for a festive touch!

Notes

  1. I prefer to use Cointreau but you can use Triple Sec if you prefer.
  2. Always use freshly squeezed lime juice, the flavour is fresher and more vibrant than the juice from a bottle. 
  3. Please note, the nutritional information is based on one drink. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Made this recipe? We’d be so grateful if you could leave a comment and rating at the bottom of the page!

Nutrition Estimate:

Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 96mg | Sugar: 25g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional Disclaimer:

The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Faye

    December 21, 2023 at 8:39 am

    5 stars
    So good – make every year now!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Cook

      December 21, 2023 at 10:34 am

      Cheers, Faye! 🙂
      So happy you enjoy it, Alex xo

      Reply
  2. Ruth

    December 18, 2022 at 9:36 am

    5 stars
    Delicious – served for our Christmas party last night, will be making again for Christmas Eve! Cheers!

    Reply
    • Alexandra

      December 18, 2022 at 9:41 am

      Thanks for taking the time to comment, Ruth! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Sue

    December 26, 2021 at 9:42 pm

    Do you use cranberry juice cocktail or pure cranberry juice?

    Reply
    • Alexandra

      December 26, 2021 at 9:59 pm

      Hi Sue!
      I use a sweetened cranberry juice here – so a cranberry juice cocktail would be perfect. Kind regards, Alex

      Reply
  4. Meghan

    November 20, 2020 at 5:37 pm

    5 stars
    Christmas cocktails are something we love – and I had to test this out early, you know, for quality control. Delicious!! 🙂

    Reply
    • Alexandra

      November 22, 2020 at 11:58 am

      Testing is never a bad idea, Meghan 😉 Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this!

      Reply
  5. Jerri

    December 23, 2018 at 12:27 pm

    5 stars
    I do love a Cosmo but had never made them myself til now. Made for our family Christmas night! Thanks Alexandra!

    Reply
    • Alexandra

      December 23, 2018 at 12:44 pm

      Hi Jerri! Thank you so much for stopping by 🙂 Merry Christmas!
      Alex xo

      Reply

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