The Cosmopolitan is a sophisticated cocktail known for its vibrant pink color and was made popular by the TV show Sex and the City.

Cosmopolitan Cocktail

The cosmo – this light pink cocktail served in a martini glass became synonymous with sophistication in the 90s thanks to being prominently featured as Carrie’s drink of choice in Sex and the City.

Don’t let the vibrant pink color fool you though, as the cosmo is actually a strong drink! The number one ingredient is vodka, after all.

The cosmo is a subtle blend of citrus and cranberry flavors. No one ingredient should overpower the rest – there is just enough fruit flavor to take the bite off the vodka. It’s tasty, strong, and easy to make. Plus, it looks pretty in a glass!

Who Invented The Cosmo?

There’s quite a bit of debate about this one, with numerous bartenders claiming to have mixed the very first cosmopolitan cocktail.

Here are a few that claim to be the creator of the cosmo:

Toby Cecchini: A bartender at the Odeon restaurant in New York City during the 1980s. Cecchini claims to have invented the drink in 1988, based on a drink that his friend described, which was also called the Cosmopolitan.
Cheryl Cook: A bartender in Miami, Florida, Cook also claims to have invented the cosmopolitan in the early 1980s. She says she created the drink as a way to make vodka more appealing to women and used Citron vodka as the base for her drink.
Neal Murray: A bartender in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Murray says that he invented the cosmopolitan even earlier, in the mid-1970s. Murray explains that he created the drink by adding cranberry juice to a Kamikaze, a cocktail made with vodka, lime juice, and triple sec.

Will we ever know for sure? Probably not. But in any case, the Cosmopolitan was a mainstay on cocktail menus by the late 1980s and became wildly popular after it was featured on the TV show Sex and the City.

Close up of a cosmo cocktail with lime wheel

Ingredients

2 oz Vodka
1 oz Triple Sec
1 oz Cranberry Juice Cocktail
Squeeze of fresh lime juice

Helpful Bartending Tools

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Cocktail Jigger (for measuring liquor amounts)
Boston Cocktail Shaker Set (contains shakers, jigger, strainer)
Martini Glass (a cosmo is traditionally served in a chilled martini glass)

Recipe intended for readers 21+

Cosmopolitan Cocktail Ingredients, with text labels: cranberry juice, vodka, triple sec, fresh lime.

Instructions

Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds until ingredients are well chilled.
Strain and pour into a martini glass.
Garnish with a lime wheel or lemon twist.

Prep Tips

Some versions of the cosmo recipe use citrus vodka instead of plain vodka. The citrus vodka really brings out the lime notes for a brightly flavored drink.
For a sweeter drink, add another ounce of cranberry juice. This also brightens the pink color of the cocktail. On the other hand, if you prefer a less sweet drink, you can reduce the amount of cranberry cocktail used to half an ounce.
If you have time, chill your martini glass in the freezer for 15-30 minutes. This will keep your drink cooler for longer, without using ice.