Recipes Drinks Cocktails Cosmo Nouveau 3.5 (2) 1 Review The Cosmopolitan is really just a vodka margarita with a splash of cranberry, notes Lynnette Marrero, head of education for the mixology conference Bar Convent and creator of all-female bartending competition Speed Rack. She uses that understanding of the DNA of the drink to create a light and refreshing citrus-forward Cosmopolitan that gets its sweetness from orange liqueur and pleasant tartness and color from a blend of lime and pomegranate juices. To further elevate the drink, she looks for special ingredients, using a citrus vodka infused with real fruit, and pomegranate juice (which she trades for the cranberry) to add complexity and body to the drink. "It has a nice tanginess that works well with the liqueur and lime," she says. Marrero garnishes her recipe with a twist of lemon peel, but you could use lime or another citrus peel for a different effect. By Lynnette Marrero Published on September 28, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 1 Popularized by the HBO show Sex and the City, the Cosmopolitan became an icon of the 1990s — and even today, that light pink drink served up in a martini glass is instantly recognizable from across a room. Like the characters who helped make the cosmo the "it" drink of a certain era, the drink has matured in the decades, thanks to mixologists who are playing with its core formula (classically vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice). Ingredients 2 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) citrus vodka (such as Absolut Citron) or gin 1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier, triple sec, or Cointreau) 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon refrigerated pomegranate juice Lemon peel twist Directions Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka or gin, orange liqueur, lime juice, and pomegranate juice; cover with lid, and shake well, about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini cocktail glass; garnish with a lemon peel twist. Note For a less tart and citrus-forward version, use gin instead of citrus vodka. Rate it Print