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Whether you are a Carrie or a Samantha, the Cosmopolitan is a crowd pleaser that can be enjoyed by all. When made right, it hits that sweet spot between tart and sweet and is a refreshing cocktail that goes down easily anytime of the year. Add to this the fact that the vibrant pink makes this a very instagrammable drink, you’re definitely going to want to give this Cosmopolitan recipe a try on your next cocktail night.
We give this classic recipe a Florida spin by using Coast Vodka from Kozuba and Sons Distillery or Florida Cane Vodka from St. Augustine Distillery. We also use a delicious little Florida Orange Liqueur from St. Petersburg Distillery which can be switched into any recipe calling for Cointreau or Triple Sec. We finish it off with cranberry juice, key lime juice and a splash of homemade key lime simple syrup to complete a recipe bursting with local Florida ingredients. Support local, and enjoy your Cosmo-floridan.
What Ingredients Do I Need?
The Vodka: Vodka makes up almost half of this cocktail, so you aren’t going to want to use poor quality stuff. You want something that packs a punch but without biting your face off afterwards. Luckily, Florida has plenty of great options for smooth vodkas that go perfectly in a cosmopolitan cocktail. Our go to pick is Coast made by Kozuba and Sons Distillery which you can pick up in ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. This silky vodka not only goes down insanely easily, but some of each sale goes to the Florida Conservation Association. If that wasn’t enough, it comes in a crazily affordable 1.75L box. So it’s preserving your wallet as well as Florida’s coastline!
Recommended Florida Vodka:
- Coast Handcrafted Vodka- Kozuba and Sons Distillery
- Florida Cane Vodka- St. Augustine Distillery
- Old St. Pete Artisanal Vodka- St. Petersburg Distillery
Get these bottles delivered by DRIZLY. Click and use code DRIZLYDEAL for $5 off of your first order.
The Orange Liqueur: Traditionally a cosmopolitan recipe will call for Cointreau or Triple Sec, so if you have them on your bar cart then you can absolutely use either of those. In our Cosmopolitan recipe we use a delicious local Florida orange liqueur from St. Petersburg distillery called Tippler’s. If you want to support local, then give that one a try- it also goes great in Margaritas!
Recommended Florida Orange Liqueur:
Get this delivered by DRIZLY. Click and use code DRIZLYDEAL for $5 off your first order.
The Citrus:
Fresh: Fresh key limes can be difficult to find but keep an eye out because depending on your location you might be able to pick them up in your local supermarket. If not then you can absolutely use the more common Persian lime, you will just loose a touch of tartness and the more floral character you get from key limes. Do you use a lot of citrus juice in your cocktails and/or cooking? If you do, then buy a citrus press- it’s a game changer. You get a lot more juice out of your lemons and limes, you don’t have to worry about seeds, and you cut down on the mess of squeezing with your hands. We use a Zulay citrus press which has the added bonus of being a two in one design so it handles both lemons and limes with equally perfect results.
Recommended Juicer: Zulay Premium Citrus Press
Bottled: If you prefer to have bottled lime juice at the ready, whenever you might need it, then Nellie & Joes: Key West Lime Juice is the undisputed king of lime juice.
Recommended Lime Juice: NELLY & JOE’S Key West Lime Juice, 16 oz
The Sweetener: Adding simple syrup is optional, so If you like your drinks less sweet then just skip. Personally, we think a splash balances the drink and to really dial up the lime flavor we recommend using a lime simple syrup.
The Garnish: The Cosmo is meant to be a fun drink, so have some fun with the garnish. You can go with a lime or orange twist, but we recommend a halved orange wheel. To do this cut an orange wheel and then cut that in half. Make a small cut in the center of the flat slide of your halved wheel and then slide this onto the lip of the glass. You can also do the same thing with a lime wheel.
What Equipment Should I Use?
The Glass: For a Cosmopolitan, you can’t go wrong with a martini glass. This style of glass was designed for chilled cocktails that are served without ice, as the stem prevents your hand from warming up the drink. The dramatic tapered shape coupled with the vibrant pink color also makes for some very instagrammable photos.
Recommended martini glass: Duke’s Bar Martini Glass, Set of 2
Shaken or Stirred: Always shake your cosmos. Any cocktail recipe that contains fruit juice should be shaken as you want them to be ice cold and refreshing. Giving it a good shake will introduce tiny fragments of ice, which gives the cosmo its signature touch of frothy pink cloudiness.
Recommended cocktail shaker: ABSOLUT ELYX BOUTIQUE Brass Patterned Cocktail Shaker. (Use this link to get $15 off your first order)
Straight up or on the rocks: Cosmos should be enjoyed straight up. Just be sure to chill your glass first by filling your glass with ice and topping with cold water. Once you’re ready to strain your cocktail, dump the ice, and enjoy your cocktail in an ice-cold glass.
We hope you enjoy our Cosmopolitan (Cosmo-floridan) cocktail recipe below, and as always drink local and drink responsibly. Cheers!
This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when purchases of recommended products are made. This is at no additional cost to you, and every penny we make goes back into buying and trying more tasty Floridian tipples.
Cosmopolitan Recipe (Cosmo-floridan)
Ingredients
- 2 oz Florida Vodka
- 1 oz Cranberry Juice
- 1/2 oz Lime Juice
- 3/4 oz Florida Orange Liqueur (or Triple Sec)
- 1/4 oz Lime Simple Syrup
- Orange Wheel (Optional)
Instructions
- Step 1: Add vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, lime simple syrup and triple sec in a cocktail shaker
- Step 2: Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds
- Step 3: Strain into a martini glass
- Step 4: Cut a lime wheel or an orange half-wheel and make a small slit. Then slide onto side of the glass
Notes
Tips
Chill the Glass: To make sure your glass is ice cold, fill your glass with ice and top up with cold water. Dump out when you're ready to strain your cocktail into your glass and you'll be straining into an ice cold glass.
Orange or Lime? If you'd prefer to bring out more of the orange flavor rather than the lime, then just switch the lime simple syrup for orange simple syrup.
Note: This recipe makes enough for a standard 8 oz martini glass. If you have a larger 10-12 oz martini glass then you will need to increase the measurements.
Other Florida Cocktail Recipes To Try:
Old Fashioned Floridian (Orange Old Fashioned)
Tom(ahawk) Collins (FSU game day cocktail)
The Gator (UF game day cocktail)
