This jolly holiday drink is perfect for your next Christmas party. Not only is this a serious crowd pleaser, but it’s super simple to make too.

If I’m throwing a holiday party, then you know I love to make a batch of fun drinks!

While I love my cranberry aperol spritz cocktail and winter spiced old fashioned, I really wanted to make a festive cosmopolitan!

I absolutely love a classic cosmopolitan cocktail but I knew I needed to make a holiday version. Enter this Christmas cosmopolitan which has all of the same ingredients as the classic cocktail but with a homemade cranberry-rosemary simple syrup to add a festive flavour.

Grab your cocktail shaker and make this divine Christmas cocktail to get in the holiday spirit!

why you’ll love this christmas cosmopolitan cocktail

• It’s easy to make this festive drink!
• This lovely cocktail is a delicious balance of sweet, tart and sour ingredients.
• You can make the cranberry-rosemary syrup a month ahead of time.
• This recipe can be easily multiplied so you can make a large batch for holiday parties.
• Make this holiday drink even more festive with a sparkling sprig of rosemary.

Ingredients Needed to make a Christmas cosmopolitan recipe

Cranberries: you’ll need fresh cranberries to create the cranberry-rosemary simple syrup

Rosemary: you’ll want fresh sprigs of rosemary for the cranberry and rosemary simple syrup, but I recommend having a few extra to garnish your christmas drink.

Sugar: granulated sugar is used to create the cranberry-rosemary simple syrup.

Cranberry Juice: you can’t have a cosmopolitan without cranberry juice! Because of the simple syrup, I recommend using unsweetened / 100% cranberry juice if you can.

Lime Juice: if you can, try to use fresh lime juice. I promise it makes all the difference!

Cointreau: this is my favorite to use in cosmopolitans! Cointreau is a type of triple sec, an orange liqueur, with a slightly sweet and slightly bitter taste.

Vodka: you’ll also need vodka to make a cosmopolitan, so use your favorite vodka.

How to make this christmas cosmopolitan cocktail

Step 1: Make the simple syrup: In a small pot bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring so the sugar dissolves. Once boiling, turn to medium low and keep at a simmer, add the cranberries and rosemary sprigs and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until cranberries just start to burst. Remove from the heat and let it steep for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture to remove the cranberries and rosemary. Set aside to cool.

Step 2: To make a Christmas cosmopolitan: To a cocktail shaker add the cranberry-rosemary simple syrup, vodka, cointreau, cranberry juice, lime juice and a handful of ice cubes. Shake well for about 20 seconds. Pour into your choice of two glasses (martini glass or coupe) and garnish with a plain or sugared rosemary sprig and/or cranberries.

Expert Tips for making this holiday season cosmopolitan recipe

• I love garnishing this cocktail with sugared rosemary for a festive twist! Dip a sprig of fresh rosemary in the simple syrup or just in water, roll in white sugar, then let it dry before adding it as a garnish.

• You can garnish the rim of the glass instead of using a rosemary garnish. Simple use some of the simple syrup around the rim of the glass and then press into white sugar for a pretty, sugared rim.

• Cosmopolitans are usually served in martini glasses but you can also serve it in a coupe!

Common questions

Can I make this cocktail ahead of time?
You can make the simple syrup ahead of time! Once it cools, store in the fridge for up to 1 month. If making a pitcher of Christmas cosmopolitans, mix the ingredients together including the simple syrup and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. If desired, shake each Christmas cosmopolitan cocktail over ice before serving which makes the cosmopolitan more refreshing to drink.

What vodka is best for a cosmopolitan?
I like to use a plain vodka in this recipe but to add a bit more of a citrus flair, you could use a flavored vodka like citrus vodka.

How do I make a big batch for a crowd?

If you want to make a larger batch when you’re entertaining, follow this recipe that serves about 6-8 and mix all of the ingredients in a pitcher and stir well.

• 1 1/2 cups vodka
• 1 1/4 cups pure cranberry juice
• 1/2 cup cointreau
• 3/4 cup cranberry-rosemary simple syrup
• 1/4 cup lime juice

When ready to serve, set out chilled martini glasses (if desired) or shake each serving in a martini shaker and then pour into martini or coupe glasses to serve!

Perfect food pairings for your christmas cosmopolitan

These Christmas Cosmopolitans are a delicious cocktail when paired with these holiday appetizers –

Easy Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie (holiday appetizer)

Puff Pastry Baked Gruyere with Fig Jam & Rosemary

Easy Roasted Boursin Stuffed Dates with Pistachios

Pair these lighter main dishes with your Christmas Cosmopolitans –

Christmas salmon

Easy One Pot Lemon Orzo Shrimp (30 minute recipe!)

One Pot Marry Me Butter Beans (30 minute recipe!)

How to store

You can store the simple syrup in the fridge for up to 1 month. If making a pitcher of Christmas cosmopolitans, mix the ingredients together including the simple syrup and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Highly recommend shaking each serving of the cocktail over ice before pouring into a martini glass or coupe if the cocktail mixture has been chilling in the fridge for a few days.

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Easy and Festive Christmas Cosmopolitan Cocktail

This Christmas Cosmopolitan is a festive twist on a classic cosmo. With a cranberry-rosemary simple syrup, it's perfect for the holidays!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword cosmopolitan, holiday cocktail

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cocktails

Author Jess

Ingredients

For the cranberry-rosemary simple syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 cup fresh (or frozen then thawed) cranberries

For two Christmas cosmopolitan cocktails

• 3 oz vodka
• 2 1/2 oz pure cranberry juice
• 1 oz cointreau
• 1 1/2 oz cranberry-rosemary simple syrup
• 1/2 oz lime juice

To make a pitcher of Christmas cosmopolitans

• 1 1/2 cups vodka
• 1 1/4 cups pure cranberry juice
• 1/2 cup cointreau (or substitute with triple sec)
• 3/4 cup cranberry-rosemary simple syrup
• 1/4 cup lime juice

Garnish

• fresh rosemary sprigs or sugared rosemary sprigs

Instructions

Make the cranberry-rosemary simple syrup

• In a small pot bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring so the sugar dissolves. Once boiling, turn to medium low and keep at a simmer, add the cranberries and rosemary sprigs and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until cranberries just start to burst. Remove from the heat and let it steep for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture to remove the cranberries and rosemary. Set aside to cool.

To make two Christmas cosmopolitan cocktails

• To a cocktail shaker add the cranberry-rosemary simple syrup, vodka, cointreau, cranberry juice, lime juice and a handful of ice cubes. Shake well for about 20 seconds. Pour into your choice of two glasses (martini glass or coupe) and garnish with a plain or sugared rosemary sprig and/or cranberries.

To make a pitcher of Christmas cosmopolitans

• If you want to make a larger batch when you’re entertaining, follow this recipe that serves about 6-8 and mix all of the ingredients in a pitcher and stir well.

  1 1/2 cups vodka

  1 1/4 cups pure cranberry juice

  1/2 cup cointreau

  3/4 cup cranberry-rosemary simple syrup

  1/4 cup lime juice

  When ready to serve, set out chilled martini glasses (if desired) or shake each serving in a martini shaker and then pour into martini or coupe glasses to serve!

How to make sugared rosemary for a garnish

• Dip a sprig of fresh rosemary in the simple syrup or just in water, roll in white sugar, then let it dry before adding it as a garnish.

Notes

• Serving in chilled glasses makes a big difference!
• When making a pitcher for a crowd, it makes a huge difference to shake each serving over ice in a cocktail shaker before serving.

The post Easy and Festive Christmas Cosmopolitan Cocktail appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

This is the perfect vodka drink to enjoy during citrus season.

Not too sweet or too tart and easy to make with just a few key bar ingredients and a cocktail shaker!

While I love my citrus vodka cocktail during citrus season, this blood orange martini cocktail recipe is a great way to elevate your cocktail game

Blood oranges are one of my favourite citrus fruits during orange season. They’re a little bit sweeter and less tart than other regular oranges, thus, they lend well to the flavour notes of this blood orange martini.  And, they have the most brilliant, gorgeous color!

Why you’ll love these blood orange vodka drinks

• This recipe makes two martinis so it’s a perfect cocktail for date night in!
• A blood orange cocktail recipe is an absolutely divine drink to cheers with.
• If you love cosmopolitan’s but want to switch up the flavours slightly this is the perfect martini to do so!

Ingredients needed for these blood orange vodka drinks

Blood oranges: use in season, fresh blood oranges (also labeled as moro oranges in some grocery stores) for this blood orange vodka cocktail

Vodka: use your favourite vodka; I like to use a plain (not flavoured) vodka so the blood orange flavour shines through

Cranberry juice: a touch of cranberry juice adds a bit of tartness to this drink

Orange liqueur: you can use triple sec, grand marnier or cointreau in this blood orange martini recipe

Lime: fresh squeezed lime juice is the best for this fun cocktail

Garnishes: use dried slices of blood orange for the perfect garnish; alternatively, use a fresh slice of blood orange or sprigs of rosemary

how to make this blood orange martini

Step 1: Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add all martini ingredients to the shaker.

Step 2: Shake for 20-30 seconds. Strain into two cooled martini or coupe glasses.

Step 3: Garnish with a dried blood orange slice, fresh slice of a blood orange or a sprig of rosemary.

expert tips for making these vodka drinks

• If you don’t have a martini / cocktail shaker, a mason jar with a lid will work just as well.
• A classic way to serve these vodka drinks is in a martini glasses, however, couple glasses work wonderfully too!
• If you don’t have dried citrus slices to garnish these blood orange martinis, try using a slice of fresh blood oranges or a sprig of rosemary instead.

how to make dried orange slices for cocktail garnishes

1. Slice one orange into 1/8 inch thin slices (use a very sharp knife to do this)
2. Preheat the oven to 200F.
3. Line a baking sheet with a baking cooling rack (this allows the oranges to dry quicker with heat from both sides). Alternatively, you can use parchment paper to line the baking sheet.
4. Add the sliced oranges to a double sheet of paper towel and use a second sheet of paper towel to press gently on the slices to release some liquid.
5. Next, place the orange slices on the baking rack (or the parchment lined baking sheet).
6. Bake for 2-3 hours, flipping every half hour to prevent edges of the orange slices from curling, until slices are dry. Let slices fully cool at room temperature.
7. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year.

common questions

When are blood oranges in season?
The best time of year to find fresh blood oranges for this blood orange martini is between December – April.

How can I make this cocktail for a crowd?
Simply double, triple or quadruple the recipe and then add all of the ingredients to a pitcher. Stir well and refrigerate until cold. Serve and enjoy!

Storage

I recommend enjoying this cocktail as soon as it’s made! However, to save time you can squeeze the fresh blood orange juice beforehand and store in the fridge for up to 3 days until ready to make these blood orange vodka drinks.

More delicious cocktails to love from the blog

Old Fashioned Cocktail with Black Walnut Bitters

The Best Pomegranate Aperol Spritz Holiday Cocktail

Pomegranate Vodka Cocktail with Rosemary Simple Syrup

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Blood Orange Martini (an easy vodka cocktail recipe)

This Blood Orange Martini is a fresh twist on a cosmopolitan! Make these blood orange vodka drinks for any occasion during citrus season.

Course Drinks

Cuisine american-inspired

Keyword blood orange, martini

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cocktails

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 5 oz vodka
• 2 1/2 oz triple sec, cointreau or grand marnier
• 2 1/2 oz cranberry juice
• 5 oz blood orange juice
• 1/2 oz lime juice

Instructions

• Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add all martini ingredients to the shaker.
• Shake for 20-30 seconds. Strain into two cooled martini or coupe glasses.
• Garnish with a dried blood orange slice, fresh slice of a blood orange or a sprig of rosemary.

Notes

• If you don't have a martini / cocktail shaker, a mason jar with a lid will work just as well.
• A classic way to serve these vodka drinks is in a martini glasses, however, couple glasses work wonderfully too!
• If you don't have dried citrus slices to garnish these blood orange martinis, try using a slice of fresh blood oranges or a sprig of rosemary instead.

 

 

 

The post Blood Orange Martini (an easy vodka cocktail recipe) appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.