The Cosmopolitan has been a bar favourite for decades because cranberry and lime and orange liqueur sit so naturally together in a cold glass. It's tart and fruity and a little sweet and it works with almost any vodka. We've been making ours with honey vodka for a while now and it's the version we keep coming back to.
What we use
- 50ml Beeble Honey Vodka
- 15ml triple sec
- 30ml cranberry juice
- 10ml lime juice
- Ice and an orange for the zest
How we make it
We fill the shaker with ice before anything else because a cold shaker keeps the drink from warming up while we measure. Then in go the honey vodka and the triple sec and the cranberry juice and the lime juice and we shake it hard for about fifteen seconds until the metal is almost too cold to hold. We strain it into a glass that's been sitting in the freezer so the first sip is as cold as the last one.
The garnish takes a bit of nerve but it's worth it. We cut a coin of orange zest roughly 3cm across and hold it about 10cm above the drink with the skin facing the glass. Then we light a match and wave the zest over the flame while bending its outer edge towards the heat so the oils spark and fall onto the surface. The zest goes into the glass afterwards. We always keep sleeves and hair well back when we do this.
Ingredients
- 50ml Beeble Honey Vodka
- 15ml triple sec
- 30ml cranberry juice
- 10ml lime juice
- Ice
- Lime wedge on the rim of the glass
Method
- Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
- For the garnish, hold a 3cm round piece of lime zest about 10cm above your cosmo and very carefully wave it over a lit match or lighter flame.
- Bend the outer edge of the zest in towards the flame so that the orange oils are released, then drop the zest into your drink.
Why honey vodka suits this drink
Cranberry juice is properly sharp and lime adds to that so a plain vodka can leave the drink tasting thin. Honey vodka brings a soft rounded sweetness that fills out the middle without making it sugary. The honey also sits nicely beside the orange in the triple sec because it softens the slightly bitter edge of the liqueur. That's why we only use 10ml of lime. A small squeeze gives enough sharpness and the honey does the rest.
Small things that help
We buy pure cranberry juice instead of a cranberry drink because it's tarter and gives a cleaner colour. If the cocktail tastes too sharp we add a few drops more triple sec and if it tastes too sweet we add a small squeeze of lime. Fresh lime juice makes a real difference too because bottled juice goes flat once it's been shaken with ice. Large cubes work best in the shaker since they chill the drink without watering it down too fast.
When we're making four we shake two at a time. A crowded shaker doesn't chill as well and the last drink always ends up warmer than the first. If you'd like more ideas for the evening our honey cocktail recipes are all in one place.
Put your glass in the freezer for ten minutes before you pour. It keeps the drink crisp to the last sip.
