Virgin cosmopolitan
Cranberry, lime and a twist of orange, shaken cold into a martini glass. Pink, tart and smart.
- Time
- 4 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Martini glass
- Strength
- Alcohol-free
How to make a virgin cosmopolitan
- Chill the glass. Fill a martini glass with ice and cold water while you mix, so the drink stays cold.
- Shake. Put the cranberry juice, lime juice, orange juice and sugar syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 seconds.
- Strain. Tip the ice and water out of the glass and strain the drink in through a fine strainer.
- Finish with orange. Squeeze the orange peel skin-side down over the glass so the oils spray over the surface, rub it round the rim, then drop it in.
- Glass
- Martini glassNo martini glass? A coupe or small wine glass.
- Ice
- No ice
- Garnish
- Orange peel twistOr: A lime wheel on the rim.
What you need to make a virgin cosmopolitan
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Cocktail shakerA two-piece Boston tin is the easiest to use and clean.
StrainerA Hawthorne strainer fits over the tin or glass.
Fine strainerA small tea strainer catches ice shards.
Citrus squeezerFresh juice makes the biggest difference of anything.
Vegetable peelerFor wide strips of peel with little pith.
Bottles we'd use
- Pure cranberry juiceUnsweetened is tart and deep red, which is what this drink needs.Find it on Amazon
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Virgin cosmopolitan variations and swaps
For a paler, softer drink, use white cranberry juice in place of the red. To lengthen it, strain over ice in a tall glass and top with 50 ml of soda water. To make the original, shake 40 ml of vodka, 15 ml of orange liqueur, 15 ml of lime juice and 30 ml of cranberry juice with ice and strain into a chilled glass. For six, mix 360 ml of cranberry juice, 120 ml each of lime and orange juice and 60 ml of sugar syrup in a jug. Chill it, then shake 110 ml per drink with ice.
The virgin cosmopolitan story
The cosmopolitan is a vodka, triple sec, cranberry and lime cocktail that became hugely popular in the 1990s. Its pink colour and martini glass are most of its appeal, and both survive without the vodka.
Pure cranberry juice does the heavy lifting here, so choose a tart one and balance it with lime and a little sugar. A strip of orange peel, squeezed over the top, stands in for the orange liqueur.
Virgin cosmopolitan: your questions answered
What is in a virgin cosmopolitan?
A virgin cosmopolitan is made with 60 ml pure cranberry juice, 20 ml fresh lime juice, 20 ml orange juice and 10 ml sugar syrup. Garnish: orange peel twist.
Is a virgin cosmopolitan shaken or stirred?
A virgin cosmopolitan is shaken, not stirred. Shaking hard with ice chills it quickly and helps mix the juice in properly, which stirring cannot do. Shake until the outside of the shaker feels very cold.
Is this virgin cosmopolitan alcohol-free?
Yes. This virgin cosmopolitan is made without any alcoholic ingredients, so it suits drivers and anyone taking a night off.
What glass do you serve a virgin cosmopolitan in?
Serve a virgin cosmopolitan in a martini glass. No martini glass? A coupe or small wine glass.
