Blood Orange Cosmo

The Blood Orange Cosmo isn’t so much a twist on a Cosmopolitan cocktail, it’s an entirely new drink. As Rico explains, “The original Cosmo recipe is like a 2-1-1 recipe; it’s 15 ml Absolut Citron, 25 ml lime juice, 25 ml triple sec and just a touch of cranberry juice. This one takes that recipe, throws it out the window and creates a brand new drink but we still call it a Cosmo.”

The Blood Orange Cosmo mixes equal parts Absolut Mandrin and cranberry juice, together with lime juice, triple sec, and blood orange juice. Shaken with ice and then double strained into martini glass, it has a deep pink color that’s much, much darker than a classic Cosmo. Make not mistake about it, the Blood Orange Cosmo is a delicious, elegant and citrus-forward cocktail.

Citrusy, zesty and sweet-tart. Where a traditional Cosmo uses just a splash of cranberry juice, a Blood Orange Cosmo uses a whopping 45 ml of cranberry juice, which puts the taste of cranberry center stage, giving the drink a dominant sweet-tart profile.

And how does the mandarin-flavored vodka taste? “The Absolut Mandrin coming through is absolutely beautiful – it has that almost candied mandarin peel flavor,” shares Rico.

Absolut Mandrin was launched in 1999 and it was likely that the Blood Orange Cosmo was released around the same.

The Blood Orange Cosmo is, of course, a variation of a classic Cosmopolitan. The exact history of the Cosmo is debated. The most popular story suggests that Cosmo as we know it today was invented in the late 1980s by a bartender in South Beach, Miami, who is said to have based the cocktail on the then newly released Absolut Citron.

Regardless of its beginnings, one thing is certain – the Cosmopolitan became a modern classic in the 1990s, embodying cosmopolitan urban culture and contemporary cocktail sophistication.

• Make your own blood orange juice
  Whether you use a citrus press, juicer or blender, to make a drink of bar-level standards, you’ve got to make your own juice. The difference between store bought juice and fresh made juice is like night and day. You want the freshest, tastiest drink you can make and you can only achieve that with fresh juice. So, go on – grab a couple of blood oranges and get juicing/squeezing. 
  
• Make your own lime juice
  Same as above. A key element to a Cosmo is the zesty lime juice so you really need to use fresh lime juice. Avoid the supermarket stuff and make your own lime juice at home.

• Fine strain your drink
  Since you’re using fresh homemade blood orange juice and lime juice, be sure to double strain your cocktail. That means using both a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer simultaneously to prevent all that pulp and shards of ice ending up in your drink. Check out this article to learn how to double strain a cocktail.

• Rico’s preferred Blood Orange Cosmo
  In the video, you’ll see Rico makes two different versions of the Blood Orange Cosmo. In addition to the recipe you’ll find on this page, Rico creates another version where he switches up the proportions of cranberry and blood orange. Here’s the measurements for the alternative version:

  45 ml Absolut Mandrin
  45 ml Blood Orange Juice
  10 ml Cranberry Juice
  5 ml Lime Juice
  15 ml Triple Sec

  It results in a version of the Blood Orange Cosmo that Rico prefers. “The Absolut Mandrin is the kinda candied mandarin peel together with the blood orange juice, and the fact we can now taste the blood orange juice, it’s really got a dry finish that a Cosmopolitan should have,” shares Rico.
  
  

• Cosmopolitan
  You can’t talk about Cosmo variations without giving credit to the original and the inspiration for all other Cosmo. This modern classic cocktail is one of the most popular and distinct cocktails in the world. Made with Absolut Citron, triple sec, lime juice and a splash of cranberry juice, it’s nothing short of iconic. Check out the recipe for a classic Cosmo.
• Purple Cosmo
  This twist introduces a floral element create a Cosmo like you’ve never had before. It swaps Absolut Citron for Absolut Vodka and replaces classic cranberry juice with white cranberry juice. Plus, it adds violet liqueur and fresh lime juice, resulting in a drink that’s sweet, floral, and tart. Discover how to make a Purple Cosmo.
  
  
• Virgin Cosmopolitan
  Can you make a Cosmopolitan without alcohol? You sure can! The Virgin Cosmopolitan is the mocktail to serve when you want to offer your guests something equally as sophisticated and elegant as the alcoholic version. See our recipe for a Virgin Cosmopolitan.
• Blue Cosmopolitan
  While the classic Cosmo is known for its stunning pink hue, the Blue Cosmopolitan changes all of that. It mixes Absolut Citron like the original but swaps white cranberry juice instead of classic cranberry juice and adds blue curaçao to the mix. Serve your guests this one at your next party and you’ve got the ultimate ice breaker when your guests discuss the blue color of your Cosmo! Check out our Blue Cosmopolitan recipe.

• We recommend serving a Blood Orange Cosmo in a martini glass. A coupe glass or cocktail glass also work just as well.

• For garnish, use a peeler to get a nice strip of blood orange zest. Express the oils into your drink and then drop the zest directly into your glass.

• Alternatively, you can garnish your Blood Orange Cosmo with a lime wheel, lime zest, or even a dehydrated lime wheel.