If you've never tried a White Cosmo, TIS THE SEASON! It's such a bright, refreshing, upscale winter cocktail that people rave over.
Cranberry is the main ingredient in this cocktail so it's ideal for Christmas or any winter time gathering. It uses just FOUR ingredients and is the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. This white cosmo will be a HIT at your next holiday get-together!
Bonefish Grill has a White Cosmo that I immediately fell in love with. Along with their bang bang shrimp, duh!
I love the cocktail so much so that I waved the bartender down to ask what was in it. Without hesitation, he told me the ingredients as I quickly, and excitedly, pulled out my phone to type it into my notes.
Unfortunately, he did not tell me the EXACT ratios of ingredients but from that point on, I set out on a mission to recreate it at home and after MUCH testing, I think I got it!
Watch How I Make This White Cosmo
Ingredients
- Cranberry/Cherry Vodka- Bonefish uses cherry/cranberry vodka which I prefer but it is tough to find. Absolut has a bottle called CherryKran that they used to sell but I can't find it anymore. So you have two options. 1. Use 100% cranberry vodka OR a 50/50 mixture of cranberry vodka and cherry vodka, both of which are easy to find. Smirnoff has both flavors too!
- White Cranberry Juice- WHITE cranberry juice is what makes this drink a WHITE cosmo. It also makes it look gorgeous. Walmart and some grocery stores sell it in the juice aisle. You can also find it on Amazon.
- Lime Simple Syrup- If you can make your own, I highly suggest doing so. It takes just 15 minutes, some water, sugar and limes. That's it. And it's MUCH better than the store-bought version.
- Cointreau- This is an orange-flavored liqueur that adds a brightness and a touch of citrus flavor. Don't leave it out! You can use one of these substitutes if you need.
Instructions
You have two options for making your white cosmo:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake, strain and serve! Garnish with rosemary and fresh cranberries.
- Add all ingredients to a pitcher (minus the ice) and allow guests to serve themselves. Make sure to have ice on the side. Make sure to add sprigs of rosemary, lime slices and fresh cranberries to the pitcher.
NOTE: Recipe card with exact quantities and detailed instructions are below! Print it out for later!
Making The Lime Simple Syrup
I HIGHLY recommend making your OWN simple syrup to keep your white cosmopolitan super WHITE!
It tastes so much better and is SO easy! Plus, your drink will be more clear than yellow.
All you need to do is cut 4-6 limes in half and add the to a saucepan with 2 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. Let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes then strain and cool.
The whole process will take about 30-45 minutes to fully cool so what I do is make it in advance and store it in a glass jar in the fridge!
The difference between homemade lime simple syrup and store-bought is the flavor AND color. Storebought is a brighter green which adds a green tinge to your white cosmo. It also doesn't taste as fresh. If you don't mind then go with store-bought.
*See photo below comparing the two!
Brands of Cranberry Vodka For Your Cosmo
- Smirnoff- This is the most popular brand out there and it's pretty inexpensive.
- Burnett's- This is a cheaper brand but should be easy to find.
- Finlandia- This is a good brand of vodka and should be in every liquor store.
Can I Make Cosmopolitans In Advance?
Yep! I recommend you do to save time the day company arrives.
Add everything to a large clear pitcher leaving out the ice, cranberries and rosemary. Then, when you're ready to serve it, add in the garnishes and ice.
Aleka's Tips
- Chill your coupe/martini glasses in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before serving for an extra cosmopolitan!
- Using homemade lime simple syrup is worth the extra effort!
- Garnish with rosemary and fresh raw cranberries.
- Add sugar to the rim of your glass for a frosted "snowy" look.
- Add St. Germain if you like the taste. I like it better without it.
Useful Bar Tools
If you love throwing cocktail parties at home then I suggest you invest in a few bar tools to make it easier!
- Cocktail Shaker Set- This comes with the basics and is a great price.
- Coupe Glass- These glasses are ideal for drinks like Aperol sours.
- 4 oz. Martini Glasses- These are 4 oz. which are the size martinis SHOULD be!
- LARGER Shaker- This baby holds 34 ounces so if you're hosting a cocktail party, it's PERFECT for making more than 2 drinks.
- Clear pitcher- This is a simple CLEAR pitcher that will show all the beautiful colors!
Here's a list of juices and mixers that pair well with vodka.
Frequently Asked Questions
A martini glass works nicely. Another option is a coupe glass. They allow everyone to see what's inside and are typically used for cosmos.
That is easy, use just ½ a cup of sugar in your simple syrup OR omit the sugar all together and add the juice of half a lime instead!
The flavor will be the same but presentation obviously different. Just don't call it a winter "WHITE" cosmo. ?
Using store-bought lime juice will do that. It has a greener tinge to it. Prevent this by making your own lime syrup!
Serve in a clear pitcher to show all the beautiful Christmas colors!
If you have kids at the party, serve my Hot Chocolate With Chocolate Chips. You can also spike the hot chocolate with Baily's for the adults!
Holiday Appetizer To Serve With Your Cosmo:
16 Of The BEST Brie Appetizers
Mini Cranberry Pecan Cheese Balls Appetizer
Sausage Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers With Cream Cheese
Winter White Cosmopolitan
Ingredients
Method
- Make your own lime simple syrup! (It's easy and worth the effort!)Grab 3-4 small limes and, using a veggie peeler or sharp knife, peel the skin off each lime. Squeeze the juice into a saucepan and toss the limes in. Add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. (Use less sugar if you want your drink less sweet.) Simmer over low-medium heat for 10 minutes, strain and allow to fully cool in the fridge.
- Add all ingredients to a pitcher with ice and mix. *If not serving right away, wait to add the ice!
- Add fresh rosemary sprigs, lime slices and cranberries for garnish.
- Serve chilled in martini glass, coupe glass or in a tall clear pitcher for guests to serve themselves.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- I like to make this in an elegant drink pitcher to allow guests to help themselves.
- Making your own lime simple syrup is 100% worth the effort! The color will be more clear than the store-bought brands and flavor much better.
- Dip the rim of your martini glass in water and then sugar for a "snowy" frosted look.
- Chill your glasses for an extra cold cosmopolitan.
- White cranberry juice can be found at Walmart, off Amazon or some other grocery stores near the red cranberry juice,
Stephanie
Was I suppose to put the lime peels in the pan when making the syrup?
How long will this syrup last in the refrigerator?
Thank you for a get recipe!
Aleka Shunk
Yes! It should last a few weeks in the fridge.
Stephanie
I made this drink for Xmas. Everyone loved it! What a hit! I couldn’t find a clear cherry vodka. It was excellent with the 2 vodkas.
Stephanie
What do you do with the lime peels?
Aleka Shunk
Leave them on! 🙂
Aleka Shunk
Leave the rind on.
Bonnie
Best ever! Huge hit at my party! But could you please post the amounts for one glass at a time? The proportions for the pitcher were spot-on PERFECT and I want the same thing for a single glass. Thanks!
Aleka Shunk
Thanks so much for your review. I will do that! Thank you!!
Tracy M Klein
How many limes do you use for the syrup?
Aleka Shunk
3-4! I will add that in so sorry!
Aleka Shunk
3-4! Sorry I just updated that
manila
to make the lime simple syrup, do i squeeze the lime juice into the pan or just leave as is and not squeeze the juice out?
Aleka Shunk
you can leave it as is 🙂
Laura
Absolutely delicious! Def take the time to make the like simple syrup. I did lessen the sugar to 3/4 since I don’t like overly sweet. So good!