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Blame Carrie Bradshaw: the Cosmopolitan is probably the best-known vodka cocktail of the last two decades.
While ordering one can feel like a throwback to the late ’90s, it turns out there’s a reason for its popularity—this is a fun, zippy little drink, equal parts tart, sweet, and bracing!
A DELICIOUS UPDATE TO THE COSMO
A traditional Cosmo is composed of vodka, lime juice, Cointreau, and cranberry juice. This blueberry and pomegranate version is smoother and juicier, but just as enjoyable!
Blueberry and pomegranate make a really lovely flavor combination. Both fruits have sweet-tart dimensions that complement each other nicely. Here, that ripe, juicy berry flavor brings a new angle to the classic Cosmo, while honoring the spirit of the original.
WHICH VODKA TO USE
I like Tito’s for this cocktail (it’s my go-to vodka), but any moderately priced vodka will do.
MUDDLE YOUR BLUEBERRIES, THEN DOUBLE STRAIN
To really make this drink extra fresh and original, muddle your blueberries first using a muddler, then double strain to keep bits of blueberry gunk from ruining the aesthetic of your drink. (If you don’t care about blueberry gunk, feel free to single strain.)
A double strain involves straining your drink through both a traditional cocktail strainer (the strainer on your shaker, or a Hawthorne strainer if you’re using a Boston shaker), and also a fine strainer. For the fine strainer, you can use one specifically designed for cocktails, but a tea strainer will also do nicely.
Bonus: This technique not only removes pulp from your drink; it also impresses your friends!
MORE FRESH AND FRUITY COCKTAILS TO TRY
Blueberry Pomegranate Cosmopolitan Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 3/4 ounce pomegranate juice (fresh-squeezed is nice, but Pom is fine)
- 3/4 ounce Cointreau
- 1/2 ounce lime juice (DO use fresh squeezed for this)
- 5 - 8 fresh blueberries (fresh is best, but thawed frozen ones will do in a pinch)
Special equipment:
- Cocktail shaker with built-in strainer, or mixing glass and Hawthorne strainer
- Muddler or spoon
- Tea strainer
- Cocktail glass
Method
1 Muddle the blueberries: Place the blueberries in the bottom of a shaker or mixing glass. Cover with the pomegranate juice, then muddle the blueberries with a muddler or the back of a spoon. Smoosh them enough so that the skins break and a little juice is released, but not so much that the blueberries completely fall apart.
2 Make the cocktail: Add the vodka, lime juice, and Cointreau. Fill with ice, cover, then shake for 30 to 45 seconds.
3 Double strain: If using a mixing glass, place a Hawthorne strainer on top. Then, with your other hand, hold a tea strainer over a cocktail glass. Pour the drink out of the shaker or mixing glass through the tea strainer and into a cocktail glass. Enjoy!
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Nancy is a writer and photographer living in New York. She makes drinks with local and homegrown ingredients and writes about the New York cocktail scene on her Instagram feed and at her blog, The Backyard Bartender.
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