This Blood Orange Cosmopolitan is a great cocktail to use the best of winter oranges; it’s so beautiful you’ll wish you could serve this all year round.
Forgive me: last week I left something off my list of winter pleasures. I mentioned pomegranates and cranberries and somehow forgot blood oranges. That omission felt wrong as soon as I realized it — blood oranges are a winter treasure and make a stunning Cosmopolitan.
They’re a more recent favorite of mine and, unlike common oranges, they can feel elusive. Sometimes the color and flavor are only hinted at; other times the first cut reveals an unexpectedly deep burgundy flesh that feels like a small miracle. That brief season when blood oranges are at their best is worth savoring.
I decided to riff on one of my favorite cocktails and make a Blood Orange Cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitans have had their heyday and become cultural shorthand for certain eras, but I never stopped liking them. The Blood Orange version is simple and elegant: substitute freshly squeezed blood orange juice for much of the cranberry juice and you have a vibrant, seasonal twist.
The drink is beautiful — vivid, pinkish-red tones that make it perfect for entertaining. I love making cocktails at home for friends; it’s rewarding to show how easy many bar-style drinks are to recreate. Serving a handcrafted cocktail elevates a gathering and often costs a fraction of what you’d pay at a bar.
This Blood Orange Cosmopolitan needs only vodka and an orange liqueur in addition to the blood orange juice. Grand Marnier is a classic option, but it can be pricey; if you prefer a more budget-friendly liqueur with good flavor, look for quality alternatives such as Gran Gala. Avoid very cheap triple sec, which can taste overly sugary and artificial.
The season for blood oranges is short, so enjoy them while you can. This cocktail is an easy way to highlight their color and flavor — a small, elegant celebration of winter citrus. Cheers!
More Cosmopolitans; Cocktails and Cranberry Sauce!
- Raspberry Cosmopolitan Cocktail
- Winter White Cosmopolitan Cocktail
- Cosmopolitan • A Classic Cocktail
- Cosmopolitan Cranberry Sauce
PIN IT! ‘Blood Orange Cosmopolitan’
Blood Orange Cosmopolitan
Ingredients
- 4 ounces vodka
- ½ ounce orange liqueur (avoid cheap triple sec; try Patronage, Gran Gala, or Grand Marnier)
- 2 ounces blood orange juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup (or more to taste)
- ½ ounce cranberry juice
- ½ ounce lime juice
Garnish
- blood orange slices
Instructions
- Rub the rim of a cocktail glass with an orange segment and dip into sugar; chill the glass.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients and shake until well chilled.
- Strain into the chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a blood orange slice and serve.