Name: Christmas Cosmopolitan
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Cognac (brandy); 20 ml Triple sec; 10 ml Falernum liqueur; 30 ml Cranberry juice; 15 ml Lime juice

Christmas Cosmopolitan
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Photographed in an UB Retro Coupe Gold 7.75oz

Ingredients:
1 oz	Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. cognac
²⁄₃ oz	Cointreau triple sec liqueur
¹⁄₃ oz	Difford's Falernum liqueur
1 oz	Cranberry juice (sweetened)
¹⁄₂ oz	Lime juice (freshly squeezed)

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
Prepare garnish of rosemary sprig and dried cranberries.
SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
Garnish with rosemary sprig spiked with dried cranberries.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

A brandy-based Cosmo with a hint of mellow warming Christmasy spice.

View readers' comments

History:

Created in November 2020 by yours truly, and revisited with a brandy base in November 2023. The original 2020 recipe:
30ml (1oz) Vodka
20ml (⅔oz) Triple sec
10ml (⅓oz) Falernum
45ml (1½oz) Cranberry juice
15ml (½oz) Lime juice

More cocktails by Simon Difford

Nutrition:

One serving of Christmas Cosmopolitan contains 162 calories

Alcohol content:

1.1 standard drinks
15.27% alc./vol. (15.27° proof)
16 grams of pure alcohol

More Christmas & Thanksgiving cocktails
More Sours (citrus) cocktails

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 10 of 15 comments for Christmas Cosmopolitan.
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Erik Maloney

14th October 2024 at 02:58

Quite good, but the flavor of the cognac risks getting buried, although the warmth comes through nicely. Think on balance I prefer the Christmas Daiquiri, one of my favorites. (Typo sidenote: "cognac" is currently spelled "coganc" on the default Remy Martin brand.)

Simon Difford

14th October 2024 at 06:55

Many thanks, Erik. Cognac now corrected.

John CARR

1st June 2024 at 11:13

Sarah says: like a Cosmo up front, then more richness and depth come through. Loved the rosemary garnish.

John says: loved the use cognac for rounded wintertiness, and falernum spice. Very drinkable.

Mark Renfrow

16th February 2024 at 15:04

I have developed the "Pomopolitan" for Christmas parties - 1-1/2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz fresh lime juice, 2 oz Pom, 1 oz Cointreau, lime wheel garnish, shaken and strained individually if a small group. The batch version is stirred, put in the freezer and includes a small amount of water. (Recipe for 12 servings available).

It's a red and green wonder and can be self served, doesn't require ice, and looks great in your favorite coupe!

Ernst Lindhout

23rd December 2023 at 21:32

I used falernum syrup and cranberry compote liqueur (wijnant focking - amsterdam). I guess it gives a bit more cranberry forward cosmo. Taste is punchy sour and sweet with a decent cognac base (Montifaud VS)

Gillian Williams

22nd December 2023 at 17:31

Wow! Perfect Christmas cocktail, very, very drinkable .

G. M. Genovese

19th December 2023 at 19:09

A 4.375 on my in-the-moment scale. Something I immediately thought of adding sparkling wine to and/or making a punch with. Good sips.

Jonathan Stephens

9th December 2023 at 19:02

Was the vodka version the same quantities (but 30ml vodka instead of cognac)?? It was our staple last year - but will try this too

Simon Difford

10th December 2023 at 12:19

Yes, but I also knocked back the cranberry juice. I've added the original recipe above.

John Hinojos

24th December 2022 at 20:31

Had this with luncheon on Christmas Eve. Perfect. Great colour, and the cocktail fit perfectly for the Christmas holidays. A great addition to our December holiday cocktails. Thanks again Simon for a wonderful cocktail.

Jeff Miller

3rd December 2022 at 22:32

I only had unsweetened cranberry juice so I added 10-15ml of a homemade ginger syrup and increased the falernum about 10ml. I made it twice, once with Cointreau and once with Grand Marnier. In both I substituted gin for vodka because my wife and I prefer gin. I added orange bitters because I was also checking out the Messianic Cocktail recipe and thought it might work for this one as well.

The versions I made were really good and just slightly gingery, perfect for an almost-winter night.

Bob Cook

31st December 2021 at 23:24

I was looking for something to make on New Year's Eve, and I noticed this cocktail on the home page. I made it, and my wife, who enjoys the regular Cosmo, pronounced it "good," with an inflection indicating the highest level of satisfaction.

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