I love making special drinks for the kids over the holidays and especially for New Year's eve. When the adults are celebrating with wine or cocktails, it's nice to have a non alcoholic drink option. And this Cranberry Cosmopolitan Mocktail is perfect for kids or anyone looking for a holiday drink without alcohol.
But this mocktail is also very easily spiked for those that would prefer it with alcohol by simply adding vodka. You can exchange the orange extract for Triple Sec or Cointreau but you don't have to. Either way, its a fun, festive and delicious drink!
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The Cosmopolitan aka Cosmo was all the rage in the 90's, really shooting to stardom with the popularity of the television show "Sex and the City," which I have to admit, I was never a huge fan of. But, it totally popularized the Cranberry Cosmo, of which I am a HUGE fan! Interestingly, the Cosmopolitan drink made a significant impact on how we approach drinking and cocktail culture in general. Much of the high-end cocktail culture we encounter today with drinks so complex only a mixologist can recreate them, can be attributed to the simplicity of the Cosmo era.
Then bartenders began to hate the Cosmopolitan for the same reasons they loved it when it was first created; it was too simple. They wanted to challenge people with flavors and textures, not simply make them a drink that was easy swill or worse yet... easy to make at home! You can read more about the birth of craft cocktail culture HERE.
🔪 Instructions
It really is as simple as pouring a few things into a glass and mixing! But the fun part is sugaring the rim of the glass to make it look fancy (kids really love that and it's festive for the holidays)! I have step-by-step photo instructions in the recipe card NOTES, demonstrating how to do this.
💭 Top tip
The most important part is that you sugar the rim before you pour liquid into the glass. Then you need to pour carefully, so you don't spill any liquid on your rim (you can use a measuring cup with a spout or a funnel, if you don't feel confident in your pouring skills 🙂 )
📖 Variations
The cosmopolitan is not only a famous mocktail recipe, it's a really great drink for celebrating the holidays.
For little kids: Even if you have smaller children and are worried about them choking on the frozen cranberries or ice, just use a straw, skip the ice/frozen cranberries and put the drink in a fancy plastic glass like the one in the photo (see NOTES for my Amazon recommendations) and your little ones are ready to P-A-R-T-Y! Heck, I used to put mocktails in a sippy cup when my kids were small and they would be absolutely thrilled.
Spike it: This mocktail is also very easily spiked for those that would prefer it with alcohol by simply adding vodka. You can exchange the orange extract for Triple Sec or Cointreau but you don't have to. Either way, its a fun, festive and delicious drink!
💭 Storing
You can make this recipe in advance and store it in the fridge for up to a week. You can also store it in the fridge for up to a week after making it. I store it in a sealed juice jug. *Just be sure to check that the expiry dates on your ingredients coincide with your storage dates! Sugar the rim just prior to serving.
Mocktails are a great way to enjoy a special drink with your kids, if you don't drink, are avoiding alcohol or just want to enjoy a refreshing non alcoholic beverage.
⭐ Reviews
Here's what others are saying:
"I took a month off of drinking for my diet and these are fabulous. So similar to the real deal. Thank you!"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📋 Cranberry Cosmopolitan Mocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup cranberry cocktail
- ¼ cup sparkling water
- ¾ teaspoon orange extract
- 1 tablespoon lime juice from concentrate
Garnish
- fresh lime slice
- sparkling sugar and edible glitter
- frozen cranberries and or ice, as desired
Instructions
- Wet the rim of the glass. You can do this by running a slice of lime along the rim, dipping the glass in water or lime juice (SEE VIDEO in NOTES)
- Pour some sparkling sugar and edible glitter onto a plate
- Place the glass upside down, on the plate and turn/spin the glass to coat it with sugar and glitter
- Turn glass upright.
- Then carefully add cranberry juice, sparkling water, lime juice and orange extract to glass, dividing ingredients between 2 drinks. (*you can use a measuring cup with a spout or a funnel, if you don't feel confident in your pouring skills 🙂 )
Garnish
- Add some frozen cranberries or ice and half a slice of lime to garnish. Serve and enjoy!
Cathy
Thank you for providing a fancy, non-alcoholic drink option. Perfect for the holidays! It's simplicity makes it even better, I think!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Cathy!
Colleen
Mocktails are a perfect way to iinclude everyone in the celibrations, and this cranberry cosmo looks delightful and festive. Thanks for sharing!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Colleen! Yes, the kids just love it (and those that don't/can't drink alcohol)
Kelly Neil
Oh my goodness! This post just reminded me of how much I used to love a good Cosmo back in the day! I don't drink much anymore, and this recipe will be perfect for Christmas. Thanks so much!
Terri Gilson
thanks, Kelly! Yes, I love that I can also spike it if I so desire haha
Elaine
Love this option that kids could enjoy too! Pretty and pink! Pinned.
Terri Gilson
Thank you, Elaine!
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Cranberry anything as far as I am concerned - it is all delicious! Your Cranberry Cosmo Mocktail is a great recipe to have on hand for the holidays - I like that it is suitable for everyone, too. Thanks for sharing.
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Denise. And I agree - I love cranberry anything too!
Gary Morreale
I took a month off of drinking for my diet and these are fabulous. So similar to the real deal. Thank you
Terri Gilson
Hi Gary- You're welcome - I'm so glad to hear that!