The Holidays Start with a Cosmo
Whatever your entertaining occasion over the holidays, make it memorable with The Cosmopolitan, the cocktail that will be the talk of the season.
THIS CONTENT WAS PRODUCED FOR COINTREAU BY THE FOUNDRY @ DOTDASH MEREDITH CORP. FOOD AND WINE EDITORIAL STAFF WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ITS CREATION OR PRODUCTION.
Holiday entertaining doesn’t need to be complicated. There are tricks to keep it simple and easy for you as the host, while impressing your guests.
Enter: The Cosmopolitan, made with Cointreau.
Created in New York City in 1988, the Cosmo, which was originally made with Cointreau, is this holiday season’s premier cocktail for entertaining (and impressing) our guests.
With just four ingredients — Cointreau, vodka, fresh lime juice, and cranberry juice — this simple recipe yields crowd-pleasing results, and is the go-to cocktail for this holiday season.
Below, scroll through for the perfect Cosmopolitan recipes coupled with food & décor pairing ideas, fit for your holiday get togethers.
Friendsgiving
A celebration for Friendsgiving doesn’t have to be complicated; in fact, any host can shine in the low-stakes, casual environment.
Pairing Tip: With its iconic orange flavor profile, Cointreau helps make a perfectly-balanced Cosmopolitan. To go along with the batched recipe, serve an array of finger foods, such as crostini with smoked salmon, which plays well with the lime and Cointreau’s orange essence. A simple fruit-and-cheese plate also gets the job done!
Entertaining Tip: When it comes to Friendsgiving, a relaxed approach to serving your courses is best. Create food and drink stations that open the way for mingling and conversation. Set up your Cosmo cocktail station with garnishes like candied lime wedges and orange peels, and do the same for your other dinner offerings — special sections for appetizers, mains, sides, and so on.
Cosmos for a Crowd
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Cointreau
- 2 cups of vodka
- 1 cup of fresh lime juice
- 1 cup of cranberry juice
- Orange peel twists (for garnish)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a pitcher with ice.
- Stir well, until chilled, and serve in a cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a twist of orange peel.
Winter Soirée
Hosting a winter soirée is a classic way to create a simple but stylish gathering, especially when pouring Classic Cosmopolitans with Cointreau for your guests.
Pairing Tip: For an upscale but deceptively simple treat, serve up some corn cakes with spiced cranberry chutney. For an extra touch, add some orange zest to your corn cake batter to pair with the orange peel garnish on the Classic Cosmopolitan.
Entertaining Tip: For an easy but modern way to bring your winter soirée theme to life, choose a white color palette — think white flowers, wreaths, and tablescapes. Put this monochromatic look in sharp relief with pops of color, like the blush pink of the Classic Cosmopolitan.
The Classic Cosmopolitan
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Cointreau
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with an orange twist.
Holiday Cocktail party
Whether you’re ringing in the New Year or throwing a seasonal fete for your friends, there’s one thing your party absolutely needs: a signature cocktail, the Sparkling Cosmopolitan, of course!
Pairing Tip: Opt for handheld bites that match with your signature cocktail. For instance, sweet-potato flatbread pizza plays well with the orange and cranberry flavors of a Cointreau Cosmopolitan. Baked brie with cranberry relish plays smartly as well, as the tart cranberry in both the drink and the relish complements the brie.
Entertaining Tip: Your tablescape, drinks, and dinner menu should form a cohesive unit, mirroring each other. For example, if your theme is Holiday Kitsch, a trend that’s in full swing this season, think of upgrading staid holiday dinner classics with a modern twist.
The Sparkling Cosmopolitan
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 0.75 ounce Cointreau
- 1.5 ounces vodka
- 0.5 ounce fresh lime juice
- 0.5 ounce cranberry juice
- 2 ounces champagne
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except champagne in a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a chilled champagne flute.
- Top with champagne, and garnish with a cranberry.
© 2022 Cointreau Corp., Cointreau® Liqueur, 40% Alc./Vol., Imported by Rémy Cointreau USA, Inc., New York, NY. Cointreau Bottle Design®. Please Drink Responsibly.
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