5 Cosmopolitan Recipes to Celebrate Sex and the City’s Reboot
By Alana Tielmann
And Just Like That… Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbes, and Charlotte York return to the Big Apple big screen for the much-anticipated Sex and the City reboot – premiering December 9th on HBO Max.
The ten-episode revival will focus on the three fictional characters (sans Samantha Jones) as they navigate the journey of an even more complicated reality of “life” in their 50s. It will also allow us to reflect on everything Carrie and her crew taught us about dating, designer footwear, and the famed Cosmopolitan cocktail.
Sex and the City created a fashion for The Cosmopolitan as the “core four” were frequently seen sipping the pink drink at every bar, restaurant, and elite event across New York City.
In honor of the show’s reboot, we’re sharing five fun twists on the original Cosmo recipe for fans to craft at home. Each variation pays homage to the separate personas we prize so much, while holding onto the staple ingredients – cough Cointreau and cranberry juice – that make-up the classic cocktail.
*Pro-tips per award-winning mixologist Elyse Blechman:
- “When shaking: Remember to wake the drink to life, do not rock it to bed.”
- “Flame the oils of your orange zest twist with a lighter over the drink if you want to impress your friends and become the center of attention at the party.”
As Carrie famously claimed, “They say nothing lasts forever; dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style.” And neither does the Cosmo…
The Uptown Spice
Like chic columnist Carrie Bradshaw, this high-class cocktail is as equally electrifying and elegant as her Manolo Blahnicks high-heels.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Finlandia Classic Vodka
- 1 oz. Cointreau
- 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
- 1 oz. Cranberry Juice
- 3-5 Jalapeño Slices
- 3-5 Mint Leaves
- Mint Sprig and/or Chili Salt (to garnish)
Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a shaker; add ice cubes and shake. Fine strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a mint sprig and/or chili salt rim.
Purple Cosmopolitan
Take the idealistic (and naïve) Charlotte York and turn her into a delightful purple-y sipper. Pinky up!
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Absolut Vodka
- 11/2 oz. White Cranberry Juice
- 2/3 oz. Violet Liqueur
- 1/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Preparation: Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Blood Orange Cosmo
This creation is easy and juicy – similar to self-sufficient and sexually adventurous Samantha Jones. You’ll be sure to do a double-take (and taste) of her.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Whiskeysmith Co. Blood Orange Flavored Whiskey
- 2 oz. Cranberry Juice
- 1/2 oz. Orange Liqueur
- 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a shaker; add ice cubes and shake. Double strain into a chilled martini glass.
The Celtic Cosmo
Female (and head-) strong like Miranda Hobbes, this Irish-rooted riff builds fruit-flavored complexity upon the spicy “ginger” notes of the grain whiskey.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. J.J. Corry ‘The Hanson’ Irish Whiskey
- 3/4 oz. Cointreau
- 1/2 oz. Apple Cider
- 1/2 oz. White Cranberry Juice
- 1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a shaker; add ice cubes and shake. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with an apple slice.
The Manhattan Cosmo
Bold and tangy, this New York “based” nightcap will have you feeling frisky (from the whiskey) and strong in Mr. Big’s character on the couch.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Hudson ‘Do The Rye Thing’ Whiskey
- 1 oz. Cointreau
- 1 oz. Dry Vermouth
- 1/2 oz. Cranberry Juice
- Orange Twist and/or Cherry (to garnish)
Preparation: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass; add ice cubes and stir. Strain into a highball or rocks glass and garnish with an orange twist and/or cherry.