Not Carrie's Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe
Not Carrie's Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe

Not Carrie’s Cosmopolitan

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy here.

Cocktail History

The Not Carrie’s Cosmopolitan is a modern cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, as a Valentine’s Day-themed variation of the Cosmopolitan. Although there are many stories about how the classic Cosmopolitan came to be, its most well-known as being a permanent fixture in the hand of Sex & The City’s leading lady Carrie Bradshaw while out on the town, which is why this version got its name: it’s a darker, more sophisticated version of Carrie’s go-to drink.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Lemon Vodka: This is a type of vodka made with lemon, grains, vegetables or fruits, and alcohol. I used Absolut Citron Lemon-Flavored Vodka.

Cranberry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with cranberries, sugar, and alcohol. I used Tattersall Distilling Cranberry Liqueur.

Triple Sec: This is a liqueur made with bitter oranges, lemons, sugar, and alcohol. I used Cointreau.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.

Rose Water: This is a flavored water made by steeping rose petals in water. I used Cortas Premium Rose Water.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-02-09.

Not Carrie's Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

Appearance: Bright red-pink hue with an ombré effect

• Aroma: Delicate florals

• Taste: Sweet-tart cranberry flavor mixed with tangy citrus

• Finish: Slightly bitter berry and rose notes

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “This soup-up combination of flavors makes the Not Carrie’s Cosmopolitan a fabulous and fruity slow sipper, which is why I really loved it and have made it several more times since my first tasting. I think even the more serious imbibers who don’t typically reach for fruity drinks would appreciate its powerfulness compared to the usual blush-pink Cosmos you find at most bars.”

Recipe

Not Carrie’s Cosmopolitan

The Not Carrie's Cosmopolitan is a modern cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, as a Valentine’s Day-themed variation of the Cosmopolitan. Although there are many stories about how the classic Cosmopolitan came to be, its most well-known as being a permanent fixture in the hand of Sex & The City’s leading lady Carrie Bradshaw while out on the town, which is why this version got its name: it's a darker, more sophisticated version of Carrie's go-to drink.

Prep Time 3 mins Assembly Time 2 mins Total Time 5 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Servings: 1 Calories: 325 Best Season: Valentine's Day

Ingredients

Method

  1. Add vodka, cranberry liqueur, triple sec, lime juice, simple syrup, rose water, and cubed ice to a shaker.

  2. Shake for 10-20 seconds.

  3. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All:
How do I make this cocktail recipe non-alcoholic?

Use STRYKK Not V*dka in place of the vodka, Monin Premium Cranberry Syrup in place of the cranberry liqueur, and Lyre’s Orange Sec Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the orange liqueur to try a mocktail version of this drink.

Rate this recipe

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin Recipe
Share Recipe
Email Recipe

About The Author

Kendall is the creator of Novel Nightcaps, a mixology blog chronicling recipes she tries from her cocktail book collection.