Virgin Cosmopolitan mocktail recipe
Cranberry, lime and orange cordial shaken into a tight, dry pink coupe.
Method: Shake · Glass: Coupe glass · Time: 5 minutes · Difficulty: Beginner
Ingredients
- 1½ oz unsweetened cranberry juice
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz orange oleo syrup
- ½ oz chilled white tea
- to fill ice cubes
How to make it
- Chill a coupe while you measure the cranberry, lime, orange oleo syrup and tea.
- Add everything to a shaker filled with ice and shake until the tin is frosted.
- Fine strain into the chilled coupe so the surface stays clear and cold.
- Express the orange twist over the drink, then rest it on the rim.
Garnish
A long orange twist
Why this balance works
Unsweetened cranberry can become harsh when lime is added without a softer orange note. Orange oleo syrup does more than regular sugar syrup because its peel oils bridge the berry and citrus. White tea is quiet but useful: it takes the edge off the juice without turning the drink into iced tea. Taste the base before shaking. It should seem a touch brighter than the finished drink because cold dilution will round it.
Technique to keep
This is a short shaken coupe, so temperature matters more than a long build. Use a chilled glass and fresh ice, then fine strain rather than pouring tiny shards into the drink. The orange twist belongs at the end: expressing it over the surface gives a bright first aroma without adding more sweetness. The tea should already be cold; a warm tea base melts the shaking ice too quickly and leaves the coupe thin.
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