Watermelon Cosmo Recipe
Watermelon, cranberry, cinnamon
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Cocktail
Garnish & finishing
Cinnamon syrup (makes ~6 oz)
Method
Cinnamon syrup (prepare ahead, optional)
- 1
Make cinnamon syrup
Combine 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes to infuse. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (at least 20 minutes) with cinnamon sticks steeping. Strain out sticks and store syrup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Use 1/4 oz (or to taste) per cocktail.
Cocktail assembly
- 2
Prepare watermelon juice
If you don't have ready watermelon juice: cube about 2 cups of ripe watermelon, puree in a blender until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove pulp and seeds. You should yield roughly 4–6 oz of juice; measure 1.5 oz for the cocktail.
- 3
Chill glass (optional)
Place a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes or fill it with ice water to chill while you prepare the cocktail.
- 4
Rim (optional)
If rimming: rub a lime wedge around the glass rim, then dip the rim into a shallow plate with a pinch of sugar mixed with a light dusting of ground cinnamon (about 1/8 tsp).
- 5
Shake cocktail
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice (about 1 cup). Add 2 oz vodka, 1.5 oz watermelon juice, 1 oz cranberry juice, 0.5 oz Cointreau, 0.5 oz fresh lime juice, 0.25 oz simple syrup and 0.25 oz cinnamon syrup (or a tiny pinch of ground cinnamon dissolved in the simple syrup). Secure the shaker and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker becomes frosty and well chilled.
- 6
Double strain & serve
Remove ice from the chilled glass if used. Double-strain the cocktail through a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh sieve into the chilled coupe or martini glass to remove any ice shards and pulp for a smooth texture.
- 7
Garnish & finish
Garnish with a small watermelon wedge or melon ball on the rim and a lime wheel floated on the surface. Lightly dust with a whisper of ground cinnamon (optional). Serve immediately.