Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add the vodka.
Then add cranberry juice, triple sec, and lime juice.
Shake until well chilled– about 30 seconds.
Fill a rocks glass with ice. Strain the cocktail into the rocks glass and garnish with a lime wheel. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
You can of course serve Cosmos straight up instead of over ice. Shake the ingredients and then strain into a stemmed glass before garnishing with a lime wedge.
If you don't have a traditional cocktail shaker at home, you can use any type of jar or container with a lid to shake up your drinks.
You should use sweetened cranberry juice to make cosmos, as the pure, unsweetened kind has much too strong a flavor. If all you have is pure cranberry, add a teaspoon of simple syrup as well.
Cointreau is an orange-flavored liqueur that adds a fruity flavor to the mix. You can also use Triple Sec.
Garnishes make your Cosmo look like a work of art! I'm using whole lime wheels and fresh cranberries threaded on small skewers.