Ina Garten's Iconic Giant Cosmos Get An Irresistible Summer Twist With One Juice Swap

One of Ina Garten's favorite dinner party moves is to prepare cocktails in big batches to make hosting easier. This technique ensures there's plenty to go round and takes all that last-minute pressure off, guaranteeing that every guest can be graced with a drink on arrival. One such cocktail that Garten prepares in a pitcher is a cosmopolitan. However, her version of this classic beverage includes an irresistible twist by using watermelon juice instead of cranberry.

A cosmo is traditionally made with vodka, lime juice, cranberry juice, and an orange-flavored triple sec, such as Cointreau. The combination of the lime and cranberry lends this mixed drink a tangy and refreshing character that walks the line between sweet, tart, and fruity. However, according to the recipe on Garten's website, she subs the cranberry for watermelon juice to create a cocktail that has a relaxed, summery vibe and a paler pink color, which isn't as tart as a regular cosmo.

While you can buy cartons of watermelon juice at the store, Garten makes her own by pressing fresh watermelon through a food mill rather than blitzing it up in a juicer. The benefit of using a food mill is that the juice can be extracted from the pulp and seeds, which results in a smoother end product that seamlessly disperses itself through the alcohol. After discarding the pulp, Garten stirs the vodka, Cointreau, and lime into her watermelon juice before decanting the whole lot into a cocktail shaker and mixing it up with ice.

If you don't have any watermelon on hand to press your own juice, you can use a watermelon-flavored liqueur instead. Of course, the advantage of using a flavored liqueur is that it works all year round, even when fresh watermelons are out of season. Simply add a dash to your cranberry juice, vodka, triple sec, and lime juice mixture to imbue your cocktail with a light and bright summery vibe; this low-fuss hack is super easy and garners an equally delicious result. Just bear in mind that some liqueurs will contain sugar or simple syrup, so start small rather than by pouring in a hefty glug in order to reach the perfect sweet spot.

When serving watermelon cocktails to several people, take a leaf out of Ina Garten's book and prepare your cosmos in big batches. Scale your recipe up and make lots of servings in a pitcher so all your guests can enjoy their drinks at the same time rather than putting individual beverages together one by one. Before pouring your drinks, run some lime juice along the rim of your glasses and dip them in sugar for a fancier finish. After a spicier kick? Switch the sugar for Tajin. To further upgrade your beverage, here are 11 more tips for the best cosmopolitan cocktails.