This Christmas Moscow Mule is the ultimate festive cocktail to enjoy this holiday season. This yule mule, made with only 4 ingredients, is the perfect drink to enjoy at all your holiday parties.
If you've made your way through my holiday cocktails and tried the Holiday Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail Recipe, Vegan Spiked Hot Chocolate, and Thanksgiving Margarita, it's officially time to try this Christmas Moscow Mule!
This festive drink is everything you'd expect from a Moscow mule but made with cranberry juice to make it a vibrant red for the holiday celebrations. Serve with my Baked Brie with Cranberries for the ultimate hosting appetizer.
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🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Easiest holiday cocktail. No bar tools, no hard-to-find ingredients and no fancy bitters or liqueurs. It doesn't get easier than this Christmas Moscow Mule recipe!
- Perfect holiday drink. This Christmas mule is the holiday version of the traditional Moscow mule cocktail. Tart cranberry juice is the perfect addition and is great for this time of year.
- Customizable. Scroll down to my Variations section where I've given you a number of ways to make this Christmas cocktail your own.
🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
- Vodka. A classic in any Moscow mule. For the smoothest, best-tasting Moscow mule, use a quality Vodka like Grey Goose, Tito's or Belvedere.
- Limes. Fresh lime juice is essential when making a restaurant-quality cocktail. Pre-bottled lime juice is almost always watered down and made with preservatives to keep it shelf-stable. To make sure you have fresh lime juice on hand at all times, freeze some in an ice cube tray, then defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
- Ginger beer. Depending on the brand, ginger beer can be very strong and overpowering. I love the brand Q, but test out a few to find the one that suits you best. Check out this article: The 11 Best Ginger Beers for Moscow Mules and Beyond.
- Cranberry juice. The ingredient that makes this cranberry Moscow mule festive! Most cranberry juices sold in stores are sweetened to counterbalance the tartness or blended with sweeter fruits like grapes. I recommend pure, unsweetened cranberry juice. If you can't find it in the juice aisle, check the freezer section!
See the recipe card below for quantities.
📖Substitutions & Variations
- Make a sweeter mule. If you prefer a sweeter Moscow mule, use sweetened cranberry juice. Or, use the simple syrup from my Holiday Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail Recipe to sweeten to taste.
- Switch up the juice. Pomegranate juice is similar in tartness and makes a great alternative. Pomegranate seeds would also make a pretty, festive garnish! You can also use apple cider which would make this perfect for Thanksgiving.
- Use ginger ale instead of ginger beer but keep in mind your cranberry mule will be much sweeter and less spiced.
- Make mocktails. Simply leave out the vodka or use a zero-proof spirit in place of the vodka.
🔪Instructions
Step 1: Add ice to two Moscow mule mugs. Add vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice.
Step 2: Pour in the ginger beer stir to combine and serve immediately!
💭Recipe FAQs
Copper is great at conducting temperatures, keeping your Moscow mule chilled and icy for much longer than a traditional cocktail glass.
Shaking carbonated cocktails would cause tons of air bubbles to form and cause pressure to build up inside of the cocktail shaker. This in turn will cause the cocktail to fizz up and out the top of the cocktail shaker. A simple stir is all you need to prepare this drink.
Yes! You can easily adjust the amounts in the recipe card below but to make approximately 8 servings, you will need 1 ½ cups vodka, the juice from 8 limes (about 1.5 cups), 4 cups of cranberry juice and 4 cups of ginger beer. If making this ahead of time, combine the vodka and juices in a pitcher or other large container and keep it in the fridge. Pour into each copper cup filled with ice and top with ginger beer at serving.
👩🏻🍳Bartender Tips
- Adjust to taste! When making any cocktail, I recommend using my recipe as a guide and adjusting the flavors to suit your personal taste. If you prefer a more sour Moscow mule, add a bit more lime. For a spicier mule, add additional ginger beer.
- Use high-quality vodka. Cheap vodkas are not smooth and can easily overpower the cocktail. Investing in a good vodka helps make homemade cocktails taste just like the drinks you order at your favorite restaurants and bars.
- Don't overlook the garnish! Although garnish doesn't impact the flavor, it does help make your cocktails look impressive and extra festive. Perfect for entertaining, hosting, or making the holiday season special.
🥗Serving
Serve this festive take on the classic cocktail immediately upon pouring. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, a lime wedge and a few fresh or frozen cranberries. Cinnamon sticks and sugared cranberries are also great garnishes. This cranberry cocktail pairs great with cranberry orange chicken and is a great way to get in the holiday spirit!
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📋 Recipe
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Christmas Moscow Mule
Ingredients
- 3 ounces vodka
- 2 limes juiced
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1 cup ginger beer
Instructions
- Begin by adding ice to two Moscow mule mugs or two cocktail glasses.
- To each cup, add 1 ½ ounces of vodka, the juice of one lime, ½ cup of cranberry juice and ½ cup of ginger beer.
- Stir everything to combine. Garnish with a lime slice, fresh cranberries and rosemary. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Sarah's Tips
- Adjust to taste! When making any cocktail, I recommend using my recipe as a guide and adjusting the flavors to suit your personal taste. If you prefer a more sour Moscow mule, add a bit more lime. For a spicier mule, add additional ginger beer, etc.
- Use high-quality vodka. Cheap vodkas are not smooth and can easily overpower the cocktail. Investing in a good vodka helps make homemade cocktails taste just like the drinks you order at your favorite restaurants and bars.
- Don't overlook the garnish! Although garnish doesn't impact the flavor, it does help make your cocktails look impressive and extra festive. Perfect for entertaining, hosting, or making the holiday season special.
The cookbook is packed with easy-to-follow recipes that require only 6 ingredients to help you simplify your weeknights. Includes kitchen tips, ingredient swaps & grocery lists!
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