Cranberry Mule
Made with cranberry simple syrup, this cranberry mule is a holiday twist on the classic Moscow mule cocktail. The festive color and tart cranberry flavor make this a perfect drink to serve at Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties!
I think it’s time for a festive cocktail, what do you say?
This has been a YEAR. But we’ve made it to December and the holiday season and that deserves a toast.
I’ll be spending the next week leading up to Christmas wrapping a lot of presents, making spicy cheese straws, getting in some last-minute Christmas activities here in Charlotte, and probably making a batch of Grandma Vera’s sugar cookies.
I’ll also be mixing up a Christmas White Russian or two and definitely at least a couple of these cranberry mules.
Cheers to the holidays, cheers to the end of the year, and cheers to spending time with our loved ones. That’s really the heart of the season.
What is a cranberry mule?
This cranberry mule is a festive twist on the classic Moscow mule cocktail.
Moscow mules are a refreshing combination of vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer. They’re typically served in a copper mug, but are just as delicious when served in a regular cocktail glass.
This cranberry Moscow mule still has the vodka, lime, and ginger beer from the original, but adds in my homemade cranberry simple syrup for a seasonal spin.
Cranberries and lime already go great together, like in a cranberry mojito. And if you’ve made my cranberry bourbon fizz, you know how much I love the combo of cranberries and ginger.
So it only makes sense to put them all together for this cranberry mule!
The beautiful color makes this one of my favorite cocktails to serve at a Christmas or New Year’s Eve party.
What you’ll need for this recipe
The beauty of Moscow mules is that they don’t require a lot of ingredients or equipment to make them. You’ll need:
- Cranberry simple syrup: Some cranberry mule recipes use cranberry juice, but I like to make mine with a cranberry simple syrup. I make this myself and use it in all kinds of drinks. It’s even good simply mixed with 7UP or sparkling water as a super simple and refreshing holiday mocktail!
- Vodka: Use your favorite
- Lime juice: When I’m just making 1 or 2 of these cranberry mules, I will juice the limes as I make the drinks. If you’re making these for a party, juice several limes ahead of time and store the juice in a bottle in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
- Ginger beer: Pick your favorite. Some ginger beers are spicier than others, so it all depends on what you like best!
You’ll also need:
- Ice: For shaking the cocktail and for serving
- Jigger
- Cocktail shaker: Optional; you can also assemble the drink in the glass and stir to combine.
- Copper mug or cocktail glass
My favorite garnishes for cranberry mules are a few fresh cranberries and a sprig of fresh rosemary. Dried lime wheels or a fresh lime wedge are also great options.
For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card below.
How to make my cranberry mule cocktail
Grab the base of your cocktail shaker and add the cranberry syrup, vodka, and lime juice.
Top with ice to fill the shaker. Close the shaker and shake until the mixture is well combined and the outside of the shaker is nice and cold.
Now, fill your copper mug or cocktail glass with ice. Strain the cranberry-vodka mixture into the glass and top with the ginger beer.
Give the cocktail a brief stir, just to mix it. Now you can garnish it as desired; I like to add a few fresh cranberries and a sprig of fresh rosemary. Enjoy!
Recipe variations and substitutions
One of my favorite spins on this cranberry mule is to swap the cranberry simple syrup for cranberry sauce.
Somehow I always end up with leftover cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. This cocktail takes care of that!
Swap the simple syrup for 2 tablespoons of your favorite homemade or store-bought cranberry sauce. If you’re using cranberry sauce, make sure you shake the cocktail to combine and double strain it through a fine mesh sieve to catch all of the cranberry sauce bits.
You can also slightly change the flavor profile of your cranberry mules by infusing fresh thyme or rosemary into the cranberry simple syrup. Add a few sprigs of either herb to the syrup while you’re making it, then use it in your cocktail.
If you don’t have ginger beer, ginger ale will work. The ginger flavor won’t be quite as strong, but the drink will still be delicious!
Lastly, even though vodka is the traditional alcohol when making mules, you can swap the vodka out for gin for a cranberry gin-gin mule, bourbon for a cranberry Kentucky mule, or even rum for a cranberry dark and stormy!
Frequently asked questions
Yes! If you’re making 2 or 3 cocktails at a time, increase the ingredients accordingly and use your cocktail shaker to combine them, then divide the mixture between the appropriate number of cocktail glasses.
If you want to make an even larger batch, mix the simple syrup, vodka, and lime juice in a pitcher or bottle. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
When you’re ready to serve the cranberry mules, pour 3 ½ to 4 ounces of the cranberry-vodka mixture over ice in your cocktail glass or copper mug. Top with the ginger beer, stir, garnish, and serve!
Cranberry Moscow Mule
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Jigger
- Copper mug
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 ounces cranberry simple syrup
- 2 ounces vodka
- ½ lime juiced
- 4 to 6 ounces ginger beer
- Whole cranberries for garnish
- Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Add cranberry simple syrup, vodka and lime juice to the bottom of a cocktail shaker.1 to 2 ounces cranberry simple syrup, 2 ounces vodka, ½ lime
- Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until the mixture is well combined and the outside of the shaker is cold.
- Fill a copper mug or cocktail glass with crushed or whole ice cubes. Strain the contents of the cocktail shaker over the ice and top with ginger beer. Stir briefly to combine.4 to 6 ounces ginger beer
- Garnish with fresh whole cranberries and a rosemary sprig as desired.Whole cranberries, Fresh rosemary sprigs
