We wish you a Berry Christmas! With festive red and green hues, holiday Cranberry Moscow Mule cocktails deserve an invite to every event this season. Homemade cranberry simple syrup adds a sweet tang to spicy ginger and tart lime. This Moscow Mule with cranberry recipe easily scales up for a self-serve cocktail station.
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I love the holidays, from gift-giving to decor to the cheesiest of carols, but it’s the treats that really make me hear angels sing. How can this many tasty things bombard us over the course of like, just one month and then disappear? (Well, more like two months, nowadays…)
Yes, I know we are all about wholesome, healthy recipes here, but also: yes to cookies, cakes, and candies; big buckets of popcorn; those weird little meat and cheese samplers; and absolutely yes to wintery craft cocktails.
But you don’t need to be a treat freak to enjoy this holiday indulgence. Cranberry Moscow Mules are sweet enough to win over those of us who still eat candy canes right off the tree, but grown-up enough for those of us who scold people for eating candy canes right off the tree.
This isn’t just some Moscow Mule with cranberry juice, it’s a Moscow Mule with homemade fresh cranberry simple syrup, fresh squeezed lime juice, and depending on your preferences, the choicest of ginger beers and vodkas.
Now admittedly, the mule isn’t a go-to cocktail for me on a regular basis. But the addition of homemade cranberry simple syrup makes this not only the best Moscow Mule cocktail I’ve ever had, but one of the best seasonal beverages. Because in a sea of nogs and grogs, a refreshingly light and bright holiday drink sounds especially welcome.
For a condensed post, click the view the web story for this holiday cocktail recipe.
Key Ingredients
- Vodka: aim for a mid-premium brand. Top shelf quality isn’t as important here as it is in a martini, for example, when the liquor is flavoring the drink, rather than just punching it up. I like Tito’s because it’s gluten-free, but Stoli and Ketel One are also great options for your cranberry Moscow Mule. If you want to go really extra, look for a cranberry flavored vodka!
- Ginger Beer: how gingery your ginger beer tastes is extremely subjective, but it’s a key ingredient in any mule, so don’t go bottom tier. I like it bold and spicy, so my pick is usually Reed’s Extra Ginger Beer. Fever Tree and Q are tasty and accessible, if not slightly more expensive, and top most of the internet’s “best of” lists. For diet drinkers, some people swear by Zevia, but if you hate the taste of stevia, Diet Goslings is an ol’ reliable.
- Be sure to use fresh squeezed lime juice for best flavor.
Watching: Cranberry Moscow Mule Recipe Video
How to Make Cranberry Syrup
Skip. The. Cranberry. Juice. Seriously, just say no! It’s absolutely worth the time for the added flavor and texture it brings to a homemade craft cocktail.
Approach the cranberry syrup just like you would if you were making homemade cranberry sauce. This simple syrup is made with fresh cranberries, honey or sugar, and a bit of water.
Combine cranberries, water, and honey or sugar. Simmer until cranberries burst. Strain.
- Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium high heat. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the cranberries soften then fall apart.
- Strain the syrup through fine mesh sieve. Press on the cranberries with a spatula to release as much syrup as possible. Set aside to cool.
- If syrup thickens too much as it cools, add a tablespoon of water at a time, until the consistency resembles honey.
How to Make Cranberry Moscow Mules
Talk about a holiday spirit! Cranberry Moscow Mules are a perfectly sweet-and-tart, festively-hued seasonal drink. This classic cocktail with a tart, berry twist will be a hit with merry-makers at all of your holiday gatherings. Craft individually, or create a large batch base so guests can make their own at a self-serve mule station.
Add vodka. Add cranberry syrup. Add lime juice. Fill mug â…” of the way with crushed ice, then stir. Top with ginger beer. Add more crushed ice, then garnish.
- Combine 2 ounces of vodka with 1 ounce of cranberry syrup and half an ounce of fresh squeezed lime juice in a copper mug.
- Stir up the base, then fill the mug half way with ice (crushed is traditional, cubes are fine, but nuggets would be better).
- Top with ginger beer, then garnish with fresh cranberries, mint, and a lime wedge. Couldn’t be easier!
Easy Cranberry Moscow Mule Variations
- Use either ½ cup sugar or ¼ cup honey for the cranberry simple syrup. I tested cranberry mules with both, but preferred the earthier sweetness of honey with the ginger beer.
- Make the cranberry syrup in advance and refrigerate. It will thicken up significantly after chilling, so thin it out with a tablespoon of water at a time, until it reaches the consistency of honey. It holds up 3-5 days in the fridge.
- Make a non-alcoholic Cranberry Moscow Mule drink by simply omitting the vodka, and mixing the cranberry and ginger beer. Mellow out the flavor with seltzer, if needed.
Big Batch Cranberry Moscow Mules
This recipe easily scales up for a crowd. Here’s how to convert the standard recipe below into a self-serve mule station for a cocktail party. The variations below scale up to 8 cocktails, but feel free to double it again for a larger crowd:
- Double the cranberry syrup to get about 1 cup total.
- Combine the 1 cup cranberry syrup with 2 cups vodka and a ½ cup of lime juice in a pitcher or decanter. Stir to combine, then chill.
- Set up a beverage station with an ice bucket, shot glass, several bottles of ginger beer, mugs, and small bowls of garnishes. Instruct guests to pour three “shots” of the cranberry mule mix into a glass with ice, then top with their ginger beer. Stir, garnish, and serve!
More Festive Holiday Cocktails
- Cranberry Orange Whiskey Punch
- Mulled Apple Cider
- Apple Cider Hot Toddy
- Apple Cider Sangria
- Rosemary Honey Bourbon Cocktail
Did you make this Cranberry Moscow Mule? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
Cranberry Moscow Mule
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin RecipeRecommended Equipment
- Fine-mesh Strainer
- Small Sauce Pot
- Spatula
- Copper Mug
Ingredients
Cranberry Syrup
- 1 c fresh cranberries
- ½ c water
- ¼ c honey, or ½ c sugar
Cranberry Moscow Mule
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz cranberry syrup
- ½ oz fresh squeezed lime juice
- 6 oz ginger beer
- lime wedge, for garnish
- mint sprig, for garnish
- fresh cranberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the cranberries, water, and honey in a small saucepan and place over medium high heat. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the cranberries soften then fall apart.
- Pour the syrup through fine mesh strainer, and press on the cranberries with a spatula to release as much syrup as possible. Set aside to cool. If the syrup thickens too much as it cools, add water, a tablespoon at a time, until the consistency resembles honey.
- To make one cocktail, Combine the vodka, cranberry syrup, and lime juice in a copper mug. Stir to combine. Fill the mug halfway with crushed ice. Pour the ginger beer over the ice and stir one more. Top with additional crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of mint, lime wedge, and fresh cranberries. Serve immediately. See notes for making a large-batch moscow mule cocktail station.
Notes
- Double the cranberry syrup (about 1 cup total).
- Combine the 1 cup cranberry syrup with 2 cups vodka and a ½ cup of lime juice in a pitcher or decanter. Stir to combine, then chill.
- Set up a beverage station with an ice bucket, shot glass, several bottles of ginger beer, mugs, and small bowls of garnishes. Instruct guests to pour three “shots” of the cranberry mule base into a glass with ice, then top with ginger beer. Stir, garnish, and serve!
Brenda
These were so good. I skipped the mint. I only had tea vodka-what?! So I used that and they were yummy. So easy to make the cranberry syrup too. Thanks for sharing!
Italiano Student
Ho provato questo mentre ero impegnato a raccogliere il mio codice fiscale online che è per i cittadini italiani. Ma comunque, mi piace molto come si è rivelato. Semplicemente perfetto