Our cranberry Moscow mules are right at home at holiday parties and small family get-togethers. They're easy to make, not too boozy and absolutely gorgeous.
How to Make a Cranberry Moscow Mule
Updated May 20, 2024
The holidays call for festive appetizers, impressive desserts and in-depth main dish recipes usually saved for Sunday-night dinners. It’s also the season for cocktails like margaritas infused with winter flavors such as cranberries, rosemary, and warm spices. Our holiday-inspired cranberry Moscow mule recipe is just what you need for all the seasonal festivities.
How to Make Cranberry Moscow Mules
Moscow mules are one of those classic cocktails that are easy to make and effortlessly fun served in their chilled copper mugs. Try this Christmas cocktail twist on the original when you really want to wow your party guests and stay on theme.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 2 ounces 100% cranberry juice or cranberry-flavored blend of 100% juice
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- 3 ounces ginger beer
- Fresh or frozen cranberries
- Fresh sage, for garnish
Tools You’ll Need
- Jigger or shot glass—I prefer to use a jigger because it allows you to be far more accurate when measuring liquor and mixers.
- Cocktail spoon—I love a gorgeous cocktail spoon! Plus, it’s so much easier to make a stirred cocktail with a spoon meant for the job than a soup spoon from the kitchen drawer.
- Copper mug—If you’re making Moscow mules you’ve gotta have copper cups! Make sure you hand wash these instead of throwing them in the dishwasher.
Directions
Step 1: Fill copper mug with ice
Fill a copper mug halfway with ice.
Step 2: Add vodka
Pour vodka over ice.
Step 3: Add juices
Add cranberry juice and lime juice. Give it a quick stir with a bar spoon.
Step 4: Add ginger beer
Top off the cocktail with ginger beer and stir just to combine. Garnish with cranberries and sage.
If you love cranberry, make sure you take a look at our round-up of the best cranberry cocktails.
Tips for Making Moscow Mules
- Use frozen cranberries instead of fresh. For starters, you can find them year-round. And you don’t risk them going bad in the fridge. And finally, they do double duty by acting as a garnish and keeping the drink chilled.
- If you can find 100% cranberry juice and are willing to spend the money on it, use it! It’s incredibly tart and makes for the best cocktail. However, it can be somewhat hard to find and is pricey compared to other juices. You can also use a cranberry-flavored juice made from a blend of 100% juice. Aside from being more affordable, it will also be sweeter.
- Curious as to what type of ginger beer is the best? Or our favorite vodka? Here’s everything you need to know about making Moscow mules.
- Once you try these cranberry Moscow mules, check out these other variations.
- For a super festive garnish, serve these cranberry Moscow mules with candied cranberries.
Originally Published: October 11, 2022
