Blood Orange Mocktail Mule

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. As always, all opinions, thoughts and recipes are my own. 

Light and bubbly, Blood Orange Mocktail Mules make a delightful sipper to serve during the winter months. Made with a few simple ingredients, this nonalcoholic drink is perfect for sharing. Makes 1 drink.

Love citrus recipes? This Orange Curd is perfect with any type of breakfast. Mix up a Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria to add sparkle and tartness to any gathering. Serve a Paloma Citrus Cake with Tequila-Lime Glaze for dessert year-round!

Did you know this time of year is CITRUS SEASON?

The wintertime is the best time for fresh citrus, and my friends at Sprouts Farmers Market have all kinds of amazing citrus out for us right now.

And today, I’m making a mocktail highlighting the sweetness of blood oranges as a bonus recipe in our Year of Moscow Mules!

More mocktail recipes: Pomegranate Ginger Orange Sparkling Mocktail / Sweet Sunrise Mocktail / Strawberry Mockarita (Strawberry Virgin Margarita) / Arnold Palmer Iced Tea Lemonade Mocktail / How to make a Grape Shrub Mocktail | Virgin Margarita (Margarita Mocktail)

Looking for a different type of sipper? Check out my Drinks recipe index.

What you’ll need to make a Blood Orange Mocktail Mule

• Cocktail shaker
• A jigger or a measuring tool to measure out the ingredients
• Copper mugs (or other glasses, should you want to show off the color)

From Sprouts Farmers Market, I grabbed all of the ingredients, including their delicious ginger beer. It has a little bit of a bite without being overwhelming, and it goes down smooth with the fresh fruit juice and fresh thyme, too!

How to make a Citrus Mocktail Mule

Add ice to the cocktail shaker. While you could potentially mix this drink up in a cocktail glass or a copper mug, I like to shake it first because it gets the ingredients ice cold.

Squeeze the blood orange juice into the cocktail shaker. Measure in the ginger beer and lime juice, too.

Shake the cocktail shaker vigorously to chill and mix the ingredients, then strain and pour into your glass of choice.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and a wedge of blood orange.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Blood Orange Mocktail Mules are the perfect sipper to serve when friends come over, as well as for a happy hour when you want to feel fancy… but don’t want to actually imbibe alcohol.

Also, they’re great for pregnant ladies. As someone who actively sought out mocktails when she was pregnant, let me just say: this one is fantastic because it isn’t too sweet!

Here are some tips and tricks for entertaining with these mocktails:

• Purchase your ingredients from Sprouts in advance. Having ‘em on hand (and having more than what you need) will assist in serving guests.
• Make it in a batch if you’re hosting guests. (Simply take the recipe and multiply it by the number of guests you’re hosting.)
• Don’t make it too early, though. Juice the oranges and limes just before guests arrive. Pour in the ginger beer when guests are ready for their drinks so the mocktail will be fizzy and wonderful.
• Serve easy appetizers along with these mocktails, like Creamy Chicken Enchilada Bruschetta, Fried Ravioli and Caprese Skewers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did you grab all your ingredients for this recipe at Sprouts Farmers Market?

I have a long-standing relationship with the grocery store, but I would (and do!) absolutely still shop there when we need groceries.

I love Sprouts because their prices are hard to beat, their products are fantastic (you’ve purchased their branded ingredients before, right?) and their workers are always incredibly friendly and helpful when we’re looking for something specific.

I also love that they always have seasonal varieties of fruits and veggies for us to try that we don’t often see in stores.

When are blood oranges in season? Generally speaking, the months of December through early May are blood orange season. It can vary, though, depending on the varietal.

Can I use another type of orange? You certainly can, but the acidity of the mocktail might change because of that. Blood oranges are very sweet and less acidic than other citruses, which is why they’re great for this easy, light mocktail.

Can I make this into a pitcher drink? For a group of 6, pour 24 oz. ginger beer, 12 oz. blood orange juice and 3 oz. lime juice into a pitcher. Stir until combined, and serve over ice.

Can I make this boozy? Yes, you can. Add 1 ½ oz. of your favorite vodka to the cocktail shaker before mixing it all together and pouring.

Quick tips for making a Blood Orange Mocktail Mule

• Make it for a crowd by quadrupling the recipe and mixing it in a pitcher.
• Use another type of seasonal citrus, like a cara cara orange or even a navel orange, if you can’t get your hands on blood oranges. Just be aware that a different type of orange might yield a more acidic drink.
• Spike it if you’re feeling fancy (and enjoy the occasional spirit.) Add 1 ½ oz. vodka to your cocktail shaker before mixing up the drink.