Cranberry Moscow Mule (Yule Mule)
This Cranberry Moscow Mule is a lovely Christmas sipper. Also known as a Yule Mule, this twist on the classic cocktail highlights cranberry juice! Makes 1 drink, but can easily be made into a pitcher.
Love a good holiday drink? Don’t miss Cranberry Bellinis, Toasted Pecan Old Fashioned and Citrus Cranberry Sangria.
We’re finishing the Year of the Mule strong with a classic Cranberry Moscow Mule!
Back in 2015, I shared a Cranberry Mule recipe that’s actually a Cranberry Dark and Stormy. And it definitely inspired me to finally, finally, finally make a rendition of it with the traditional spirit of vodka this year.
So here we are: Ending this year of 13(!) Moscow Mule recipes strong with something very similar to the one that started it all.
Why I love this recipe:
I’m a sucker for any cranberry drinks because, well, I love tart cranberries. This Cranberry Moscow Mule (AKA a Yule Mule or a Christmas Moscow Mule) is no exception!
It’s a combination of slightly sweet, slightly tart with a little kick from the ginger, too. And it’s oh-so-smooth to drink, too!
One of our favorite things about this cranberry cocktail is that it’s balanced. The spice of the ginger beer compliments the tartness of the cranberries and both flavors sing. The lime juice adds a bit of brightness and the simple syrup sweetens it up.
Truly, this combination is perfection, and I highly recommend giving it a try this season! If you love a traditional Moscow mule cocktail, you’re bound to enjoy this one, too.
This is a fabulous recipe to have on hand for holiday celebrations and more.
More Moscow Mule recipes to try soon: Classic Moscow Mule (or the Moscow Mule Pitcher) | Irish Mule | Pumpkin Spice Mule | Apple Cider Moscow Mule | Raspberry Moscow Mule
Looking for a different type of cocktail? Check out my Drinks recipe index.
What you’ll need to make a Yule Mule
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- A jigger (or a mini Stainless Steel Angled Measuring Cup)
- Copper mugs (which are sometimes referred to as Moscow mule mugs)
- Citrus juicer or citrus reamer
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to grab from the grocery store and the liquor store:
- Cranberry juice — I always, always, always recommend the unsweetened kind because your drink will get incredibly sweet if you use cranberry cocktail.
- Vodka — use your favorite brand or what you’ve got on hand! Tito’s is what we keep in our house at all times.
- Simple syrup — you can make your own and keep it in the fridge or purchase it from the store!
- Lime juice — fresh squeezed or the cold press stuff you can find in the refrigerated section of your store!
- Ginger beer — in my opinion, the spicier, the better! Fever Tree is our favorite, but we’ve made a ton of mules this year with the Sprouts brand ginger beer, and it’s also lovely and spicy.
- Garnishes — I used lime wedges and frozen cranberries for this drink, but you could use Sugared Cranberries and lime wheels, if desired.
Variations:
Swap out the alcohol. Use bourbon to make a Cranberry Kentucky Mule or gin to make a Cranberry Gin Gin Mule.
Juice up the cranberry flavor. Use Cranberry Simple Syrup in place of traditional simple syrup.
How to make a Cranberry Moscow Mule
Pour ice to the top of a copper mule mug (or another glass that you’ll serve this drink in, like a rocks glass or an old-fashioned glass).
Measure out the unsweetened cranberry juice, vodka, simple syrup and lime juice.
Top with the ginger beer!
Stir the ingredients with a cocktail spoon until well-combined.
Enjoy immediately with a wedge of lime, a handful of cranberries and a sprig of rosemary for garnish.
How to turn this into a pitcher drink:
To make a 6-serving pitcher, mix the following:
- 12 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice
- 9 oz. vodka
- 6 oz. simple syrup
- 3 oz. lime juice
- 18 oz. ginger beer
Stir well until combined, and serve immediately!
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Moscow Mules are the perfect party drink because they require few ingredients, and those ingredients are pretty easy to prep in bulk. No cocktail shaker needed!
Cranberry Moscow Mules are particularly festive for the holiday and Christmas season (hence the nickname “Yule Mule”), and they’re great for gatherings.
If you’re serving guests at a holiday celebration, turn this singular mule into a Mule Bar (or simply do the math with the recipe and make a batch)! They make beautiful Christmas cocktails throughout the season.
Here’s how you can do it:
- One to two hours before the gathering, squeeze the limes and make the simple syrup, if you’re making it. I don’t recommend using jarred lime juice, because it tends to taste bitter to me. However, you can purchase cold pressed lime juice in the refrigerated section of your supermarket, and that’s awesome.
- Prep your garnishes. Quarter your limes, get out the cranberries, divide the rosemary sprigs into shorter garnishes (because nobody needs a giant stick in their drink!)
- Print out the recipe and instructions so guests can mix their own.
- Set out the ingredients in separate jars or containers on whatever surface you’re transforming into your Mule Bar.
- Make it a pitcher! I have included instructions for how to do this below and in the recipe card.
Frequently Asked Questions
YES! I was delighted to learn that non-alcoholic Moscow Mules are delicious. This one is the same and it’s great for all non-drinkers. Just leave out the vodka so you’ve got cranberry juice, ginger beer, lime juice and a little simple syrup. If that makes you happy, it makes me happy, too!
We love Fever Tree’s ginger beer because it has some major heat to it. Bundaberg is another popular ginger beer. If you’re not into a ton of spice, the Sprouts Farmers Market brand is delicious, too.
My advice is to use your favorite vodka to make these mules. I do not recommend using the cheapest vodka that you can find, as that doesn’t taste nearly as good as a drinking vodka.
Our favorite vodka brand is Tito’s. If you can’t find that, Smirnoff, Pinnacle and Grey Goose are all acceptable.
Copper conducts temperature — both heat and cold — really well, so a copper cup keeps your Moscow Mule nice and cold!
Technically, yes… but it’s a marginal amount and not enough for it to be marked as an alcoholic beverage.
Quick tips for making a Cranberry Moscow Mule
- Not a fan of vodka? Make a Rum Cranberry Mule (also known as a Cranberry Dark and Stormy!) It’s a different twist on this Christmas Mule.
- Add a little extra sweetness with the simple syrup if this cranberry cocktail is too tart for you. I suggest it in increments of ½ oz., then stirring and tasting before adding more so that it doesn’t become too sweet.
- Want to make a different style of Moscow Mule? Try out a Gin Gin Mule, a Gingerbread Mule, a Pomegranate Yule Mule Cocktail or a Blood Orange Mocktail Mule.
Here’s how you can make this one…
Classic Cranberry Moscow Mule
Ingredients
- 2 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice do NOT use cranberry cocktail
- 1 ½ oz. vodka
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- ½ oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 oz. ginger beer
- Rosemary for garnish
- Cranberries fresh or frozen, for garnish
- Lime wedge for garnish
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Instructions
- In a copper mug (or another glass that you’ll serve this drink in) filled with ice, measure out the unsweetened cranberry juice, vodka, simple syrup and lime juice.
- Top with ginger beer.
- Stir the ingredients with a cocktail spoon until combined.
- Enjoy immediately with a wedge of lime, a handful of cranberries and a sprig of rosemary for garnish.
Notes
A note on ingredients:
The beauty of this Cranberry Moscow Mule is in the balance. Please use unsweetened cranberry juice, not cranberry cocktail, because that will throw off the balance and make this drink a lot sweeter than it was intended to be. The spice of the ginger compliments the tartness of the cranberries, and using a sweeter juice will throw that off.To make a 6-serving pitcher:
Combine the following in a pitcher, stir and serve immediately:- 12 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice
- 9 oz. vodka
- 6 oz. simple syrup
- 3 oz. lime juice
- 18 oz. ginger beer
Easy entertaining tips and tricks
- One to two hours before the party, squeeze the limes. I don’t recommend using jarred lime juice, as it’s not nearly as fresh-tasting and sometimes veers toward bitterness.
- Quarter your limes in advance, too, for the garnish. Keep ‘em in a food storage container in the fridge for up to a few days before your gathering.
- Mix the drinks as guests want to sip them because the ginger beer will go flat.
- If you want to prep this drink in advance, squeeze the limes, make the simple syrup, measure the cranberry juice and the vodka. Keep them in individual glasses/jars, and print out the instructions for this drink so guests can mix their own!
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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