This Christmas Moscow Mule or Yule Mule is a festive spin on the classic cocktail. It’s fresh and delicious with cranberries, ginger beer, lime and of course a generous shot of vodka to keep the holiday cheer alive. Serve it in a copper mug for that classic look. You can even make a super simple virgin version so everyone can join in the holiday spirit.
What is a Moscow Mule?
A Moscow Mule is a classic cocktail that’s made with ginger beer, vodka and lime juice. It’s traditionally served in copper mugs that help keep the drink cold.
Moscow Mule cocktails are super simple to make because you can mix everything in the mug or glass you’ll be drinking out of. No fancy cocktail shaker required for this recipe! Alternatively, you can make it in bulk in a large pitcher and just pour it over ice to quickly serve a crowd.
To spruce up this classic drink we’ve added some cranberry juice. Cranberries add a delicious sweet and tart flavour to this festive beverage. And is there a more festive berry than a cranberry? Serve this light and refreshing cocktail at your next Christmas party and you’ll be singing along with those carols in no time!
What do you need for this Holiday Cocktail?
- Vodka: A classic Moscow Mule needs vodka to turn it into a proper cocktail. You don’t need the super fancy stuff since you’ll be mixing it with all the other ingredients.
- Ginger Beer: Despite the name ‘beer’ this drink actually contains no alcohol. Make sure not to confuse it with ‘ginger ale’, this tastes very different and is more sweet and less gingery. Ginger beer has more of a spicy ginger kick and also adds some fizz to your drink.
- Cranberry juice: I like to use the regular kind because the sugar free version contains artificial sweeteners. Even better if you can find 100% pure cranberry juice. That way you can always add a little sugar or honey yourself to create your preferred level of sweetness.
- Lime juice: Fresh lime juice will give you the most fragrant result. I like my cocktail on the sour side so I add the juice of ½ a lime to each mug.
- Ice cubes: Lots of ice cubes to keep this drink frosty and cold.
- Garnish: Decorate your drink with cranberries and fresh rosemary sprigs to make it look extra festive.
How to garnish a Christmas Moscow Mule?
A regular Moscow Mule often has a slice of lime added as a garnish, but for this holiday version we want a little more festive vibes.
Here are some fabulous festive ideas:
- For a pop of red; keep it simple and just drop some fresh or frozen cranberries on top of each cocktail. They’ll float around on the top and look like beautiful red Christmas berries. You can eat them raw for extra vitamins, just keep in mind they can be very tart!
- Add a pop of green with a sprig of fresh rosemary (you can do this with or without the cranberries mentioned above). Rosemary looks just like pine and adds a delicious aroma and just a hint of flavour to your drink.
- Go the extra mile and make sugared cranberries. These gorgeous little ruby gems look just like snow covered berries to give you all the winter wonderland vibes. Stick them on a skewer and balance them on top of the drink.
Tips & Alternatives
Virgin Christmas Moscow Mule:
What I love about this cocktail is that all the flavour comes from the other ingredients so you can easily leave out the vodka without changing the flavour profile. That makes it super simple to make a virgin version for the kids or for anyone who doesn’t want an alcoholic drink. The cocktail and mocktail version will look exactly the same so make sure you’ve got some other way to tell them apart.
Vodka alternative:
Vodka is one of the ‘cleanest’ tasting alcohols out there, meaning that it doesn’t add much of a flavour to the drink itself. That makes it a perfect mixer for almost any cocktail. If you want to change it to another boozy variety then rum would be a good other option, this way you’ve changed the classic Moscow Mule into a Cuban Mule Cocktail. A spiced rum with flavours of cinnamon and clove would also work perfectly and add to the festive flavour profile. A splash of gin is another great option to add some extra buzz to your drink.
Pomegranate version:
If you’re not into cranberries then try pomegranate instead! Switch the cranberry juice for pomegranate juice and sprinkle some fresh or frozen pomegranate arils on top. These gorgeous little rubies will give your cocktail that festive pop of red!
What to serve this cocktail in:
The Mule cocktail is classically served in a copper mug. The copper conducts the temperature and helps to keep the beverage cold and frosty. A hammered copper mug also looks stunning when you serve it. An alternative would be any pretty looking glass you’ve got. Anything from a simple water glass to a fishbowl glass or even an old fashioned whisky tumbler will work just fine and also show off the pretty pink colour of this drink.
Make it in bulk to serve a crowd:
If you want to serve a crowd fast it’s easier to premix the ingredients in a large pitcher and keep it in the fridge. (Don't make it too far ahead of time because then the ginger beer in the mixture will go flat). When you’re ready to serve just fill some glasses or copper mugs with ice and pour your premade mixture in each glass. If you want to serve it to both kids and adults then keep the premixed version virgin without any vodka. You can then just add a shot of vodka to the adult glasses.
Are you looking for more festive recipes?
- Make these Sugared Cranberries to add a little sparkle to your cocktails, desserts and cakes during the holiday season!
- This Mulled Wine with citrus fruits and whole spices tastes like Christmas in a mug!
- Serve this Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine at your next party so everybody can join in the festive fun!
- Try this festive Cranberry Brie Crescent Wreath for brunch or as an appetizer, your guests will gobble up this wreath in no time!
- Serve these Truffle Deviled Eggs at your next party! These delicious appetizers can be made ahead of time and a touch of truffle gives them an elegant twist.
- Wow your guests with an overflowing Pinterest Perfect Cheeseboard at your next get-together.
- Apple Rose Puff Pastries are the prettiest individual apple pies you'll ever see. They look like elegant roses and are perfect for a special occasion.
