‘Tis the Season For A Holiday Moscow Mule

by Randy Woodward May 05, 2020


Nowadays, we often live a busy and quite stressful life. No wonder we love and adore the holidays because it gives us the time to relax, unwind and spend time with the family. Perhaps the most popular and most awaited holiday is none other than Christmas. Christmas is still yet to come so now would be a great time to practice making this holiday-themed Moscow mule to perfect it in time for the delightful holiday.

This particular Moscow mule goes by a lot of names such as the “Holiday Moscow mule”, the “Yule Mule” and the “Cranberry Moscow mule. Indeed, it is a Moscow mule that features cranberries to match the season or holiday. It is usually adorned with sugared cranberries and rosemary and the colors green and red stand out and definitely scream “Christmas”.

Go through our full list of 21 amazing Moscow Mule cocktail recipes.

Some versions like to add more spices to it such as ginger and cinnamon to make it more festive. It is a truly pretty sight to see that can make your holiday very special. So, when Christmas finally comes, the turkey will be taken out of the oven, cookies are already on the table, stockings by the fireplace and presents under the tree, and this celebratory drink will complete the feast and ambience.

Nutritional guidelines per serving

Serving Size: 8 fl. oz.

Amount per Serving

Calories - 192

Total fat - 0 g

Saturated Fat - 0 g

Trans Fat - 0 g

Cholesterol - 0 mg

Sodium - 13 mg

Total Carbohydrate - 20.5 g

Dietary Fiber - 0 g

Sugars - 8.1 g

Potassium - 19 mg

Protein - 0 g

Calcium - 0 mg

Iron - 0 mg

Vitamin A - 0 mg

Vitamin C - 0 mg

Holiday Moscow Mule Recipe

Have yourself a merry little Christmas and have a holiday Moscow mule to go with it. The cranberries really give that Christmas vibe that makes one feel merry and bright. With a few simple steps and ingredients, you can make Christmas in a copper mug so try it now!

Tools Required:

  • Copper Mug - a copper vessel mainly used for Moscow mules.
  • Bar Spoon - A long spoon used for stirring mixed drinks.
  • Jigger - the bartending measuring tool.

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. Measure the vodka and cranberry juice with a jigger and pour them into a copper mug.
  2. Fill the copper mug with ice cubes and squeeze the lime into it.
  3. Top it off with ginger beer. Stir the drink with a bar spoon . Garnish with a handful of cranberries and rosemary.

Recipe Variations

The holidays don’t just happen in one day, that’s why this awesome drink comes in different forms for you to try during the season. Check them out to see which ones you like the most!

Minty Holiday Mule


This version will make you feel like you are walking in a winter wonderland because of the one addition that is the mint. Its menthol makes the mouth feel cool and makes the drink more refreshing and perfect to pair with meats.

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. In a shaker tin or glass , place the mint leaves. Measure the lime juice, cranberry juice and vodka with a jigger .
  2. Add ice cubes in the shaker, cover and then shake for about 10 seconds.
  3. Double strain (hawthorne strainer and fine mesh strainer ) the mixture into an ice-filled copper mug .
  4. Stick a couple of cranberries with a toothpick. Garnish the drink with it and a lime wedge.

Raspberry Christmas Mule

If you want a sweeter version of the holiday Moscow mule, try this recipe where it replaces the cranberries with raspberries. Raspberries tend to have a way sweeter taste than cranberries and they are easy to handle and people may be more familiar with its flavor in drinks.

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. Place the raspberries in a copper mug along with the sugar. Muddle these with a muddler just until the juice of the raspberries is released.
  2. Measure the lime juice and vodka with a jigger and pour them into the copper mug.
  3. Add ice cubes into the copper mug then stir it with a bar spoon .
  4. Top it off with ginger beer.
  5. Stick raspberries with a toothpick and put it on the drink as garnish. Add some rosemary too and dust them with a little bit of powdered sugar to make it look like snow. Serve it with a straw .

Cranberry 2x Moscow Mule

If you haven’t had enough of the cranberry juice, this recipe is for you since it uses a cranberry ginger ale. Because of this, you can definitely taste the Moscow mule but with hints of a Shirley Temple and this is the hidden gem of this recipe so try it now!

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. In a copper mug , squeeze the lime. Then, measure the cranberry juice and vodka using a jigger and pour them in as well. Give it a quick stir.
  2. Add ice cubes and the lime slices into the mug.
  3. Top it off with the cranberry ginger ale.
  4. Garnish it with a handful of cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.

Cranberry Apple Cider Moscow Mule

This holiday Moscow features a delightful apple spice flavor that mixes well with the ginger beer and you’ll surely have comfort from fall through winter.

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Measure the vodka, cranberry juice and sparkling apple cider with a jigger and pour them into the glass.
  3. Top it off with ginger beer.
  4. Garnish it with cranberries. Give it stir and serve with a straw .

Pomegranate Moscow Mule

Pomegranate shares a flavor profile with cranberries, making it a great substitute but it doesn’t have to be a substitute since it can also stand out on its own.

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. FIll a copper mug with ice cubes. Measure the vodka and pomegranate juice with a jigger and pour them into the mug.
  2. Top it off with ginger beer.
  3. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and a lime wheel.

Apple Cranberry Moscow Mule

There’s already an apple cider variation in the list but this one uses apple juice so it’s smoother and sweeter. It can be served in a copper mug but a highball glass emphasizes its color and pretty garnishes.

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. Fill a highball or Collins glass with ice cubes. Add the fresh or frozen cranberries and apple slices into the glass.
  2. Measure the vodka, cranberry juice and sparkling apple juice with a jigger and pour them into the glass.
  3. Top it off with ginger beer. Give it a quick stir with a bar spoon .

Cranberry Clementine Moscow Mule

Who could ever forget the orange citrus in drinks and this time, among many types of oranges, the clementine has the chance to shine. They add a delicate touch to the mule as well as hints of orangey sweetness.

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. Fill a copper mug with ice cubes.
  2. Measure the vodka and cranberry juice with a jigger and pour them into the mug.
  3. Squeeze the clementine into the mug. Top it off with about 6 ounces of ginger beer.
  4. Garnish it with clementine slices, cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.

Apple Fig Moscow Mule

Fall comes before winter and Thanksgiving is just as big of a holiday as Christmas. Try this delicious apple fig variation of the Moscow mule that certainly provides the fall vibes and prepares you for Christmas.

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. Measure the apple cider and vodka using a jigger and pour them into an ice-filled copper mug .
  2. Top it off with ginger beer.
  3. Grate a cinnamon stick over the drink and put a new stick on top as a garnish.

Salted Caramel Apple Moscow Mule

Another fall treat is the famous caramel apple and gladly there is a cocktail form of it that is perfect for autumn and booze lovers out there. It surely contains sweet and salty flavors that are enhanced with the spiciness of the ginger beer.

Ingredients:

Steps to Make:

  1. Drizzle some dulce de leche on the inside of the copper mug . If you don’t have dulce de leche, you can use caramel sauce instead.
  2. Measure the apple cider and vodka with a jigger and pour them into the mug.
  3. Fill the copper mug with crushed ice.
  4. Top it off with the ginger beer.
  5. Garnish it with apple slices and caramel candy on a stick and some nit leaves.

Spiced Pear Moscow Mule

The partridge is not the only precious thing found in the pear tree but also a lot of lovely pears. This recipe calls for a homemade spiced pear syrup that brings out the brightness of the drink with the added spices.

Ingredients:

For the spiced pear simple syrup:

For the cocktail:

Steps to Make:

  1. To make the simple syrup, measure the ingredients with measuring spoons and cups first then put them all in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks and pear slices. Give them a quick whisk.
  2. Let the mixture simmer in medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Strain the mixture into a glass jar and let it cool before using.
  4. Measure the spiced pear simple syrup, vodka and ginger beer using a jigger and pour them into a shaker tin.
  5. Squeeze the lime into the shaker with a citrus squeezer . Cover and then shake for about 5 seconds.
  6. Fill a copper mug with ice cubes. Strain and pour the mixture into the mug.
  7. Garnish with pear slices.

Merry Berry Moscow Mule

This recipe is quite unique because it uses a raspberry and ginger cordial and instead of ginger beer, it uses a raspberry Pepsi which is also essentially a carbonated soft drink. The flavor will definitely be raspberry but there will still be notes on ginger from the cordial.

Ingredients:

For the raspberry and ginger cordial:

For the cocktail:

  • 1.5 oz. Tito’s Handmade vodka
  • ¾ oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ¾ oz. raspberry and ginger cordial
  • Pepsi Max Raspberry (to top)
  • Ice cubes
  • Raspberries and mint leaves (for garnish)

Steps to Make:

  1. To make the cordial, measure the ingredients with measuring cups and spoons and combine all of them in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil in medium heat while stirring and wait until the raspberries have broken down and the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Strain the mixture using a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and let it cool.
  3. Fill a copper mug with ice cubes. Measure the vodka, lime juice and raspberry and ginger cordial using a jigger and pour them into the copper mug.
  4. Stir the mixture with a bar spoon .
  5. Top it off with pepsi max raspberry.
  6. Stick three raspberries and mint leaves with a toothpick and garnish the drink with it.

Cranberry Mule Christmas Tree Jello Shots

The ultimate Christmas party food is perhaps this awesome jello shot that tastes like Christmas but with a little bit of booze. It’s great to share with friends and even if it requires extra work and effort, it’s worth it anyway.

Ingredients:

For the cranberry mix:

For the ginger beer mix:

Steps to Make:

  1. In a pot, combine 6 cups of cranberry juice and the sprigs of rosemary. Bring to a boil to infuse the flavors of the rosemary to the juice. Then, take it out from the heat and set it aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the half cup cranberry juice, lemon juice and 4 packs of gelatin. Whisk it to combine and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  3. Strain the rosemary-infused cranberry juice and pour it into the gelatin mix. Whisk again until fully incorporated. Add the vodka and give it a final mix.
  4. Fill your jello cups with about 2 teaspoons of the mixture and put it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes or until set.
  5. For the ginger beer mix, in a bowl, combine the half cups of lime juice and ginger beer as well as the 4 packs of gelatin. Whisk it until combined and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
  6. In a saucepan, combine 2 ½ cups of ginger beer and honey. Give it a whisk until the honey is fully incorporated and bring it to a simmer. Then, combine this to the gelatin mix and whisk until fully mixed.
  7. Add another half cup of lime juice and the vodka and chopped mint leaves. Give it a final stir.
  8. Take out the jello cups and fill them with about 2 teaspoons each of the ginger beer mixture and put them back in the fridge until set.
  9. Do another layer of cranberry mixture and then the ginger beer mixture until the cups are full. Finally, cover them and then set for the last time. Serve and enjoy.

Food Pairings

Since the Moscow mule featured in this article is holiday-themed, it is meant to be paired with holiday foods as well. Here are some of the best and iconic Christmas foods to have alongside a delicious mug of holiday Moscow mule.

Christmas Turkey

The turkey is not just for Thanksgiving but also for Christmas. This is practically the star of the table and the main protein of a Christmas meal. It is usually served with gravy and mashed potatoes.


Gingerbread cookies

The quintessential Christmas cookies that also happen to have a lot of ginger flavor so it is a perfect match to a Moscow mule. They are adorable, soft, have tons of flavor and just the right amount of sweetness.

Honey-Glazed Ham

A very good substitute to the turkey is some good ‘ol honey-glazed ham. It is very tender and its sweetness goes well with the spice and tartness of the drink.


Pecan Pie

The best pie to have during the holidays is none other than pecan pie. It really hits the spot after a feast of meats. It is sweet, gooey and packed with crunch and caramel that can be washed down with the holiday Moscow mule.


Brie Cheese with Broccoli

Brie cheese is perhaps the most festive cheese, thus, the perfect choice for the holidays. It becomes softer when baked and more flavors are released and serving it with some broccoli really makes a good appetizer.


Green Bean Casserole

No meal is complete without the greens. Try this creamy and tasty green bean casserole and have an explosion of flavors and texture. It’s the awesome side dish that you just can’t miss.


Chocolate Bark

It is the holidays so it’s okay if we indulge a little bit. Turn your plain-looking chocolate bars into festive and decorative bark. The sweetness on this fun play on chocolate comingles with the tartness of the holiday drink.


FAQs

What is better to use in a holiday mule: cranberries or pomegranate?

Originally, a holiday Moscow mule is made with vodka, ginger beer and cranberry juice in place of the lime juice and adorned with sugar-dusted cranberries and a sprig of rosemary to somehow resemble a mistletoe for the Christmas factor.

Some variations include the pomegranate moscow mule. Obviously, pomegranates and cranberries share a hue and taste since they can both be sour but they differ in size since cranberries are bigger whereas pomegranates are smaller. Also, cranberries are easier to handle because they can be eaten immediately whereas pomegranates require more effort in cutting them open and soaking the seeds in water before eating and they can be messy too since they stain.

Furthermore, availability matters as well and the cranberries have an edge on this factor. At the end of the day, it boils down to your preference if you want to eat the garnish of either cranberries or pomegranate after you have finished the drink. After all, they are both great in their own right.

Is ginger beer fattening?

Ginger beer is essentially a soft drink so one might think that it is packed with sugar and calories like other soft drinks. Given that it is indeed a soft drink, it still contains sugar, only less. Some even argue that ginger beer, being made from ginger root, has several health benefits such as improving digestion, remedy nausea and boosting the immune system. But if you consume too much ginger beer, one way or another, the sugar content in it may have ill-effects to the body .

Which ginger beer has the least sugar?

Of all the ginger beer brands, hands down, the one with no sugar at all is Zevia Mixer Ginger Beer. It gives that ginger spice without any sweeteners and only contains natural flavors. But, some people prefer to use ginger beers that have a little bit of sweetness to it.

Between Fentimans, Fever Tree, Q Spectacular, Bundaberg, Maine Root, and Barritts Bermuda, the one with the least sugar is Fever Tree which only contains 40 calories and 8 grams of sugar. The rest will go in this order: Q Spectacular (90 cal. 22 g), Fentimans (105 cal. 25.9 g), Maine Root (167 cal. 40 g), Bundaberg (170 cal 40 g), Barritts Bermuda (200 cal. 49 g).

Is the holiday moscow mule a girly drink?

The holidays are for everyone, therefore, the holiday Moscow mule is not exclusive for girls only. Because of its aesthetics and color palette, people may view it as girly but it’s really just to resemble the holiday being celebrated. WIth this, men and women can enjoy a nice mug of holiday Moscow mule.

Other Mule Treats

Aside from the holiday Moscow mule, you don’t have to wait for the holidays to enjoy these awesome other mules. They are perfect for any day as long as you want to have a good time. And maybe some chips to go with these drinks? Check out these fantastic Moscow mule chips that are perfect for any cocktail party.

Conclusion

The holidays are the times when you and your loved ones gather to celebrate and be thankful. For sure there will be plenty of food and one way to make them more special is with a classic pairing of a holiday cocktail, one of which is the holiday Moscow mule which features cranberries and rosemary to make it look and taste like Christmas in a cup. Give it a try this coming Christmas to have a unique and spectacular experience.

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